Australian engineers at forefront of hydrogen fuel-cell development

An Australian company has developed a hydrogen fuel-cell with significantly higher voltages than those currently found on the market.

Early testing by the Queensland University of Technology has found Titan Hydrogen’s fuel-cell enhancement technology delivered higher voltages when compared to more common Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells of the same density.

Titan says it is seeking to increase the capacity of fuel-cells by up to 60 per cent in an effort to deliver more power – with common PEM fuel-cells converting less than 40 per cent of hydrogen into electricity.

“We are encouraged by these early-stage results and look forward to further validation of the novel approach we are following,” chairman David Vison said.

The news comes just days after H2X Global announced it had partnered with a consortium of businesses to launch a new hydrogen vehicle hub in Victoria’s south east.

While traditionally home to coal-fired power stations, Gippsland is primed to become a key producer of hydrogen in the coming years. The region already exports the fuel to Japan, and could benefit from a new deal to supply hydrogen to construction equipment maker JCB.