In September last year, CFCL signed an agreement with leading international ceramics consultancy, Ceram Research Ltd, to identify the design and cost options for a manufacturing plant for mass production of CFCL’s unique ceramic fuel cell plates.

Ceram delivered its initial report in December as contracted, and CFCL is now reviewing it.

Ceram had been engaged to identify world’s best practice on equipment and systems to make up an efficient and reliable mass manufacturing fuel cell plant.

CFCL has designed its fuel cell components to be suitable for mass production and it wanted to find a process that would significantly lower the unit cost of production while maintaining consistently high standards, said CFCL executive chairman Julian Dinsdale.

“This is one of the key issues that has governed our design and development, as we recognise that this is a key constraint for other fuel cells companies” Dinsdale said.

Some PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) cell companies are already geared up for fuel cell production for transport, and a ceramics company has announced plans for a production plant for uncoated ceramic plates for sale to SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) companies.

But CFCL has looked to produce all related components in a fuel cell stack: the electrolyte plates, separator plates and their seals and coatings in one efficient automated process.

“One of the key challenges for us and Ceram in this project has been to find the balance between innovative processing and off-the-shelf equipment. We are conscious of the fact that our decisions relate to the cost of our market entry product,” Dinsdale said.

CFCL is in discussions with potential joint venture partners regarding the design platform, building footprint and requirements for a mass production plant.