Anybody else heard of this? It's an incredibly efficient generator that's about the size of a brick - and it can power an entire home. Some big companies like Google, eBay, and Wal-Mart are already testing the thing, and it really works.
Posts: 1945 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
This is the best article I have seen so far.
Potentially a good development, but it doesn't look likely to be revolutionary. I have more hope for solar, wind, and better storage tech (capacitors) than I do for this.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Those links were a lot more informative. I guess nothing is quite as neat as it appears on the surface. Still, I found it interesting, and I was previously unfamiliar with that kind of technology.
Posts: 1945 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Fuel cell technology is great stuff, but it won't reduce our reliance on hydrocarbons. But it is a more efficient and cleaner way of using them. Truth is these things are LONG overdue.
Posts: 354 | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
I work for FuelCell Energy, which is mentioned unfavorably in the second article. The fact is that Bloom is also losing money on each stack that they sell. In two adjacent years, FuelCell lost 71 million, while Bloom lost 85 million, but the article practially makes it look like Bloom is turning a profit.
Bloom's breadbox sized stack doesn't make a lot of sense. They've been in business 8 years but they claim they have a product that will last 10 years. My guess is that this figure comes from degradation tests over the life of the test. That tells you how long it will take before the cell doesn't make enough voltage to be useful, but it tells you nothing about how long the stack will last before it breaks.
Also, their active area is about 4" square, and they're claiming that building smaller stacks is the solution to the cost/unit issue. We find the opposite is true. We have had 4" and 7" cells in both solid oxide and molten carbonate stacks, and found that the ratio of active area to overall cell area is too small. It makes it more expensive to manufacture. Our solid oxide cells are 10" square, (and will likely get larger) and our molten carbonate cells are 24" x 48." Engineering them larger is harder, but it reduces cost per unit of active area, and also reduces the cost per unit for vessel, manifolding, and balance of plant.
Their Linkedin page has additional links for anyone that's interested.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
As it is, many of our customers are using biogas. Sierra Brewery, Pepperidge Farm and Gill's onions all have significant biomass leftovers, which they digest and feed the off-gas into our fuel cells.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Glenn Arnold: As it is, many of our customers are using biogas. Sierra Brewery, Pepperidge Farm and Gill's onions all have significant biomass leftovers, which they digest and feed the off-gas into our fuel cells.
quote:Originally posted by Glenn Arnold: As it is, many of our customers are using biogas. Sierra Brewery, Pepperidge Farm and Gill's onions all have significant biomass leftovers, which they digest and feed the off-gas into our fuel cells.
I've noticed that. Particularly from Milanos, although Windmills make me a little gassy as well.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
An interview with Dan Brdar, CEO of FuelCell Energy covering various issues on the stationary fuel cell industry. Not very in depth, but pretty well balanced.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
