UNSW researchers have redesigned hydrogen fuel cells to solve a critical flaw, bringing clean energy for aviation, heavy transport and beyond closer to reality.
Hydrogen fuel cells, using locally produced green hydrogen as the only fuel, have long been viewed as the ultimate clean energy source, but their commercialisation has been difficult.
A multidisciplinary team from UNSW, led by Dr Quentin Meyer and Professor Chuan Zhao from the School of Chemistry, has managed to make hydrogen fuel cells much more efficient, paving the way for their commercialisation.
“Hydrogen fuel cells generate clean electricity with water as the only byproduct,” says Dr Quentin Meyer, a Senior Research Fellow in Prof. Zhao’s team, and first author of the research published today in the journal Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy .
In theory, they could deliver cheap, abundant clean energy – transforming industries like freight and aviation that batteries struggle to power.
But translating that promise into real-world emissions cuts has proven difficult.
Some of the water produced inside the cell gets trapped, blocking the flow of oxygen and choking performance. Fixing that typically requires complex, energy-intensive systems that add cost and weight.
The UNSW team’s new design takes a different approach: it allows excess water and gas to escape before they can build up, without adding to the price.
“Our design can make hydrogen fuel cells much more efficient with only minor structural changes,” says Dr Meyer.
