In a rare move, Toyota Motor Corp. announced last week that it will allow other firms to use its nearly 6,000 patents related to fuel cells. It said it wants to spread the technology globally while spurring competition for further development. Tesla made a similar patent announcement last year. The success of FCVs largely depends… Keep reading →
Fuel cell proponents like to talk about how the devices can use biogas to create zero-carbon power, but that actually doesn’t happen very often. Typically, natural gas is the fuel that feeds the electrochemical process. Not so at the Microsoft Data Plant in Cheyenne, Wyoming, however. This data center was built alongside a wastewater treatment… Keep reading →
Quick Take: By now, I’m sure you’ve read the predictions that we’ll be living in a world of federated microgrids within a decade or two. Yet many of those predictions gloss over an essential question. What will power those microgrids when the main grid goes down? Microgrid enthusiasts often imply that renewables plus storage will provide… Keep reading →
Last weekend [April 26th], Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz waved the iconic green flag — kicking off the NASCAR race at the Richmond International Raceway. While at the track, Secretary Moniz learned firsthand how NASCAR is working to reduce the sport’s environmental impact and educating its fans to do the same — from using advanced biofuels and testing fuel… Keep reading →
California, facing a bit of a chicken or egg dilemma, is plunging ahead on building a hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The hope is that doing so will open the door to fuel-cell vehicle adoption – and at least one big carmaker is getting in on the effort. Legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last fall included… Keep reading →
Fuel cells — a clean energy technology that generates electricity using hydrogen and air — hold the promise of helping us dramatically reduce our dependence on oil while reducing air pollution. Yet, the high costs of fuel cell catalysts, which rely on expensive precious metals like platinum and can account for up to 50 percent of… Keep reading →
Thanks to everyone who participated in our Google+ Hangout on Energy 101: Fuel Cells. We got a lot of great questions, and our experts talked about everything from the future of fuel cell vehicles and how they’re being used as backup power to the efficiency benefits of fuel cells and how California is making fuel… Keep reading →
DOE reports the U.S. at the forefront of the global fuel cell industry with significant advancements in the fuel cell and hydrogen technologies market. On December 19, 2013, the Department of Energy (DOE) released three reports highlighting strong progress in the U.S. fuel cell and hydrogen technologies market. The U.S. remains at the forefront of… Keep reading →
Renewable energy sources and natural gas should be considered as complements and not rivals. A hybrid gas-electric clean energy provides a workable engineering solution while 100% Renewables models based heavily on wind, solar and efficiency fall short of the meeting the functional needs of a modern technology intensive society. Natural gas and renewables are already… Keep reading →
The US power sector is staring down the barrel of a labor shortage of crisis proportions. With workers in all aspects of the industry retiring faster than new recruits are replacing them, the industry has a lot of work to do to position itself as a magnet for new talent. “There are a number of… Keep reading →
