WOW! That was interesting
Who would have believed that fuel cells are actually a commercial reality? That you can actually buy a fuel cell... and that it works. And here we thought it was a technology we were waiting for.
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In a Presentation and Discussion of
"The
Practical Applications of Fuel Cells"
In one of the more compelling presentations in our short history, Dave Hamilton of Plugpower insisted, that not only are fuel cells available, but that they actually present economic advantages in the right application. Dave pointed out that the right application (at the moment) is predominately back up power. It seems that the technology has not progressed far enough to be “online” full time. Fuel cell powered cars and homes are still a way off but not as far as most folks might think. In any event, today, fuel cells may be depended upon as a legitimate, and economic alternative to the lead and acid battery UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems in use today. In fact, because of low maintenance cost, fuel cells already provide a cost effective alternative battery back up systems and as an added bonus provide another significant feature. Extended duration. Whereas a battery backup provides perhaps 15 to 20 minutes to bring systems down gracefully or negotiate the time between the power outage and alternate energy (diesel generator for example), a fuel cell may provide 12 to 24 hours worth of back up power. Naturally the amount of time would be load dependant. There were many other interesting points in Dave’s presentation. Among them was the aging of our power grid, the existing energy infrastructure, and the anticipation that over the coming years power demand will continue to grow while the power grid’s capacity will remain for the most part unchanged. For those organizations where the shut down of a manufacturing line, environmentally controlled facilities, or communications, would be catastrophic, enhanced back up power systems will be indispensable. Essentially, the move to fuel cells and other alternative forms of power is inevitable. As global competition for resources drives the economic considerations, the concerns over global warming will be driving ecological considerations.... simultaneously. The fact that that fuel cell technology is :
presents a great deal of hope. It also presents an opportunity for organizations to lead, and to prepare for a remarkably different future. |
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