[gaulois]

Sounds quite interesting. The link does not seem to be working.

[Dr Caleb]

??? Link works for me. Do you get an error?

[rearguard]

Times out for me.<br /> <br /> Try this<br /> <a href="http://arizona.indymedia.org/news/2006/09/49583.php">Tempe ASU:New type of hydrogen fuel cell powers up</a>

[Dr Caleb]

[QUOTE BY= rearguard] Times out for me.<br /> [/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> Yea, now it times out for me too. Guess they archived the story. But your link is the same story! Cool.

[rearguard]

More info: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_borohydride_fuel_cell">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_borohydride_fuel_cell</a><br /> <br /> Interesting. Usually with fuel cells the amount of energy that goes into making and maintaining the cell is much greater than the output. I assume that's the case with this technology as well?<br /> <br />

[Dr Caleb]

[QUOTE BY= rearguard]sually with fuel cells the amount of energy that goes into making and maintaining the cell is much greater than the output. I assume that's the case with this technology as well?<br /> <br /> [/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> Nope. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/wink.gif' alt='Wink'><br /> <br /> It's using chemical energy to produce electricity. Much more efficient that chemical -> heat in an IC engine. Borax already exists in large quantities in nature, and the waste borax in the fuel cell can be made back into fuel by adding electricity!

[rearguard]

What I was wondering about, is not the efficiency of the chemical reaction to useful energy conversion, but of the total amount of energy that has to go into the system to make it work over its useful lifetime vs the total output.<br /> <br /> For example, a great deal of energy was required in order to manufacture the device and create the chemicals required for the operation of the device. Each recharge requires additional energy input into the system.<br /> <br /> If all the energy input is added up, does it exceed the total energy output?<br /> <br /> I don't know the answer to the above question, however I know that fuel cells and batteries are generally seen as energy storage systems rather than energy production systems because they normally do not create more energy than they consume.<br />

[Brent Swain]

This appears to give you portability and storeability of sources like wind and solar energy , a huge improvement over what's currently available.<br /> Brent