Other applications

Fuel cells may also find a market in recreational vehicles (RVs) and locomotives. RVs use propane gas (C₃H₈) for cooking. A fuel processor on board the RV can separate the hydrogen from propane molecules and feed it to a 4 kW fuel cell to generate electricity. In addition, heat from the fuel cell can be used to heat water or the living space inside the RV, while producing about a half-liter of pure water per hour.

Under a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Fuel Cell Propulsion Institute has developed the world's first fuel-cell-powered locomotive. The fuel-cell locomotive is intended to replace diesel-powered locomotives that are used in the mining industry. An international group funded by the U.S. Army is developing something even larger—a 109-metric-ton, 1.2 MW locomotive that will be the world's biggest fuel-cell vehicle.