Fuel cells have been promoted as the next technological leap in the area of power production. While they do hold great promise for providing clean and reliable power, the reality remains that fuel cells are still a developing technology with much room for improvement in both technical performance and cost. This study evaluates which fuel cell technologies hold the most potential for providing reliable power and heat for processes, and includes estimates of technically and economically feasible stationary fuel cell capacity between now and 2020. The manufacturing service infrastructure, technical and market barriers to increased demand, and regulatory, permitting, and siting issues are explored.
