Preface

摘要

This special issue is devoted to selected papers from the fifth edition of the Spanish National Congress on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (CONAPPICE). Within the last two years, since the last edition took place, there has been a slight but continuous acceleration in the adoption of fuel cells worldwide. After much anticipation surrounding for ten to fifteen years, mainly in the 90s, the unavoidable subsequent realization that fuel cells and hydrogen technologies were not yet mature followed, accompanied by a no less exaggerated disappointment. Nevertheless, after a huge R&D effort in the past decade, we can report today clearly successful products based on fuel cells, such as forklifts or stationary power generation systems in the U.S., domestic CHP cogeneration systems that have exceeded the available supply in Japan, or a signed commitment by major automakers to keep 2015 as the date of commencement for large-scale commercialization of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. However, economic governmental support (subsidies, tax credits ...) is still required to reach such situation.'