ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Alternative Energy A new way to power the planet?

Well here's something that might make dinosaurs outta all of us here, i've never heard of anything quite like this (note to mods> or even know where to appropriately post it)


A New Way to Power the Planet?

In February 2010 Silicon Valley start-up Bloom Energy debuted what it believed was a true revolution in the electricity industry. Its creators heralded the small, elegant energy “server” as a modern marvel the likes of which had never been seen before. The device is made of cheap materials, can both store and generate energy, and is allegedly more efficient and flexible than other output technologies.

The Bloom Energy Server, often called the “Bloom Box,” currently generates electricity from a natural gas source. The methane goes in, goes through a series of catalyzed chemical reactions, and electricity comes out. Because of its usage of natural gas, the energy server is not a stand-alone solution to human-induced climate change or pollution.

However, the portability of the energy source itself does increase efficiencies. Instead of producing gigawatts of power at a central location and transmitting that energy across a vast power grid, individual consumers could purchase a “bloom box” and make energy at home. Natural gas burns much cleaner than coal, it is also easier to extract, and it is less hazardous to employee safety. More importantly, the U.S. has vast domestic supplies of natural gas that could be tapped to feed any Bloom-induced spike in demand.

The fuel cell is not perfect, and like all hyped technologies it will likely not live up to all its advanced billing. Nevertheless, the innovation and entrepreneurial vision of Bloom Energy is something that the American economy desperately needs. This country cannot become a 21st century leader if it is still suckling from the teat of fossil fuels. For the time being the energy server is just another fossil fuel guzzler.

However, the Bloom box also carries with it the possibility to be a viable resource for alternative energy storage and generation. According to Bloom Energy CEO K.R. Sridhar, the server can run on biogas products and organic molecules derived from tomorrow’s clean energy technologies.

Moreover the success and positive reception of Bloom Energy may create a brand new start-up field in the U.S. According to earth2tech.com, California has already approved the experimental installation of fuel cells from Bloom Energy and FuelCell Energy on campuses around the state. If the fuel cell projects are deemed a success they could be expanded to other public buildings and potentially adopted by Southern California Edison and other major utility conglomerates.

Having adequate and state-of-the-art energy production capacity is not a cure all for the economy’s woes, but it is a start. If the momentum and buzz created by Bloom can be harnessed into a new technological and industrial initiative it may provide the shot in the arm that California needs.

This in turn could ripple through the rest of the United States. If anything, it at the very least gives the engineers and designers of tomorrow a goal to strive for.

Meet the Bloom box (images)
http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10002583.html?tag=mncol;txt



Sridhar says you take a stack of these and you can power anything. (The one in his hand, for example, can power a house, he says.)




http://www.bloomenergy.com/


~S~