Portable Fuel Cell Market to Hit a Whopping $2.3 Billion by 2016

Fuel cells are emerging as an increasingly viable and cost-effective means of providing clean, reliable power for portable power applications ranging from consumer electronics to first responder communications and materials handling. The fuel cell industry has endured a series of false starts in recent years but, according to a recent report from Pike Research, the global market for portable fuel cells will increase to $2.3 billion by 2016, up from just $185 million in 2009.

 

According to Clint Wheelock managing director of Pike Research, dozens of niche applications will drive the growth of the fuel cell market over the next several years. He said that manufacturers are increasingly finding that fuel cell technologies are an attractive alternative to batteries and small generators for portable power applications. Wheelock adds that the commercialization of portable fuel cells is receiving a significant boost from government funding and direct orders for various military and industrial applications.

 

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that produces electricity from a fuel tank and is different from conventional electrochemical cell batteries in that they consume reactant from an external source, which must be replenished, a thermodynamically open system. Quite opposite are batteries, which store electrical energy chemically and hence, represents a thermodynamically closed system. There exists a hydrogen fuel, oxygen fuel cells and many other variants.

 

Pike Research forecasts that the leading market segment by 2016 will be fuel cells in the 500 watt to 2 kilowatt range, which serve as a replacement for gasoline and diesel generators and are used in watercraft, combat support systems, and auxiliary power units. The 100-500 watt power level will be the second largest segment; this category has applications for first responder battery charging, power tools, and unmanned vehicles.

 

Pike Research’s report, “Fuel Cells for Portable Power Applications”, provides a tactical, applications-oriented analysis of the emerging market for portable fuel cells. It examines the market opportunity for specific niche applications within five key power level segments: 1-20W, 20-100W, 100-500W, 1-2 kW, and 2-7 kW. The report also includes profiles of key industry players and global market forecasts through 2017. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

 

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Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Clean Transportation, Clean Industry, Corporate Sustainability, and Building Efficiency sectors.