Approaches to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and their cost Nayibe Guerrero Moreno a,n , Myriam Cisneros Molina b , Dominic Gervasio c , Juan Francisco Pérez Robles a a CINVESTAV-Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Real de Juriquilla, C.P. 76230 Querétaro, Mexico b Comisin Nacional de Vivienda CONAVI, Mexico c University of Arizona, The Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Harshbager 108,1133 E. James Rogers Way, Tucson 85721-0011, Az, USA article info Article history: Received 11 November 2014 Received in revised form 22 May 2015 Accepted 29 July 2015 Keywords: Cost analysis Fuel cell PEMFC MEA DFMA Bottom up abstract Cost analyses developed for fuel cells are reviewed, focusing mainly on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology, because the solid polymer membrane electrolyte is robust and operates under conditions needed for most pressing applications, especially for the automotive application. Presently, PEMFC cost is still too high for large scale commercialization. The cost of electrodes and membranes contributes substantially to the total PEMFC cost which is driving research to reduce the costs of these components so the PEMFC can be introduced into large scale power markets. A scenario analysis for PEMFC costs for an automotive application illustrates that reducing the MEA cost up to 27% makes achievable the $40/kW cost target by 2020, which corresponds to a reduction in the cost of the catalyst by $3.55/kW and the membrane by $0.8/kW. The ultimate cost target for the PEMFC of 30/kW is obtained when the MEA cost is reduced by 45%, which corresponds to a projected cost reduction for catalyst cost by $6.41/kW and membrane by $1.44/kW. If these costs are met, the PEMFC would reach a price which is cost competitive to Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles which would allow the use of PEMFCs for power generation in a significant number of sectors. & 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 898 1.1. PEMFC outline ................................................................................................ 898 1.2. Fuel cell market ............................................................................................... 898 1.3. PEMFC challenges towards commercialization ....................................................................... 898 1.4. PEMFCs cost generalities ........................................................................................ 899 2. Types of cost analyses ................................................................................................ 899 2.1. Learning curves ............................................................................................... 899 2.2. Benefit-cost analysis (BCA) ...................................................................................... 900 2.3. Scenario analysis .............................................................................................. 900 2.4. Cost minimization analysis (CMA) ................................................................................ 900 2.5. Cost effectiveness analysis....................................................................................... 900 2.6. Design for manufacture and assembly cost estimation (DMFA) ......................................................... 900 2.7. Bottom up cost estimating ...................................................................................... 900 2.8. Market penetration model (MPM) ................................................................................ 901 2.9. Cost of PEMFC ................................................................................................ 901 3. The importance of the reduction of membranes and catalyst costs over the PEMFC cost ........................................... 902 3.1. Costs and production volume .................................................................................... 903 3.2. Scenario analysis: reducing the cost of MEA ........................................................................ 904 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.07.157 1364-0321/& 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. n Corresponding author. Tel.: þ52 442 211 99 17; fax: þ52 442 2119938. E-mail address: nnguerrero@qro.cinvestav.mx (N. Guerrero Moreno). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 52 (2015) 897–906