Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney have published findings detailing a redesigned proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell that delivers approximately 75% more power output per unit than comparable conventional designs, while requiring significantly less platinum as a catalyst. The breakthrough centres on a modified electrode architecture that improves gas diffusion and electrochemical surface area — addressing two of the principal constraints on fuel cell performance and production cost that have limited wider commercial adoption.
Platinum remains one of the largest cost components in PEM fuel cell manufacturing, and reducing the quantity required without sacrificing performance has been a research priority for more than two decades. The UNSW approach restructures the membrane electrode assembly at the microscale and has demonstrated repeatable performance gains under laboratory conditions. The research team is preparing for scaled testing in collaboration with industry partners, with commercialisation pathways under active evaluation.
Fuel cell cost and performance are central to the economics of hydrogen as an energy carrier. As green hydrogen production costs fall — driven by declining electrolyser and renewable energy prices — the efficiency and cost of the fuel cell converting hydrogen back to electricity becomes an increasingly significant factor in whole-system economics. Improvements of this magnitude, if they translate reliably to commercial products, would meaningfully improve the return on investment for hydrogen energy systems at all scales.
For distributed hydrogen applications — including off-grid property energy systems — fuel cell performance directly determines how efficiently stored hydrogen is converted to usable electricity. A more powerful, less expensive fuel cell reduces system capital costs and improves energy yield from a given volume of stored hydrogen, strengthening the case for hydrogen storage as a long-duration clean energy solution for farms, remote properties, and island installations.
