Profile of a proton-conductive fuel cell A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy of a fuel into electricity through an electrochemical reaction of the hydrogen fuel with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. 1 Fuel cells are different from batteries that require a continuous source of fuel and oxygen (usually air) to maintain the chemical reaction, while in a battery chemical energy comes from chemicals already present in the battery.
Fuel cells can produce electricity continuously while fuel and oxygen are supplied. The first fuel cells were invented in 1838. The first commercial use of fuel cells took place more than a century later in NASA space programs to generate energy for satellites and space capsules. Since then, fuel cells have been used in many other applications.
Fuel cells are used for primary and reserve power for commercial, industrial and residential buildings and in remote or inaccessible areas. They are also used to fuel vehicles with fuel cells, including forklifts, cars, buses
