-Caveat Lector- >From http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/7/21/172306.shtml
Reprinted from NewsMax.com Fuel Cell Technology Is Coming of Age Dave Eberhart, NewsMax.com Monday, July 22, 2002 As the media spotlight beams on the debate over homeland security, corporate dishonesty and even the ravings of an errant congressman, some of the less-crowded hearing rooms on the Hill have been abuzz with solving the nation's quiet crisis: developing clean, efficient energy to power the new century. The star of these proceedings before the House science committee and others is the relatively prosaic "fuel cell." Lacking the drama, sweep and controversy of nuclear power plants, fuel cells can convert natural gas, methanol, petroleum, hydrogen and other fuels into electricity � silently and without combustion. No latent "China Syndrome" issues here � heat and pure water vapor are the only by-products when fuel cells are, for example, supplied directly with hydrogen. Nothing at all like a row of flashlight batteries, fuel cell technology already provides potent power sources capable of energizing homes and businesses. Recently, William T. Miller, the president of UTC Fuel Cells, described to the House energy and commerce committee his company's sales of more than 250 stationary fuel cell electrical power units to customers in 19 countries on five continents. Witnesses such as Stan Borys, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Gas Technology Institute, have been chronicling to the subcommittee on energy of the House science committee the nation's compelling need to develop alternative fuel cell energy sources. According to Borys, power outages have been a growing problem due to declining electrical reserve margins across much of the U.S. During periods of high demand, some utilities have used a procedure known as "rolling brownouts" to systematically lower voltage levels in certain predetermined areas for several hours at a time. Borys pointed to more and more major power outages such as the ones that occurred in San Francisco, Detroit, Philadelphia and Tulsa in the summer of 2000. "In certain areas of the country, electricity consumption simply exceeds available supply," Borys explained, pointing out that the electricity shortfall has been particularly severe in San Diego, where available supply and increased demand have resulted in exorbitantly high and volatile electricity prices. And the shortfall will only get worse. According to the Energy Information Administration, over the past two decades, the percentage of energy provided by electricity to U.S. housing units increased from 23 percent of all energy consumed in 1978 to 35 percent in 1997 � with the trend continuing. The Economic Fallout What's more, power surges are not just a matter of inconvenience. "Industry sources have estimated that the share of all U.S. electricity consumed by computer- based microprocessors is 13 percent and that within the next two decades up to 50 percent of the nation's electricity supply may support the direct and indirect needs of a computer-based economy," Borys said. What makes this latter figure significant is a study by the Electric Power Research Institute that estimated that electric power problems already cost U.S. industry more than $30 billion annually in lost data, material and productivity. Despite such ominous figures, the Department of Energy's Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance Program (SECA) has not been enjoying priority in the federal budget, according to Borys and other witnesses. SECA is made up of commercial developers, universities, national laboratories and government agencies to develop the all-solid-state concept. The SECA program was designed as a long- term, 10-year program. However, according to Borys, "The president's budget request for the SECA program for FY 2003 falls far short of the need to both continue momentum on the four current contractors, much less initiate any new contractors for the program." Fuel Cell Power Already Shown Practical Whatever the rationale for the perceived shortfall in funding, it is not linked to any showing that fuel cell power is faddish or impractical. Commercially available fuel cell power plants, creating less than one ounce of pollution per 1,000 kilowatt- hours of electricity produced (compared to the 25 pounds of pollutants for conventional systems), are already at work around the country powering hospitals and other enterprises that demand an uninterrupted power stream. These fuel cell power plants are indeed so clean that some areas of the United States have exempted them from air permit requirements. Reliable power for the fragile computer networks aside, even greater potential cost savings through the use of fuel cell power plants is intimately tied to the country's electrical infrastructure. Today, say the experts, there are five or six homes for every mile of transmission wire across many of the rural electric lines in the U.S. The cost to install or replace these lines ranges from $15,000 to $40,000 per mile. Furthermore, rural homes classified as "tag end" customers are estimated at 37 million U.S. households. The modular fuel cells are uniquely suited to provide power to such homes. Additionally, approximately 60 percent of the new homes being built in the U.S. are connected to natural gas, which can be used as fuel in a fuel cell system. Attractive markets for residential usage of fuel cells include New England, New York, New Jersey, California, Michigan and Illinois � areas where average electricity costs are high and average natural gas costs are low. And the potential reaches far from domestic shores. About 3 billion people in the world today have no connection to reliable electric power. Have an Opinion About This? Send an URGENT PriorityGram Today A product that might interest you: Have a Cell Phone? Get a solar-powered battery and solve your recharge problem forever ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A<>E<>R + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Forwarded as information only; no automatic endorsement + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." --- Ernest Hemingway <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
