Interesting story on clean energy

[mrhowell]

http://www.bloomenergy.com/   

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/18/60minutes/main6221135.shtml

[RayB]

This was posted on Slashdot. Commentators over there estimate Ebay will have them paid for themselves in about 133 years.   

[Vanguard]

The article I saw said, ebay saved 100K in 9 months. Annualized savings is 133K. Upfront investment is 4 million dollars for 5 units.

That's 30 years to recoup the investment.    Plus, California pays for 20% of the cost since it is a "green" energy.   That brings down the payoff to 24 years.

[RayB]

30 years... these things won't fix themselves.

[Chemixtry]

I was impressed until I read this:

Four units have been powering a Google datacenter for 18 months. They use natural gas, but half as much as would be required for a traditional power plant.




Sounds to me like he's got a more efficient generator, not some limitless free energy device.

These are nothing more than fuel cells. Fuel cells have been around for a looooong time. I am writing a grant proposal for my doctoral program based on a SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell). While these have always had great promise there are still a lot of technical hurdles that have to be overcome before we all have these in our homes. One huge problem you run into is contaminants from your fuel streams. Sulfur is a huge problem and deactivates the catalysts typically used in fuel cells. I want this technology to work but i have my doubts.

[protokatie]

Don't forget about the carbon nanotubes that are being used as a paint-on clear conductor. These are replacing the Indium Tin based clear conductive material. But yeah, nanotech has yet to provide many products...

[RobbyMac]

The article I saw said, ebay saved 100K in 9 months. Annualized savings is 133K. Upfront investment is 4 million dollars for 5 units.

That's 30 years to recoup the investment.    Plus, California pays for 20% of the cost since it is a "green" energy.   That brings down the payoff to 24 years.

"California" is so gracious with "it's" money 

[Cakemeister]

The website has been updated.

http://www.bloomenergy.com/

If they ever made one of these for residential, and it could pay for itself in 5 years or less, I would be all over it. It sucked being out of power for a week.

[Ed_McCarron]

I can't be the only one that sees that name and thinks of the game for the Wii, right?

[saint]

I just think of Berkeley Breathed...