Fuel Cell Consortium for Performance and Durability: Difference between revisions

The '''Fuel Cell Consortium for Performance and Durability''' (FC-PAD) is a Department of Energy initiative launched in 2016 under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to enhance the performance and durability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) for transportation, led by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) with a core team of five DOE national labs. Focusing on reducing platinum use and extending fuel cell life beyond the DOE’s 5,000-hour durability target, FC-PAD has driven innovations like nanostructured thin-film catalysts and advanced diagnostic tools, with over 50 publications and presentations by 2025 detailing its six thrust areas—e.g., catalysts and electrodes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/fuel-cell-consortium-performance-and-durability-fc-pad |title=FC-PAD Overview |publisher=Department of Energy}}</ref> Ongoing since its inception, it collaborates with industry and academia via Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs), supporting DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) mission.

The Fuel Cell Consortium for Performance and Durability is sponsored by EERE’s HFTO, with LANL as the lead, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) as deputy lead, and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as core technical partners. A Program Manager within HFTO oversees operations, with funding—initially $30 million over five years—supporting lab research and external projects selected via FOAs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/fuel-cell-consortium-performance-and-durability-fc-pad |title=FC-PAD Overview |publisher=Department of Energy}}</ref> Leadership includes Rod Borup (LANL) as director, coordinating six thrust areas.