Overall, DOE’s fuel cell R&D efforts have generated more than 300 patents and assisted approximately 30 products getting to market. At the same time, fuel cell durability has doubled, expensive platinum content has been reduced by a factor of five, and the cost of fuel cells has already fallen 80% since 2002.

To accelerate commercialization, the industry must continue to reduce costs and meet performance targets for fuel cell systems for vehicles and stationary power applications. DOE targets for vehicles include direct hydrogen fuel cell systems that, by 2017, have a peak efficiency of 60%, cost $30 per kilowatt, and have 5,000 hours durability, which is equivalent to 150,000 miles of driving. The two projects selected for award today will help drive technical innovation to meet these key targets, according to DOE.

• 3M Company, up to $3.1 million. 3M Company, in collaboration with General Motors, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Michigan Technological University, will develop a durable, low-cost, and high-performance membrane electrode assembly for use in mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicles. The approach is based upon integration of 3M’s advanced nanostructured thin film catalyst technology platform with other components of the membrane electrode assembly.

• Eaton Corporation, up to $2.1 million. Eaton Corporation, Kettering University, Ballard Power Systems, and Electricore, Inc., will leverage advanced blower technology to develop and demonstrate an efficient and low-cost fuel cell air management system. Eaton will modify their existing twin vortices series advanced blower supercharger for this project that will deliver more power and better fuel economy in a smaller package as compared to other supercharger technologies.