Platinum Demand Scenarios Show Hydrogen’s Fatal Constraint - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica highlights a critical and often overlooked limitation in the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles: the scarcity of platinum, an essential metal for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Platinum acts as a catalyst in these fuel cells, facilitating key chemical reactions necessary for their operation. However, global platinum supply is limited to about 250 to 280 tons annually, with significant portions already allocated to automotive catalytic converters, jewelry, and industrial uses. The market is currently in deficit, with shortages and rising prices, posing a severe constraint on scaling hydrogen fuel cell technology for mobility. The article further explains that while some hydrogen technologies, like certain electrolysers, can avoid or reduce platinum use by employing alternative materials, fuel cell vehicles lack such flexibility. The demand for platinum in fuel cell stacks is substantial: a typical passenger car requires 13 to 18 grams, heavy trucks 120 to 180 grams, and buses 40 to 90 grams. If just 10%