Global Stationary Fuel Cell Market Overview

Stationary Fuel Cell Market Size Was Valued at USD 613.83 MW Units in 2023 and is Projected to Reach USD 3117.69 MW Units by 2032, Growing at a CAGR of 19.79% From 2024-2032

A stationary fuel cell system is a stationary or non-mobile power system, in which a fuel cell or multiple fuel cells are used to produce electricity by an electrochemical reaction. Stationary fuel cell systems are generally used as a primary power source, backup power source, or combined heat and power (CHP) source in multiple applications, especially in critical areas. Fuel cells can be used as primary propulsion power, backup, or combined heat and power source (CHP) for fixed applications. Fixed fuel cells can be approximated to manage anything from a solitary family home to a massive business place, which implicit they bode well for a wide scope of business sectors including retail, private, media communications, server farms, and some more. Energy components for fixed applications contrast from versatile and car applications in the determination of fuel, power module, and the warming and cooling of the stacks.

A mixture of fixed energy component power frameworks has been created to take into account the emerging interest for power supply. Due to this rising demand, the global stationary fuel cells market is projected to rise rapidly in the coming years. Furthermore, stationary fuel cell turned vehicles are highlighted all over chains of logistic giants, with some conveyance organizations presenting hydrogen as a range extender for battery vehicles. For instance, the German conveyance organization Deutsche Post DHL announced in May of this current year that it will send 100 energy component-controlled trucks initial phase in 2020. These validations of stationary fuel cells also accelerate the growth of the global stationary fuel cell market.

Market Dynamics and Factors of the Stationary Fuel Cell Market

Drivers:

Stationary fuel cells can offer backup, ranging from a short-term period of eight hours to a long-term period of three days. The backup continues as long as the fuel is provided. Stationary fuel cells do not occupy much area and can be fused in different machines, including refrigerators. Overheating causes problems in conventional batteries. Stationary fuel cells are known to operate at a temperature lower than that of regular batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries were better substitutes for lead batteries in the 1970s. Nevertheless, the market share of lithium-ion batteries has been reducing over a period owing to developments in stationary fuel cells. Lithium-ion batteries store electricity and distribute it whenever needed. However, their charging capacity decreases with aging, resulting in deterioration of battery life.

Backup power systems need to be authentic. This can be accomplished by fuel cells. Stationary fuel cells provide constant power during power failures, with less than a minute of maintenance in six years. Lithium-ion batteries are the major alternative for stationary fuel cells; nevertheless, these batteries heat up and become resistive during applications. Stationary fuel cells have parts that do not vibrate; hence, they are less turbulent and require low maintenance as compared to generators or existing backup power options. The applications of stationary fuel cells in the place of conventional batteries are expected to help curb extra energy consumption and cost, and keep the environment green and safe.

Restraints:

High cost continues to hamper the demand for stationary fuel cells. The solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology exhibits significant growth in the commercial industry; however, valuable and expensive metal catalysts used to build solid oxide fuel cell-based stationary fuel cell systems account for more than 70% of the total cost.

The advancement of stationary fuel cells needs high initial investment and wide and deep research & development, as the market is still in the emerging phase. Hence, only companies with large funds and high expertise would find it easy to enter the stationary fuel cell market.

The cost of switching from one type of fuel cell to another is high for producers, as it would require the establishment of a new plant and discarding the old plant. It is not easy to store hydrogen. Moreover, a pipeline is needed to provide hydrogen. Pipelines used to carry hydrogen are nearly 30% more costly than those that hold natural gas.

Opportunities:

Growth in the consciousness regarding the environment and rise in carbon emissions are turning the adoption of green and clean energy. The burning of fossil fuels gives on to greenhouse emissions. According to, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in 2018 reported that carbon dioxide alone accounted for 82% of the total greenhouse gases. It further reported that global carbon dioxide emissions are anticipated to grow at a rate of 1.9% per year.

The prices of stationary fuel cells are also declining, making them competitive with other fuels such as gasoline and diesel. Stationary fuel cells can overcome emissions from 85% to 35% if they replace gasoline or diesel IC engines. Stationary fuel cells are also useful if replaced in battery-operated forklifts since they lower emissions by 30%. execution of U.S. EPA regulations related to the reduction of greenhouse gases, and amendments such as the Clean Air Act, are motivating consumers to adopt fuel cell-driven cars.

Increasing the requirements for minimizing emissions and enhancing the energy efficiency of automobiles, the adoption of fuel cells has increased in the automotive industry, producing lucrative sales opportunities for manufacturers in the stationary fuel cell systems market.

Market Segmentation

Segmentation Analysis of Stationary Fuel Cell Market:

Based on the Type, Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. These cells are employed in various applications such as in forklifts, automobiles, telecommunications, data centers, primary systems, and backup power systems. These fuel cells are used in units ranging from several watts to several kilowatts. PEMFC is one of the promising technologies used for light-duty vehicles in stationary applications. These cells use water-based acidic polymer membranes as electrolytes. They are also used for the generation of electricity in the residential sector. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are also called polymer electrolyte fuel cells. They are used as highly efficient, non-polluting power sources for vehicles and electronic devices. These cells typically operate at temperatures ranging from 160°F to 195°F, and pressures ranging from 15 PSIG to 30 PSIG.

Regional Analysis of Stationary Fuel Cell Market:

Asia Pacific region is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period, owing to growth in the demand for electricity in industrial centers such as data centers and hospitals. Some economies in the region, such as China and South Korea, supply subsidies on the installation of fuel cells. This is anticipated to turn the stationary fuel cell market in the Asia Pacific over the projected period. Investments in clean energy through the accession of fuel cell technology have been rising in the Asia Pacific. This is expected to shift the energy mix in Asia in the next few years. Adoption of strict government regulations to decline carbon emissions is expected to act a major role in the growth in the demand for stationary fuel cells in the Asia Pacific over the projected period.

North American stationary fuel cell market held a significant share during the forecast period, in terms of capacity due to the presence of aiding policies to limit carbon footprint in the region coupled with the accessibility of funds for the research & development associated with fuel cells. Moreover, the presence of vendors such as Bloom Energy has tuned the installation of fuel cells for stationary applications in the U.S. in sectors such as sports stadiums, commercial buildings, and data centers.

Players Covered in Stationary Fuel Cell Market are:

• K- Pas Instronic Engineers India Private Limited
• Intelligent Energy Limited
• Bloom Energy
• Power & Energy Inc.
• Ballard Power Systems Inc.
• FuelCell Energy Inc.
• Plug Power Inc.
• SerEnergy A/S
• Hydrogenics Corporation, Sainergy Tech
• Doosan Corporation
• Toshiba Corporation
• Panasonic Corporation
• Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Ltd.
• FC TecNrgy Pvt. Ltd.
• Ceres Power Holdings Plc and other major players.

Key Industry Developments in Stationary Fuel Cell Market

• In March 2024, Ballard Power Systems announced an order for 15 megawatts (MW) of fuel cell systems from a UK-based company specializing in renewable off-grid power generation. Ballard expects to deliver 150 x FCmove®-HD+ 100 kW systems.
• In December 2023, Bloom Energy and SK ecoplant, an engineering and energy solutions provider and subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, announced they have extended the terms of the Preferred Distributor Agreement (“PDA”) SK ecoplant has committed to purchase 500 megawatts (MW) of Energy Servers from Bloom Energy through 2027. The transaction is expected to generate approximately $1.5 billion in product revenue and $3 billion in service revenue over 20 years for Bloom Energy.