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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/C002601/1
Title: Fuel Cells- Powering a Greener Future
Principal Investigator: Scott, Professor K
Other Investigators:
Atkinson, Professor A Baker, Dr RT Irvine, Professor J
Choy, Professor K Brandon, Professor NP
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Ceres Power Ltd Johnson Matthey Rolls-Royce Plc
Department: Chemical Engineering & Advanced Material
Organisation: Newcastle University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 September 2005 Ends: 31 December 2009 Value (£): 2,082,524
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Electrochemical Science & Eng. Fuel Cell Technologies
Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Fuel Cells are receiving considerable attention as clean, highly efficient devices for the production of both electricity and, for some applications, high grade waste heat, with the recent DTI study 'A fuel cell vision for the UK (2003)' predicting 5 million fuel cell vehicles and 10 GW of residential and commercial generation by 2020. However, considerable technical challenges remain for this promise to be realised. Specifically, advances are needed in the areas of as-manufactured fuel cell integrity, particularly with regards to the thick film ceramic electrolytes adopted in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, in fuel cell durability, in fuel cell power density, and in fuel flexibility, whether this be the ability to use renewable fuels such as bio-alcohols, or the ability to use logistic fuels such as diesel or kerosene. Furthermore, all of these issues need to be addressed in the context of the ultimate capital and operating cost of the fuel cell. This proposal brings together a world-class team of both academic and industrial partners to address these key issues. We will focus our efforts onto the three leading technologies being developed by our industrial collaborators, namely high temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (HT-PEMFCs), high temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (HT-SOFCs) for SOFC-gas turbine hybrid applications, and metal supported intermediate temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (IT-SOFCs) for operation at 500-600C. Uniquely, our approach will be to seek synergies in our work into these three technologies whenever possible.
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Organisation Website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk