Center for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research

Today’s fuel cell and hydrogen-related research and development initiatives will generate solutions for alternative energy technologies when fossil-based fuels become less attractive. The initiatives and potential solutions will impose significant challenges for years to come as new forms of energy management come into play. Since the changes represent paradigm shifts, many of the solutions will emerge from a spectrum from fundamental materials advancements to applied engineering.

While certain military and aerospace fuel-cell applications have met with success, currently the commercialization of fuel cells are encountering technical barriers that limit lifetime, performance, efficiency, and cost. Many of these barriers are technology snd science-based and furthermore are not specific to any one type of fuel cell. As a result, the challenges posed by these barriers must be addressed and resolved before the technology can move to a commercial status.

The Center for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research (CFCHR) at RPI is well positioned to address such challenges. Rensselaer has a substantial technical base in materials science, physics, chemistry, and engineering from which to tap. It is the goal of the center to coordinate and facilitate research efforts and themes on campus by coupling the fuel cell and hydrogen research needs with the activities of individual faculty members.

The center is currently partnered with industry, government agencies, and other academic institutions. The center is a School of Engineering initiative.