The funding project entitled 'Trailblazing Micro Fuel Cell Innovations' is based on the assumption that systems with a maximum performance of 100 watts will in future be able to supplement or replace the rechargeable batteries of mobile devices. 

In the opinion of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research the factors that have so far stood in the way of mass production of micro fuel cells, a technology that has been hyped for years, are that the fuel cells are still too expensive and that indispensable peripheral components such as miniature pumps, valves or regulators as well as the materials used are to date not yet perfectly suited to the technology.

The micro fuel cells R&D grants program, which in 2005 had invited interested parties to apply for funding (PDF) and which according to the BMBF is the largest program of its kind in Europe, has now picked the "most promising projects" that focus "on the overall system, comprising storage, energy-converter and regulation or peripheral elements" from among the 35 applicants. 

Thus among others the project "Mobile and Portable Fuel Cells," of which the company SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG is a leading member, the project PemGen, which is working on miniaturization down to the size of a button cell battery (the German battery manufacturer Varta is a prominent member here) and the project BZ-Battext, which is seeking to develop a micro methanol system for use in a hybrid system made up of a fuel cell and a conventional battery will receive 2 million euros each.