New fuel cell system developed

2010-02-23
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A new domestic fuel cell system, developed by US-based firm Bloom Energy, could eventually be an off-grid source of cheap and clean electricity.

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A new domestic fuel cell system, developed by US-based firm Bloom Energy, could eventually be an off-grid source of cheap and clean electricity.

To be officially unveiled this week, each Bloom Box is expected to be able to power at least one home when they are made available within the next five to 10 years.

Founder of the company KR Sridhar explained that the brick-sized device's catalytic plates consist of a stack of ceramic plates interspersed with an unidentified 'cheap metal alloy'.

The device can be operated with any fuel, which is merged with oxygen to create electricity - producing byproducts like carbon dioxide and water. However, details about the efficiency of the Bloom Box have not yet been revealed.

Mr Sridhar revealed that he thought of the fuel cell system after working on a device for NASA to create oxygen for a Mars mission.

Already Bloom Energy has developed larger-scale versions of the system in use at eBay and Google datacentres, costing upwards of $700,000 (£449,578).

The firm also claimed that the larger-scale models have helped organisations to save hundreds of thousands of money in energy costs.

And once being made available for customers, the domestic models have been expected to be priced at $3,000 (£1,926).

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