Fuel cell technologies in search of new directions: based on the experiences over 20 years

There is uncertainty in the power market. One of the questions is how widely the distributed power market will be actually accepted in society. Also, the possibility of residential fuel cell power systems gives a new concept of electric power. In the event that future fuels such as methanol and hydrogen can be economically produced and distributed, there will be a new phase of market change, too. The author describes how the possibilities are there, but argues that this technology should be brought up most carefully, sometime with a long-term perspective, so that fuel cells can remain to be a hope in the coming century