Methanol Fuel Cells the Batteries of the Future?

Posted By: Ed on Saturday, August 19, 2000 10:45:41 AM

According to a new study, methanol fuel cells will be in widespread use to power electronic devices in the next few years. They will first be available in 2002, with 50,000 units being sold, but by 2007 over 200 million units will be sold. Fuel cells will quadruple the time between recharging compared to current rechargeable batteries, according to Atakan Ozbek, the author of the report. To refuel, you'll just pop in a ampule like an ink cartridge except filled with methanol.

"Portable fuel cells will initially enter the market in large quantities to serve the high-growth wireless handset sector in the US. Japan and Europe will catch up and should take the lead by the second half of this decade," Ozbek said.

The findings are part of the study: "Portable Fuel Cell Markets -- Global Portable Fuel Cell Opportunities In Portable Applications With An Intense Focus On Wireless Applications" by Allied Business Intelligence (ABI).

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11 total comments

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Size?

Trevor Knight @ 8/19/2000 4:31:27 PM #

What size will the cells be? For small size like AA, CC or bigger, like laptops, and bigger? What do people think of filling? What about expense? I would like to know, thanks!
.

Availability?

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2000 4:43:06 PM #

How about getting your hands on this technology NOW?

RE: Availability?

Ed @ 8/19/2000 5:14:43 PM #

Sadly, this isn't ready for prime time. It is still in the prototype stage. I did a bit of reading and the cells aren't very efficient yet, though they are making progress. They are also still too large, heavy, and expensive but a number of places are working on it, including NASA, the U.S. Army, numerous auto makers, and lots of universities.

--
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Palm InfoCenter

Methanol!?!

Pedro @ 8/20/2000 3:33:22 PM #

One word: Boom!
I kinda doubt the cells will come in liquid form... Can you see kids throwing them around like fire-crackers?

RE: Methanol!?!

Hared @ 8/20/2000 4:48:48 PM #

Other things that explode fairly easily: Batteries. Spray Paint cans. Off. Engine cleaner. WD-40.

The world is full of things that burn and even explode if mistreated. I doubt the fact that methanol is flamable will stand in its way much.

Oddly, something very hard to get to explode, despite what you see on TV: gasoline. It can even be hard to get it to catch on fire. I've put matches out by diping them into a puddle of gasoline. This is embarassing during a political protest.

[ No Subject ]

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/20/2000 9:32:06 PM #

beer

Muy bueno

Ariel @ 8/21/2000 6:20:46 AM #

Me parece perfecto la implementacion de este sistema

Methanol?

Teno @ 8/23/2000 8:40:42 PM #

It will be single or twin valve? And what about emission of exhaust to enviroment ?? And...suffer those cells some kind of overheating? I don't really want to fry my PDA!!!

WriteRights

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/23/2000 11:53:40 PM #

I got WriteRights about a month ago for my Visor and I love them. Graffiti recognition is much better with it. And it definitely cuts down the glare! A definite thumbs up.

RE: WriteRights

Spell @ 8/25/2000 4:09:29 PM #

Hmmm. WriteRights must be a very personal thing. I'd heard nothing but glowing reviews of them, and so purchased some a few months back. To my horror, they /caused/ a glare problem, made text blurry on my Visor's screen, and reduced screen sensitivity to the point where I was re-tapping more often than not. I demanded and got my money back.