In the quest to find cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy, hydrogen fuel cell technology is a promising area. Hydrogen is present in water and nearly all living things. As a renewable source of energy, it has enormous potential to generate power, electricity, and heat.

The process of extracting energy is a clean, relatively simple process. Hydrogen atoms are passed through the anode of a fuel cell and stripped of their electrons. Positively-charged protons go through the membrane to the cathode and negatively-charged electrons go through a circuit and produce electricity, with water and heat byproducts of the process. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells—also known as proton exchange membrane fuel cells—are primarily developed for transportation-related applications.