{"id":10522,"date":"2023-01-19T17:35:02","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T22:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.plugpower.com\/?p=10522"},"modified":"2024-04-25T10:41:39","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T14:41:39","slug":"fuel-cell-applications-101-where-are-fuel-cells-used-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.plugpower.com\/fuel-cell-applications-101-where-are-fuel-cells-used-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Fuel Cell Applications 101: Where Are Fuel Cells Used Today?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fuel cell applications are bountiful and have proven to be useful in many applications, as global energy transitions to more sustainable sources. <\/em>Fuel cells<\/em><\/a>, across the value chain, are increasingly seen as a vital technology to green the energy supply chain. And Plug, taking up that mantle, currently serves as an industry leader in the rollout of the technology, having innovated in the space for a quarter of a century.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike an internal combustion engine, fuel cells instead intake hydrogen to generate a chemical reaction to produce power and warm water vapor. Thus, they do not rely on combustion as the propulsion mechanism. That means fuel cells don\u2019t emit carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fuel cells empowered by green hydrogen<\/a> are seen as the gold standard use case, in which Plug is an industry leader, for climate change-mitigating energy functionality of the technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applications for fuel cells span the value chain, stretching into areas such as material handling for distribution centers, stationary power generation of various types, and both micro- and macro-mobility. The largest active user of liquid hydrogen in the world, Plug is a robust player in nearly all these areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PEM Fuel Cells\u2019 Applications, Advantages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Department of Energy notes that \u201cFuel cells are more energy efficient than combustion engines,\u201d making them a key energy transition component. The University of Illinois further concludes that fuel cells generally operate at a drastically lower noise decibel level than conventional power generators, as well, further elucidating the benefits of fuel cells<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"benefits<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is this versatility and ability to green energy production supply chains that serves as the central value proposition for fuel cells. A broad summary of the myriad fuel cell applications, also explained more throughout this blog post, can be seen below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n