Value chain
The metal flow plates Cell Impact manufactures are part of a value chain that extends from raw material production to final use in many sectors including the automotive and aviation industries as well as marine and stationary applications.
The value chain is complex and involves several critical steps before flow plates can be used by manufacturers of fuel cells and electrolyzers to enable efficient and sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels as well as production of green hydrogen using electricity from renewable energy sources.
The diagram below is a simplified illustration of the current and potential value chain of Cell Impact’s flow plates.
Extraction of raw materials
Cell Impact manufactures metal flow plates using a process that relies on extracting raw materials such as iron, zinc, nickel, chrome, molybdenum and titanium. These raw materials are extracted from mines around the world but can also be derived from recycled scrap, providing a more circular flow. Virgin production of metals involves prospecting and mining to extract raw materials from the Earth’s crust. The raw materials come from regions and suppliers without significant ESG issues.
Machining and refinement
Before the metal reaches us, it undergoes several processing steps to purify and refine the materials before the extracted raw material can be metallurgically processed through melting, alloying and forming the desired metal as rolled sheet metal with the right dimensions and coating. Metal refining is a critical step in the process to remove impurities and ensure a product of consistently high quality. This process is highly energy-intensive.
Production of flow plates
Cell Impact has developed Cell Impact Forming™, a unique, patented technology that enables rapid and cost-effective forming of flow plates. The technology is based on a high-kinetic process where two tools meet at a high and precisely controlled speed, allowing for scalable production of high-quality flow plates. The metal is cold and dry both before and after processing, resulting in lower energy consumption compared with conventional pressing processes and eliminating the need for lubricants or water. As a whole, the manufacturing process has a low climate and environmental impact. Cell Impact primarily manufactures proton exchange membrane (PEM) plates and plates for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC).
Electrolyzers
Electrolysis makes it possible to produce hydrogen through a process where electricity passes through a conductive solution, generating oxygen and hydrogen at the anode and cathode, respectively. Green hydrogen – a climate-neutral hydrogen – can be produced by using renewable energy, such as electricity from solar or wind power, to power the process. There is significant potential for flow plates for electrolyzers in the green transition to fossil-free energy.
Complementary industrial segments
Electrolysis makes it possible to produce hydrogen through a process where electricity passes through a conductive solution, generating oxygen and hydrogen at the anode and cathode, respectively. Green hydrogen – a climate-neutral hydrogen – can be produced by using renewable energy, such as electricity from solar or wind power, to power the process. There is significant potential for flow plates for electrolyzers in the green transition to fossil-free energy.
Fuel cells
Another application of flow plates is in manufacturing fuel cells. In this process, hydrogen and oxygen are converted into water and electricity through electrochemical reactions in bipolar PEM plates. The process provides significantly cleaner energy compared with using fossil fuels, making hydrogen and fuel cell technology an effective solution to reduce climate impacts and global warming. Fuel cells are assembled into fuel cell stacks, which are supplied to manufacturers in various industries with high demands for low environmental impact and safe, emission-free energy production.
Aviation
The aviation industry is a significant source of climate-impacting emissions. Hydrogen-powered aviation is expected to become increasingly important in the coming years, initially for smaller aircraft and shorter distances but eventually also for larger aircraft and longer flights.
Marine applications
The marine sector has a significant impact due to extensive emissions of climate-impacting substances. In terms of marine transport, the most interesting use of hydrogen-fueled vessels is along coastal routes. The potential to reduce climate-impacting emissions using fuel cell technology is substantial.
Stationary applications
There is significant potential to increase the use of fuel cell technology as a backup for energy production or in areas where using off-grid solutions is challenging. Stationary fuel cells also provide an opportunity to balance the electricity grid as solar and wind energy expand.
Material handling
This segment includes various types of construction machinery, agricultural equipment and forklifts as well as trains. Use of hydrogen is expected to increase drastically in the materials handling segment in the coming years due to environmental requirements, the high energy density of hydrogen and the potential for easy refueling.
Automotive
A significant number of automotive industry participants have made great progress in developing fuel cell engines for cars and heavy vehicles. Some are developing their own fuel cell stacks, while others buy them from suppliers. The potential in the sector is significant, and there is a great deal to leverage – an electric fuel cell car, for example, requires 300 to 500 flow plates, which means that even a limited number of cars that run on fuel cells will create very high demand for flow plates.