Bloom Energy's Fuel Cell
02/27/2010
Courtesy of Bloom Energy
This past Wednesday, Bloom Energy, a start-up company, introduced its new fuel cell, which, if successful, could generate electricity at a fraction of its current cost and significantly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
The company’s chief executive and co-founder K. R. Sridhar, has been working on the energy source for nearly a decade, receiving more than $400 million from investors. The former NASA scientist says that he overcame previous obstacles that companies encountered when developing fuel cells by using common materials instead of precious metals or corrosive components most often used in the past. The company also made it more durable.
The fuel cells themselves resemble floppy disks, according to The New York Times, and can be stacked together to create a larger energy-producing unit. They “convert hydrogen, natural gas or another fuel into electricity through an electrochemical process,” the article states, but the amount of fuel used is much less than what would be used without the devices, and can use renewable sources, too. “As natural gas or another fuel passes over the cell and mixes with oxygen from the air, a chemical reaction generates electricity.” (For a graphic, check out the 60 Minutes story online.)
Just two small cubes that you can hold comfortably in your hand could power an American home, says Sridhar, and he expects most buildings to have them within the next 10 years. Google, Wal-Mart, and Ebay have already been testing them, and although they’ve run into some problems, the technology still looks extremely promising.
There are, however, skeptics. And rightfully so. Fuel cell technology has been seen as a promising energy alternative to fossil fuels for decades without the success that Sridhar anticipates. Michael Kanellos, editor of the Web site Greentech Media, makes that clear in the 60 Minutes piece when he points out that the company may not be able to produce the devices enough fast enough to make their price affordable, and that other companies will be competing with Bloom Energy.
Still, Sridhar remains positive. “We got into this business to make affordable electricity, not fuel cells,” he says in The New York Times. And in the 60 Minutes piece, he added this: “It’s about seeing the world as it can be, not as it is.”
Great article Ms. Cosier, I
Great article Ms. Cosier, I must ask the question "why does everyone want this to fail?" I understand the skepticism, but not like other fuel cells that were manufactured, the components of these fuel cells are different. Sand and no platinum, I read an article by the king of geeks Michael Kanellos, he never referred to the difference in technology vs. others. I hope they are highly successful, and we uncover the fact that Mr. Kanellos may have an alternative reason to write a negative review, GE...Siemens...yeah if they had the answer don't we think that they would have already come to market with it??? Nevertheless, GO BLOOM!!!
The big energy companies
The big energy companies don't want Bloom to succeed because Bloom wants to make Grid power a thing of the past. THEY DO NOT LIKE IT AT ALL! I hope Mr. Sridhar and his company makes tonnes of money in the coming years because that would mean Bloom is a success! Good luck Bloom Energy!
Fuel Cells
There has been a lot development and research done on the hydrogen fuel cells for producing the 0% CO2 emission vehicle which runs on electricity, electricity is the basic by product of the reaction happening with hydrogen. But the worst part is that we need to still depend on fossil fuel for separating the hydrogen from water, this means that we still have to relay on the same old fossils directly or indirectly, Bloom has a future i guess as more and more people are looking for energy efficient vehicles and there is a market for electric cars which are being launched in the market..... Good work and Good thinking Mr.Sridhar.........
Regards,
Kevin for big lifted trucks
Skepticism is due to the
Skepticism is due to the fact that research has been continuing on this kind of energy generation for years without much result. There have been experiments with the fuel cell technology before. But I really am optimistic with Bloom's efforts. I really hope this would continue and would be successful. This would prove to be a huge deal for the world over. All my best wishes with you guys at Bloom :).
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Great Invention, Whole world
Great Invention,
Whole world is suffering from recession. Which have changed whole life of middle class people. Rates of all product has increased to there all time high and middle class person have to cut his pocket hard to fulfill its basic requirement. In this situation invention a device which will produce affordable electricity than it will be helpful for every one specially middle class people.
Regards,
http://www.superautoinc.com
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Magog has perfectly gathered all of my favorite blog topics. I always love to visit this blog. Happy blogging and thanks a bunch ti writers!
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hi george ceo here Bloom has
hi george ceo here
Bloom has a future i guess as more and more people are looking for energy efficient vehicles and there is a market for electric cars which are being launched in the market..... Good work and Good thinking Mr.Sridhar.........thanks for sharing.
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