Apple is notoriously known for venturing into new technologies, shrouded in secrecy. New reports say that the California-based company could be making moves into using fuel cells in some of its future products. The company has filed a patent which covers the use of a specialized fuel cell system to power a Macbook for weeks at a time. The idea would be a revolutionary one in computing as all other modern electronic devices operate on some combination of rechargeable batteries and AC power. The fuel cell system would dramatically increase the portability and potential for Apple’s Macbook, but it would…
When George W. Bush proclaimed in 2003 that “the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen and pollution-free,” the former U.S. President was suggesting the United States could reduce its dependence on foreign oil and be more environmentally friendly to boot. At the time, Bush’s $1.2 billion hydrogen fuel initiative was seen as forward-thinking by environmentalists, though it certainly had its critics.The initiative was aimed at lowering the cost of producing hydrogen enough to make fuel-cell vehicles competitive with gas-powered ones by 2010, but 12 years later, it is clear that “the hydrogen highway”…
Elon Musk certainly has a streak of PT Barnum in him.On May 6 the widely known and frequently controversial boss of Tesla Motors introduced the company’s latest product that could upend energy markets: stationary batteries. Tesla’s new batteries come in a variety of sizes and are intended to store energy for a variety of customers from industrial firms and utility companies to residential customers. If they take off, they could dramatically reduce the cost of storing electricity by individual companies or households.Tesla’s stock is so controversial that virtually any new announcement from the company is immediately polarizing, with some decrying…
Electric vehicles are cool. They’re inexpensive to operate, can make our air cleaner, and help reduce the amount of climate change-causing gases released into the atmosphere. But right now, they’re also mostly just for rich people. The initial cost of buying the car, combined with their limited availability, is just too much for most people to justify making the switch.That could soon change, though, because investment pundits think that Tesla Motors is on the verge of achieving something big: A battery cheap enough to make electric vehicles cost-competitive with conventional cars. Daniel Sparks at Motley Fool is reporting that the…
Five weeks ago, fuel cell stocks, and Plug Power (PLUG) in particular were all the rage. At the end of February, Plug announced a huge contract with Wal-Mart for 1,738 of their GenDrive fuel cell units, to be deployed over the next two years. More importantly in the eyes of many, the deal also included a six year service contract.For a company that had been struggling to gain mainstream acceptance for a disruptive technology, the blessing of the mighty Wal-Mart was a godsend and the stock reacted accordingly. PLUG closed on February 25th, the day before the announcement, at $3.90…
Researchers have developed a new way to simulate the energetic processes that may have led to the emergence of cell metabolism on Earth—a crucial biological function for all living organisms.The research, which is published online today in the journal Astrobiology, could help scientists to understand whether it is possible for life to have emerged in similar environments on other worlds.“What we are trying to do is to bridge the gap between the geological processes of the early Earth and the emergence of biological life on this planet,” says study co-author Terry Kee from the School of Chemistry at the University…
The United Kingdom’s Birmingham City University in a partnership with UK motorsport entrepreneur and manufacturer Spencer Ashley and the DYPDC center for automotive research in Pune is set to showcase the concept and design behind what could prove to be the world’s first affordable hydrogen fuel-cell powered mass transport vehicle.The University’s technology leading project will be out for public view in India later this week at the Auto Expo Motor Show. It’s time for some progress as the hydrogen fuel cell sector has been very quiet of late.Birmingham City University Vehicle Concept. Image Credit Birmingham City UniversityThe Walsall-based manufacturer Spencer…
Redox Power Systems has signed a partnership deal with researchers at the University of Maryland in order to develop and bring to commercial market a new distributed electricity generation technology that could change the relationship that many consumers have with the energy market and national grid.Based on the research of Eric Wachsman, the director of the University of Maryland’s Energy Research Centre, by 2014 Redox will introduce a new fuel cell that is one-tenth the size, and one-tenth the cost of all other fuel cells available on the market.The new solid oxide fuel cell will provide safe, efficient, reliable power,…
A new type of polymer membrane could replace expensive platinum in alkaline batteries and fuel cells.“We have tried to break this paradigm of tradeoffs in materials (by improving) both the stability and the conductivity of this membrane at the same time, and that is what we were able to do with this unique polymeric materials design,” says Michael Hickner, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Penn State.In solid-state alkaline fuel cells, anion exchange membranes conduct negative charges between the device’s cathode and anode—the negative and positive connections of the cell—to create useable electric power. Above: Research associates Yongjun Leng,…
A very large new Lithium-ion battery was unveiled Saturday in Oregon to help make the Northwest’s and the nation’s electric system more efficient, officials said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.PGEs 5 MW Lithium Ion Battery Array. Image Credit PNNL.Portland General Electric’s 5-megawatt, lithium-ion energy storage system was open to the public at the utility’s Salem Smart Power Center in South Salem, Ore. The energy storage facility is part of PGE’s contribution to the Battelle-led Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project. Half of PGE’s $23-million portion of the regional project was paid for with U.S. Department of Energy funds. The regional demonstration…
