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IEA AFC: Technology Collaboration Programme on Advanced Fuel Cells

In the AFC TCP, both technology-oriented R&D activities (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells, electrolysers) as well as analysis to implement fuel cells in commercial applications (stationary and mobile applications) are carried-out. System investigations and modelling complement the activities of this TCP.

Short Description

Since the founding of the Implementing Agreement on Advanced Fuel Cells (IA AFC) – now the Technology Collaboration Programme (AFC TCP) – in 1990, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has set a research focus on fuel cell systems. Austria joined this program in 2004.

In recent years, national and international research, institutions, manufacturers and energy suppliers have been driving the development of fuel cells forward. In 2022, the produced number of fuel cells and international shipments worldwide increased significantly to > 2,400 MW and the number of units delivered increased to over 90,000.

It should be noted that the dynamics of developments in recent years have been driven very strongly by the Asian region. In the years before, the North American countries (USA and Canada) were particularly at the forefront in terms of innovation dynamics and market implementation. Europe has been able to catch up in recent years through several funding programs (such as the 'Clean Hydrogen Partnership'). The IEA AFC TCP takes this into account. The most important countries (including three sponsors) from the three regions North and South America (USA, Canada, Brazil), Asia (China, Korea, Japan) and Europe (Germany, France, Italy) are participating in the AFC TCP alongside Austria.

The main goal of the international collaboration was and is to develop a production-ready, highly efficient and competitive fuel cell for low-emission propulsion and stationary energy systems. International successes and progress in this area are gradually becoming visible.

For a long time, the focus was on stationary applications ("premium power", combined heat and power plants, UPS or back-up power systems), but in recent years there has been a strong trend towards hydrogen-based mobile applications (buses, trucks, cars). In the mid-2000s, portable systems were thought to have great application potential, but this has not been realized in the last two decades, except for niche applications.

The activities of the IEA AFC TCP are as follows:

  • Implementation and monitoring of R&D activities (including the analysis of costs for cells, stacks and systems)
  • System and market analyses (including technological, economic and ecological aspects) based on international fuel cell programs
  • Analysis of regulatory barriers, creation of a "level playing field"
  • Increased dissemination and distribution activities (including newsletters, annual reports, workshops, specific reports on current topics, etc.).

The various activities in the AFC TCP are organised within eight tasks:

The nine tasks can be summarized in three technology-oriented tasks (tasks 30 to 32), four application-oriented tasks (tasks 33, 34, 35 and the new task for maritime applications) and two cross-cutting tasks (tasks 36 and 37).

Graz University of Technology is working on Task 31. HyCent-A is working on Task 34 and the Austrian Energy Agency is active in Task 33.

 

Completed tasks

Publications

Annual Reports

  • Annual Report 2009
  • Annual Report 2010
  • Annual Report 2011
  • Annual Report 2012
  • Annual Report 2013
  • Annual Report 2014

Other publications

All available on: www.ieafuelcell.com

Participants

Austria, Canada, Croatia, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and VTT (sponsor from Finland). Furthermore, the following sponsors are involved: VTT (from Finland), UFSCar (from Brazil) and DSI NCCoC from South Africa.

Contact Address

ExCo Delegate

DI Dr. Günter R. Simader
Österreichische Energieagentur - Austrian Energy Agency
Mariahilferstraße 136, A-1150 Wien
Telefon: 43-1-5861524-24
E-Mail: guenter.simader@energyagency.at

ExCo Alternate

DI Arno Gattinger
Bundesministerium für Innovation, Mobilität und Infrastruktur (BMIMI)
Abteilung für Energie- und Umwelttechnologien
Tel.: +43 (1) 71162 - 652919
E-Mail: arno.gattinger@bmimi.gv.at