The Market for fuel cell is expected to take shape in Malaysia in five years’ time, says a UKM don

Friday, 29 July 2011 19:52

By Shahfizal Musa
Pix by Mohd Hairul Azmi
BANGI, 29 July 2011 – Fuel cell will be one source of clean and efficient energy in the 21^st century and its market  is expected  to  take shape in Malaysia in five years’ time.

The expected market of fuel cell is for powering motorcycles, which is the preferred mode of transport in busy and congested cities.

Professor Abdul Amir H. Kadhum from the Fuel Cell Institute says this when delivering his public lecture here today on Fuel Cell Membrane Assembly to Enhance the Green Technology. He added that there is a niche market for fuel cell energy in Asia and Malaysia.

At the moment the role of academia is to find is how to reduce the cost of fuel cell production, increase durability and extend the life span of a fuel cell product

The advantages of fuel cell is that it emits zero green house gases. Unlike internal combustion engine which burn fossil fuels and produce harmful green house gasses, the only by-product of fuel cell is water.

Fuel cell produce energy through electrochemical reaction from hydrogen and oxygen. The energy generated can be converted into electric and can be generated at the point of use.

Professor Abdul Amir said that the trend now is to move away from centralised energy system like electric energy generated from power grid to a more decentralised energy generation system.

 
Right now the issue in fuel cell is how to lower the cost of the production of fuel cell devices. Currently Platinum is needed as a catalyst for energy generated from fuel cell which increase the cost of fuel cell devices.

He stressed that researchers in the field have to collaborate with the private sector and establish a clear schedule for commercialisation. This way it shows the seriousness of the parties in their commitment to create something which is new and better than what is already available.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Tan Sri Dato’ Wira Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hassan Shahabudin, deans of faculties, senior universities official lecturers and students attended the lecture.