ACAL Energy is attempting to do what few others have managed which is to eliminate the expensive platinum used on the cathode of its hydrogen fuel cell. Instead the ACAL FlowCath uses a durable liquid chemical cathode in its hydrogen FC. This reduces the platinum content by 80-percent overall in the fuel cell.
Besides this one step making the fuel cell less expensive and just as durable as a platinum based FC, ACAL Energy is also taking other measures to make their device more ready for commercialization, “The technology also inherently addresses the balance of plant costs by eliminating the need for hydration, pressurization, separate cooling and other expensive mechanical sub-systems commonly found in conventional PEM fuel cells.”
ACAL is intending for their fuel cell to first go online in the second half of 2010 supplying continuous electric power at a chemical manufacturing plant in the UK. When the field testing succeeds, ACAL sees its FlowCath fuel cell capable of replacing gasoline and diesel engines in both the stationary fuel cell market and in the transportation sectors.
ACAL will exhibit their new fuel cell in early March at the FC EXPO in Tokyo, Japan. Besides speaking at the conferences, ACAL will have representatives at their both speaking in both English and Japanese.