PEM Electrolyzers and PEM Regenerative Fuel Cells Industrial View

Abstract Electrolysis of water with hydrogen storage is one of the few methods available for grid-scale energy storage. Stored hydrogen has many applications: as a fuel to add peak power back to the grid, a bioreactor feedstock, or direct feed to existing natural gas infrastructures. Although alkaline electrolyzers are the state of the art, polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzers (PEMELs) are gaining considerable attention as an ideal replacement due to their ability to respond rapidly to intermittent power sources with large transients, operate at high current density, and generate high and differential pressure. This chapter focuses on the principles and considerations governing operation and installation of PEMEL technology. Current research and development efforts along with economies of scale have significantly reduced the cost of hydrogen production and storage, greatly increasing the viability of this technology as well as increasing the fraction of intermittent, renewable power acceptable to the grid. Advancements in coupling fuel cells and electrolyzers into discrete polymer electrolyte membrane-regenerative fuel cells and unitized regenerative fuel cell systems allow for improved versatility of the technology for energy storage and other cutting-edge applications.