There is an urgent need to address climate change, making the development of sustainable energy alternatives more important than ever. While proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have shown great promise for energy production, particularly in the transportation industry, there is a long-standing problem with their durability and cost. Now, a research team has addressed the issue with a new cobalt-modified nanomaterial, which makes PEMFCs more robust, readily sourced, and environmentally sustainable.