200-fold boost in fuel cell efficiency advances 'personalized energy systems'

[DavidDvorkin]

BOSTON, Aug. 23, 2010 — The era of personalized energy systems — in which individual homes and small businesses produce their own energy for heating, cooling and powering cars — took another step toward reality today as scientists reported discovery of a powerful new catalyst that is a key element in such a system. They described the advance, which could help free homes and businesses from dependence on the electric company and the corner gasoline station, at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, being held here this week.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-08/acs-2bi080910.php

I know: another discovery that will save the world, but then we hear no more about it. But I'm allowing myself to feel hopeful about this one, for now.

[TheMadMonk]

1. 200 fold over what? The baseline carbon electrode?

Anything which makes the splitting of water energetically easier is most certainly a good thing, but the question is: Is it enough of a good thing?

Right now the cheapest source of hydrogen is hydrocarbons, fossil fuels in other words. And unless this new catalyst is something truly special, the full cycle efficiency of such a system would be pretty woeful. To the best of my knowledge batteries perform far better, with much less energy wasted over the course of a full storage discharge cycle.


Something which makes me want to take this "breakthrough" with a grain of salt is the comment about pure drinking water as an output. This is a complete furphy. Feeding the electrolyser anything but equally pure water, risks poisoning the catalyst and possibly even the fuel cell itself.

[northoftheborder]

2. This would really change the world.

Probably not in my lifetime. Just think of the effect this would have on the powerful interests in the world - we would not be dependent upon their largesse. For every household to have their own source of power would be the greatest change since the beginning of the industrial era.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. It would also mean manufacturing in places where it's not now feasible.

[OnlinePoker]

5. "Just think of the effect this would have on the powerful interests in the world "

Someone still has to manufacture the power systems, and then people will be bitching about how much money these greedy bastards are making.

[The2ndWheel]

4. Save the world?

That's not even close to what renewable energy is about.

[nashville_brook]

6. energy storage is one of our biggest problems with renewables. this is good news.