Stationary fuel-cell applications (or stationary fuel-cell power systems) are applications for fuel cells that are either connected to the electric grid (distributed generation) to provide supplemental power and as emergency power system for critical areas, or installed as a grid-independent generator for on-site service.
In 2012 more than 45700 fuel-cell systems were shipped all over the world — in residential homes, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, office buildings, schools, utility power plants.
[2] In 2012, over 20000 units were sold in Japan as part of the Ene Farm project.
For PEM fuel cell units, which shut down at night, this equates to an estimated lifetime of between ten and fifteen years.
They find uses in a wide variety of settings from residential homes to hospitals, scientific laboratories, data centers,[6] telecommunication[7] equipment and modern naval ships.