Fuel cells: Equipment and suppliers
Catalysts, membranes and ceramic stacks inside the box
What this tab covers For each method, the main pieces of equipment, who makes them (by region) and what they are made of (bill of materials).A PEM system is mostly catalyst, membrane, plates and an air loop. A high-temperature system is mostly ceramic or matrix cells, metal interconnects and an insulated hot box, with fuel processing and an inverter.
PEM fuel-cell system
Membrane-electrode assembly (catalyst-coated membrane)15Where the reaction happens: platinum on carbon either side of a PFSA membrane.
United States Chemours, W. L. Gore, Ion Power Europe Umicore Japan and Korea TanakaBill of materials
- Platinum catalyst: 0.35 mg Pt per cm2 in total (0.30 cathode, 0.05 anode) Catalyst ink and application about 53% of stack cost
- Membrane: 15-micron PFSA membrane; about 52.5 m2 of active area across two stacks
Stacks cells in series, spreads the gases and carries current and heat.
Japan and Korea Toyota, Hyundai Motor (HTWO) China Refire, SinoHytec United States Plug Power Rest of world Ballard Power Systems (Canada)Bill of materials
- Bipolar plates: Graphite in the DOE reference truck design Stacks are 59% of system cost
Compressor, expander and humidifier feed oxygen; coolant loops remove heat.
United States Plug Power Rest of world Ballard Power Systems (Canada) Japan and Korea Toyota, Hyundai Motor (HTWO)Bill of materials
- Air loop: Compressor, motor and controller 24% of balance-of-plant cost
- High-temperature coolant loop: Pumps, radiator, valves 24% of balance-of-plant cost
Stationary high-temperature fuel cells
Solid-oxide cell stack35Oxide-ion conducting cells and interconnects running hot.
United States Bloom Energy Japan and Korea Mitsubishi Power, Kyocera Europe Ceres Power (licensor), SolydEra (formerly SOLIDpower)Bill of materials
- Electrolyte: Yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ); the US imports all its yttrium
- Electrodes: Nickel-YSZ fuel electrode; lanthanum-based (LSM or LSCF) air electrode, some containing cobalt
- Interconnects: Ferritic stainless steel or nickel-containing alloys
Matrix-held liquid electrolytes in large stationary stacks.
United States FuelCell Energy (carbonate), HyAxiom (Doosan, phosphoric acid) Japan and Korea Doosan Fuel Cell (phosphoric acid)Bill of materials
- Electrolyte: Molten lithium, sodium and potassium carbonates, or phosphoric acid, held in a porous matrix
- Stack module: Carbonate: four stacks per 1.25 MW block, replaced every 5-7 years; phosphoric acid: 440 kW unit with 10-year stack life claimed
Hot box, fuel processing, inverter and controls in a skid that delivers AC power.
United States Bloom Energy Japan and Korea SK ecoplant (assembly joint venture with Bloom)Bill of materials
- Module: 325 kW net AC; about 9 m x 1.3 m x 2.5 m; 13 tonnes; exhaust heat above 350 C
Sources
- Hydrogen Program Record 26002: Heavy-Duty Fuel Cell System Cost - 2024 US Department of Energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, 2026
- Bloom Energy Server 6.5 datasheet Bloom Energy (company data), 2025
- Bloom Energy Corp Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 Bloom Energy / US SEC, 2026
- Water Electrolyzers and Fuel Cells Supply Chain: Supply Chain Deep Dive Assessment US Department of Energy, 2022
- Comparison of Fuel Cell Technologies (fact sheet) US Department of Energy, Fuel Cell Technologies Office, 2016
- FuelCell Energy Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 FuelCell Energy / US SEC, 2025
- PureCell Model 400 Hydrogen data sheet (HyAxiom, a Doosan Fuel Cell company) Doosan (company data), 2024
- Ballard Power Systems Annual Information Form 2025 (Form 40-F exhibit) Ballard Power Systems / US SEC, 2026
- O'Melveny represents Refire in Hong Kong IPO (cites Frost and Sullivan ranking; company claim) O'Melveny and Myers, 2024
- Toyota develops new (third-generation) fuel cell system Toyota Motor Corporation, 2025
- Hyundai lays foundation stone for new fuel cell factory electrive, 2025