Fuel Cell
Fuel cells work by connecting an electrical circuit to a hydrogen and an oxygen input and produce electricity. They are one major alternative that can successfully produce electricity while producing little to no carbon dioxide. Large stationary fuel cells are capable of producing upwards of 4 megawatts of power that can supply data centers, utilities, and other industrial power consumers, while smalls ones being produced by Ballard and Hydrogenics within Canada, are being supplied to be used in forklifts, trucks and, automobiles. The benefit of fuel cells in such vehicles is the quick refuel times, which reduces downtime between shifts and the lack of emissions within an enclosed environment, allowing workers to continue to breath clean air. The work being done by the i-FuELs laboratory is to better understand the operations of a fuel cell and the various impacts changing operating conditions have on a commercial fuel cell.