Page 61 - Robots Androids and Animatrons : 12 Incredible Projects You Can Build

existing membrane cost and developing other PEM materials are on a
high-priority list for creating competitive fuel cells.
Platinum is an expensive metal. Fuel cell electrodes are typically
coated or plated with platinum. The platinum coating is a catalyst
that facilitates the electrochemical processes in the fuel cell.
Where we will start seeing fuel cell technology is in the automotive
industry. All major automobile companies have ongoing research
and development for implementing fuel cell technology. The list of
industrial companies working on fuel cell technology reads like a
who’s who of science research.

Expect to see fuel cell automobiles hitting the market in 2003.
Ballard Power Systems of Canada, a major player in PEM fuel
cell technology, has been running a fleet of fuel cell buses. In
2003, 55 fuel cell buses are contracted to arrive in California.
Ballard has partnered its technology with other companies like
DaimlerChrysler and Ford Motor company to produce fuel cells
for automotive use. Ballard recently opened a plant that is
scheduled to produce 160,000 commercial fuel cells annually.
Honda has scheduled a production fuel cell car for 2003. It will use
an existing electric drive system developed for battery-powered
40
cars and retrofit it with fuel cell technology.
There is much enthusiasm and support for continued research and
development of fuel cells. Before leaving office President Clinton,
along with Congress, allocated $100 million for fiscal year 2001 for
the continued development of fuel cell technology.

As fuel cell technology filters down into work-a-day applications,
like cell phones, video cameras, and laptop computers, we can
then start putting them to work in our robots.

Team LRN
Chapter three