Fuel Cells at the Hannover Industrial Fair: Commercial Products Demonstrating Fuel Cell And Hydrogen Technology

An overview of the importance of fuel cell technologies at the recent Hannover Industrial Fair (April, 2003) is presented. Approximately 100 fuel cell exhibitors from 20 nations displayed the hardware for the most recent advances in fuel cell and hydrogen technologies. One of the most promising aspects of these diverse presentations was that units are now being developed for application in real products. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Germany, displayed a professional video camera and a hand held camcorder that were both powered by neat, integrated, multiwatt fuel cells. The fuel cells for these technologies were run directly on hydrogen stored as a metal hydride. Many companies displayed technologies for economical production of the hydrogen needed to power advanced fuel cells.