Fuel Cells: From Birth to Maturity

The book presents the scientific history of the early days of fuel cells (1838 to 1845). The fuel cell effect was discovered by the Swiss scientist Christian Friedrich Schoenbein. while the English lawyer and scientist William Robert Grove perfected the idea into a working power source. But around 1870 Siemens invented the power generator and electricity was produced by rotating shafts of water wheels, engines and turbines. The book presents for the first time the complete communication between C. F. Schoenbein and R. W. Grove (1838 to 1868). Also, the original analysis based on the physical understanding of 1850 has also been revised and corrected. The updated fuel cell analysis leads to full agreement between theory and experiment.

• Updated and corrected fuel cell theory
• Historic review of discovery of fuel cell effect and early development of fuel cell generators
• Complete correspondence between Schoenbein and Grove from 1838 to 1868 (first publication)

Active on fuel cells since 1986. Manager of the ABB fuel cell development program. After ABB ended engagement in fuel cells (1991), free-lancing fuel cell consultant with clients in Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Spain, US, Japan, Italy, UK, Brazil and European Union. Founder (1994) and organizer (until 2010) of the European Fuel Cell Forum in Luzerne. Many issued (but expired) patents in the fuel cell ara. Active promotor of the energy transition (Energiewende) since 1972. Still engaged in issues involving critical assessment of hydrogen, energy efficiency of buildings, sustainable solutions for transport, overall energy balances etc. Organizer of over 20 international conferences on sustainable energy issues. Great-great grandson of Christian Friedrich Schoenbein, discoverer of the fuel cell effect.