A fuel cell can provide power for your automobile as well as for your home electrical needs and it is non-polluting. Its byproducts are heat and water. In addition, consider its energy carrier, hydrogen the most abundant element in the universe. Water, being two parts hydrogen, is readily available and once split into its elements using an electrolyzer can provide an unending source of clean energy.

The problem lies in the complex design of the fuel cell and the expense of its components. Black platinum is the element of choice when developing the electrodes necessary for the fuel cell to work. It is expensive and limited in its availability. Adding to the cost are the precise measurements necessary in manufacturing the complicated plates that make up the body of the fuel cell. Leakage between individual cells can kill the entire system. Present energy costs associated with fuel cells range anywhere from $1,500 to $3,500 per kilowatt, a long ways from being an acceptable alternative to the consumer.

There is hope on the horizon. Eventually, fuel cell systems will most likely replace the internal combustion engine if for no other reason than to slow down the depletion of our petroleum reserves. The U.S. government is helping to fund research necessary to bring the costs down and increase reliability. Developers are testing new metals to replace the expensive platinum electrodes. Mass production of plates and other components will also help bring down the price within reach of the consumer. Some more far-sighted scientists are pointing to fringe costs of present energy producers in order to make a fairer comparison between systems. How do you put a cost factor on the damage to our environment caused by the internal combustion engine or coal burning facilities? How does one place monetary value on a pair of lungs? In considering these factors, the difference in kilowatt cost narrows.

Today, this leading-edge technology offers the entrepreneur a wide range of opportunities. Consider an automobile powered by a fuel cell system. During the day, solar cells mounted on the roof of your home power an electrolyzer that splits water into its two elements, hydrogen and oxygen, while storing it in an accumulator. Arriving home, you refuel your car with the gases collected that day. You leave the car in idle and plug your house into the cars fuel cell system. As solar cells become more efficient, it will be possible to power essentials with them such as lights, refrigerator, and answer-phone, thereby releasing you from the grip of the local utility company. Far-fetched, not really, the technology is almost there—it just takes money and imagination.

To join in on the conversation or to subscribe or visit this site go to:  http://www.energypulse.net

Copyright 2005 CyberTech, Inc.