7. Conclusions and outlook

The environmental advantages of fuel cells (high electrical and energy efficiency, very low emissions of greenhouse and noxious gases, low noise pollution, localized production, etc.) are becoming important assets for our society. However, they are not enough if investment costs are too high, also taking into account the recycling of raw materials and geopolitical tensions; it is on these criteria that the greatest efforts remain to be made if this technology is to be widely used.

The prospects for fuel cell development have never been better, thanks to research efforts, strategic choices by major industrial groups and automakers, and a fast-changing environmental, societal and political context. The most promising technologies from an industrial point of view are proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). These two technologies...