Hydrogen Fuel Cells And The Zero-Emission Supply Chain Of Tomorrow

If this year’s headlines are to be believed, hydrogen fuel cells are poised to become one of the defining renewable energy solutions of the future. Since January 2019, the technology has captured remarkable levels of interest from some of the world’s most important economies, energy leaders and corporations.

However, much of the conversation surrounding future applications for fuel cell technology tends to ignore the areas where it might make the greatest impact. As the CEO of a company that designs and manufactures hydrogen fuel cell systems, I've witnessed this firsthand. Most often, we often find ourselves distracted by the enduring allure (and endless theatrics) of the consumer automotive sector.

That’s unfortunate, because while fuel cells certainly have the potential to transform our global economy, it won’t be the rise of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCVs) that does it. It’s much more likely that fuel cell technology will change the world through its impact on the global supply chain, forever altering the flow of goods and resources around the planet and transforming the way we do business.

A Good Year For Fuel Cell Technology

This isn’t just some sanguine flight of fancy. Today’s rapidly maturing fuel cell technology is showing enormous promise — enough to drive significant investments from some of the world’s biggest economies.

In March, the Chinese government announced plans to promote the development and construction of fueling stations for hydrogen fuel cell cars. In June, the International Energy Association (IEA) released its monumental hydrogen report, which precipitated the signing of a joint statement of future cooperation on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies by national energy agencies from the U.S., E.U. and Japan. In November, the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association issued its Road Map to a U.S. Hydrogen Economy, highlighting the critical importance of hydrogen in achieving a low-carbon energy mix.