RE: SFC Energy and JM extend partnership18 Apr 2023 20:59
I've looked at those DMFC's before. They are small, made for remote monitoring stations and small devices.
https://www.sfc.com/en/technology/direct-methanol/
If you read through that, note that not only do you need a supply of Methanol delivered, you also will need a supply of water. And as it's a Fuel Cell with sensitive Catalysts, the water will have to be pure distilled and/or deionised, which isn't cheap. And it has CO2 emissions albeit low because it's a small device. Green Methanol would obviously nullify the emissions, but not a lot they can do when it comes to the water cost or logistics of delivering distilled or deionised water to sites in any significant amount, which probably explains a lot about the small size of their DMFC offerings.
And from todays article it's clear that they NEED to cut costs to sell these DMFC's in worthwhile numbers, hence why Johnson Matthey have sold them the Patents, because without them and the ability to make stuff in-house at SFC, the DMFC is going nowhere due to the costs.
"Thus, SFC Energy expands its core competencies by adding DMFC membrane technology and will be able to produce the essential fuel cell components itself in the future. In this way, SFC Energy secures a stable supply chain and significantly increases the value-added share for methanol fuel cells by integrating component production. SFC Energy will thus also take over the upcoming developments of the DMFC MEA to make processes more efficient and to implement material savings and cost efficiencies."
I wouldn't get too excited about that news, it's not affecting AFC in any way.
I have posted before that I believe AEX are working on a DMFC version of the S Series, as AB said in one interview that an Ammonia Cracker would be used, but he then said "maybe we can get rid of that at some point" which I took to mean DMFC rather than integration of a Cracker, because if you integrate it you have not got rid of it, the only way to get rid of it is to go DMFC.