Dr Chris Dudfield reflects on 25 years of fuel cell innovation
Few people know Intelligent Energy’s story as well as Dr Chris Dudfield. As one of the company’s earliest employees, he has spent the past 25 years helping turn pioneering fuel cell research into commercial products.
To mark the milestone, Marketing Manager Emily Foster sat down with Chris to reflect on the company’s early days, the breakthroughs that stand out and why he believes the biggest opportunities for hydrogen are still ahead.
Emily: Let’s start at the beginning. How did you first become part of Intelligent Energy?
Chris: Before joining Intelligent Energy, I had already spent around 10 years working in fuel cell research and development. After completing a PhD at Loughborough University, I went on to work on two major European-funded hydrogen and fuel cell programmes, gaining valuable experience in advancing the technology from research through to practical application
Over time, a large fuel cell research group developed across two university departments, alongside the commercial spin-out Advanced Power Sources. That work eventually led to the formation of Intelligent Energy in 2001.
A number of us moved across from the university research group, together with the Advanced Power Sources team. There were only around 15 to 20 of us at the start, but we had expertise and a clear ambition to build a commercial fuel cell company.
Emily: Looking back over the past 25 years, what are the biggest changes you’ve seen in fuel cell technology?
Chris: Performance has improved enormously. Today’s systems can generate far more electrical power while becoming smaller and lighter.
Reliability has advanced just as much. In the early days, much of our work involved one-off demonstrators that might run for a few hundred hours. Today, commercial fuel cell systems are delivering many thousands of hours of operation.
Costs have come down too, although there is still work to do before fuel cells are fully competitive with batteries and combustion engines in every suitable application.
The biggest shift has probably been the range of uses. During the 1990s and the early years of Intelligent Energy, the PEM fuel cell industry focused heavily on passenger vehicles. Automotive remains important, but the opportunities now extend into aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, material handling equipment, stationary power and data centres.
Emily: How have customers changed over that time?
Chris: In the early years, we carried out a lot of joint development programmes and one-off demonstration projects. We might spend two or three years working with an original equipment manufacturer to develop a system, then move on to the next project.
Over the past five to 10 years, we’ve become much more product focused. Rather than concentrating on individual engineering projects, we’re developing specific products designed for volume production.
Customers often start by evaluating a single system, then return with larger orders. That shows the market is maturing, and that our products are meeting their expectations.
Emily: When you look back, is there one achievement you’re especially proud of?
Chris: First and foremost, I’m proud that Intelligent Energy is still here after 25 years and continuing to move forward.
When we secured our first contract, we were probably only looking one or two years ahead because of the funding available to launch the business. Many fuel cell companies have come and gone since then, so reaching this milestone is an achievement in itself.
It’s difficult to choose one project. We’ve completed some high-profile demonstrations, including our work with London Taxis and our relationship with Suzuki on fuel cell powered motorcycles.
Our technology also powered the first manned flight of a fuel cell aircraft with Boeing, which was an important milestone for the aviation industry.
More recently, we recognised the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles early and developed strong, reliable technology for that market. We’ve also proved the quality of our products in material handling, where customers continue to place repeat orders.
I’m proud of all those achievements and the teams behind them. Choosing just one would be like choosing a favourite child.
Emily: What excites you most about where Intelligent Energy is heading next?
Chris: Fuel cells have been around since the 19th century, and the modern commercial journey began during the 1980s and 1990s. Despite that history, it still feels like a young technology with many opportunities ahead.
The progress in unmanned aerial vehicles and aviation is particularly exciting. We recently attended the Farnborough International Airshow, where there was strong interest in hydrogen fuel cells across both sectors.
There is also significant potential in stationary power and data centres, so from an engineering and technology perspective, the future remains really exciting.
Emily: What advice would you give someone starting a career in hydrogen or fuel cells today?
Chris: Fuel cells are a truly multidisciplinary technology, which is one of the most exciting aspects of working in the industry. Whether you start your career as a technician, scientist or engineer, you’ll work alongside experts from a wide range of disciplines, including electrochemistry, physics, chemical engineering, mechanical design, product design, systems engineering, software and controls and electrical engineering to name just some.
It creates a great environment for learning, giving you the opportunity to broaden your knowledge while applying and developing your own expertise.
It’s also an exciting time to enter the sector. Hydrogen has an increasingly important role to play in the global energy transition, and energy security and resilience are now firmly on the agenda. Decarbonisation and net-zero targets remain major drivers of adoption, supporting the growing demand for clean technology.
For graduates and apprentices, developing an understanding of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies can open the door to an array of opportunities and a future-focused career, whether that’s at Intelligent Energy or across the wider hydrogen industry.
Emily: Twenty-five years is a long time with one company. What’s kept you here?
Chris: The people.
What has always made Intelligent Energy a great place to work is the people. They are the business. The company has grown and evolved over the years, but the talent, commitment and teamwork of the people behind it have always been at its heart.
I’m fortunate to work with a great team with a huge amount of skill and expertise. We can have a laugh together, but there’s also a strong understanding of what needs to be delivered and the pressures that come with it.
I also love the variety of the role. No two days are ever the same, and just when you think you know what the day ahead looks like, a new opportunity or challenge appears. Coupled with the diverse range of science and technology involved, the job never stands still and there’s always something new to learn.
Emily: And finally, if we were having this conversation again in another 25 years, what would you hope we’d be saying about hydrogen and fuel cells?
Chris: I believe there are substantial opportunities ahead. Hydrogen and fuel cells both have important roles to play in decarbonisation, energy security and resilience.
Fuel cells cannot do everything, and neither can hydrogen. Batteries will be the right answer for some applications, while using hydrogen directly as a fuel may suit others. Between those two is a wide range of uses where fuel cells can excel.
They will continue to offer valuable solutions in transport, including trucks and buses. The unmanned aerial vehicle market will keep growing, with applications spanning deliveries, videography, inspection and surveillance. Material handling, stationary power and data centres also represent major opportunities.
If you had asked me 25 years ago what the future of fuel cells would look like, I would probably have focused almost entirely on automotive. Today, automotive is only one part of a much broader range of markets.
I believe hydrogen will play a growing role in industrial strategy, and that fuel cells have an exciting future ahead.
Want to learn more about our last 25 years? Visit our history page here.