As the world moved into the 21st ce

As the world moved into the 21st century, a rapid development in industrial and transportation sectors and improvements in living standards have been observed, leading to a strong growth in the energy demand and in global emissions (Song, 2002). In this context, fuel cell technology has been receiving an increasing attention, thanks to its lower emissions and potentially higher energy efficiency if compared with internal combustion engines. A fuel cell is defined as an electrochemical device in which the chemical energy stored in a fuel is converted directly into electricity. Among all fuel cells, low temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) are promising devices for decentralized energy production, both in stationary and automotive field, thanks to high compactness, low weight (high power-to-weight ratio), high modularity and efficiency, fast start-up and response to load changes.