Advent Technologies IncOne Mifflin Place 119 Mt Auburn Street, Suite 400 , Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

The first part of the 21st century brings us at a crossroads of unstoppable global growth and environmental challenges. We know that in the next 20 years we will have to move to a new energy production and consumption model that minimizes carbon emissions, pollutants, coal and oil consumption. This is not going to happen overnight. We will need decades of research in new materials and how to use them, major investments in manufacturing and engineering capabilities. The new clean energy options must be available at an affordable cost level that makes business-sense. Millions of jobs and markets of trillions of dollars will be affected.  We are not there, but we are half-way there, and now is the time to accelerate. We must be bold, and we need to collaborate and bring varying expertise together to make it happen.

We have patented, developed, and manufactured materials and components that will impact the major energy challenges:

• Portable Power: HT-PEM fuel cell systems running on Advent products are used today to power drones, security, and defense-related missions, as well as other needs for consumer portable power generation. Advent’s high temperature MEA technology allows these systems to work without the limitation of pure hydrogen.
• Stationary Power: our HT-PEM fuel cell stacks and systems can be used to bring clean and very efficient heat and power at home or other small size locations, using natural gas instead of pure hydrogen. Larger systems can be used for telco power backup solutions.
• Hydrogen Production: our HT-PEM based hydrogen generators can bring very cheap hydrogen production to every fueling station and even the garage.
• Renewable Power Storage: Our patented membranes and electrodes are at the heart of low-cost large storage energy solutions. Redox flow batteries can be used to store and balance wind and solar production with consumer demand.
• Transportation: Advent is working on delivering technology for the fuel cell – hybrid car, an electric car that charges in minutes instead of hours, without fast battery degradation.
• Organic Photovoltaics: Our organic electronic materials are enabling the flexible photovoltaics of the future. They can be produced (this out) with paper or plastic as carrier in roll to roll manufacturing processes and fit in a variety of indoor or outdoor needs that are not feasible with current PV technology.

Renewable Energy Storage

The need for energy is increasing globally as is the demand to move cleaner non-polluting technologies.  Wind and solar energy production is increasing as well and becoming a lot more cost competitive. In some areas of the world, there is a commitment to use wind and solar for the generation of the majority of power needs in the near future.  One of the most significant challenges is balancing the production of solar and wind generated power with demand. For example, tourist destinations (islands, etc.) experience a surge in demand for a few weeks of the year. In order to address this asymmetry between demand and supply we need solutions that enable us to store effectively, long-term, and at a low-cost excess power during off-peak periods and release it when needed.

Fuel Cell Stacks

Advent introduces two new HT PEM stack designs for intermediate temperature fuel cells (ITFC).  Our Ianus series represents years of development and is available in one and three kilowatt configurations. The Ianus stack is liquid-cooled and introduces a key innovation of direct generation of steam. When the steam is used for reforming, one obtains excellent thermal integration and efficiency. The steam can also be used for heating or cooling. The Ianus stack can be used as the core power supplier for combined heat and power systems.  The Argo series is an air-cooled stack that can be configured in a power range from 100W to 500W. These products are designed for applications such as battery range extenders and remote power for surveillance.

Hydrogen Production

Most of the world’s major automotive companies have programs underway for the production of FCVs (fuel-cell based vehicles that use hydrogen as fuel). Companies like Toyota, Hyundai, and Mercedes are some of the names that have cars in the market already and many others have created consortiums or have increased their recent and development efforts.  But a future where hydrogen cars become more and more mainstream is not possible unless we find a way to deliver or produce hydrogen at the tens of thousands of fueling stations.

Hydrogen Production on Site (at the gas station or even at home):

The major problem with the massive commercialization of FCVs is that they’d require the distribution of hydrogen to thousands of locations. In the USA alone, the infrastructure cost estimated to do that has been estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars. This has created a chicken and egg problem, and FCVs have not been able to overcome it. Critics of FCVs site this as the biggest drawback of the technology.

Catalysts & Electrodes 

  ADVENT Technologies catalysts are suitable for use in making Gas Diffusion Electrodes for a wide variety of PEM fuel cells, electrolyzers & redox flow battery systems. Our catalysts exhibit high performance and durability, which make them the best option for High Performance MEAs

Products Available:

• Standard Platinum catalysts
• Platinum based catalysts
• Custom synthesis of catalysts