[Crashby]

Anyone following this?

After 400 Mil and 10 years, a public unveiling today.

"Bloom Energy, a Sunnyvale startup that has been working for years on a fuel cell that would allow homes and businesses to generate their own electricity, officially unveiled its so-called Bloom Box at a highly orchestrated media event Wednesday morning."

It will be interesting to see how far this goes. Already, Google, eBay and many other big companies are trying out the solution...

 

[bdamschen]

Dang, how long before we see the display in Home Depot next to Rainsoft?

 

[jonKranked]

Too bad Billy Mays isn't around to promote it.

 

[Crashby]

15 minute primer:

 

[Gex]

Saw the 60 minutes on this. It looked promising.

 

[Prettym1k3]

Looks promising. One of the local news stations, KNTV (who, of course, is offering "special coverage") claims to be 70% powered by only 4 of these large units.

I'd love for it to be true. LOVE.

 

[Crashby]

Im still looking for a better explanation of how air+fuel+silica/ceramic+secret formula ink creates electricity.

 

[Scrub]

Im still looking for a better explanation of how air+fuel+silica/ceramic+secret formula ink creates electricity.

They plug it in to a 110v outlet. LOL

 

[jimmydean]

Im still looking for a better explanation of how air+fuel+silica/ceramic+secret formula ink creates electricity.

 

[rockofullr]

Wow pretty interesting! So this thing can run off of your existing gas line?

It's obviously clean, I wonder how efficient it is?

 

[C.P.]

...replace the hydrogen with nearly any fuel source (likely natural gas in most cases)

What's not clear to me, is if net-metering laws will allow a homeowner to connect this device to the grid, cause the grid aint going anywhere anytime soon...

 

[Crashby]

Wow pretty interesting! So this thing can run off of your existing gas line?

It's obviously clean, I wonder how efficient it is?

They say it uses roughly 50% less natural gas...

With natural gas being relatively cheap (~.50/therm) - payback/breakeven would certainly be out there for residential application at the estimated $3,000 cost that they might arrive at in 5-10 years.

... but a step in the right direction.

 

[IH8Rice]

What's not clear to me, is if net-metering laws will allow a homeowner to connect this device to the grid, cause the grid aint going anywhere anytime soon...

i dont see why not. people with other forms of self generating power supplies can, why cant the people who adopt this do it?

 

[C.P.]

i dont see why not. people with other forms of self generating power supplies can, why cant the people who adopt this do it?

Yeah, it may be just that easy. I should have clarified some though,in the residential (single family setting) currently in most states, the only accepted form of net metered energy is renewable energy (wind & solar), and recently, a few states passed Micro-CHP net-metering legislation. Maybe allowing fuel cells will be just be a formality (with all this "smart grid" talk) but not too long ago net-metering was only allowing renewable energy in a residential setting...

 

[SkaredShtles]

I don't give a rat's a$$ about selling power back... I just want one to power my backcountry cabin in the mountains.

 

[IH8Rice]

Yeah, it may be just that easy. I should have clarified some though,in the residential (single family setting) currently in most states, the only accepted form of net metered energy is renewable energy (wind & solar), and recently, a few states passed Micro-CHP net-metering legislation. Maybe allowing fuel cells will be just be a formality (with all this "smart grid" talk) but not too long ago net-metering was only allowing renewable energy in a residential setting...

ah gotcha. i know some states also allow usage of hydro electric power. ive seen a few interviews about people's homes that use a creek or river on their property to help generate power via a small turbine and they pipe power back onto the grid.

 

[C.P.]

I don't give a rat's a$$ about selling power back... I just want one to power my backcountry cabin in the mountains.

If you're referring to the fuel cell,it still needs a steady supply of fuel...

Net-metering isn't about selling back, rather it's about offsetting net energy purchased from the grid, and keeping installed system cost low. For photovoltaic systems, net-metering has made installing on-site (renewable) energy production much more affordable, and thus makes financial considerations more attractive, since the cost of energy storage is not required (batteries, charge controller etc).

 

[SkaredShtles]

If you're referring to the fuel cell,it still needs a steady supply of fuel...

Propane? Hopefully this fuel cell thing is something you can turn off...

 

[TN]

I want a bloom box.
One like this....

 

[sanjuro]

When a Palo Alto woman hits one with her Prius while executing a 25 point U-turn, it will fireball like Bloom Energy's chances to succeed.

 

[w00dy]

tl:dw
I know how fuel cells work (kind of), and I know that this is one, but I'm fuzzy on the whole pitch.
Tell me if I'm wrong.

Soo, you buy one of these huge expensive boxes.
Then you pour a bunch of propane into it.
Then it gives you electricity.
But it's more expensive than regular electricity.

Is this meant to replace back-up generators or something? I think I'm missing the point.

 

[sanjuro]

I guess there's some advantage to having your own generator. I'll have to ask my buddy who manages the power in New York State.