Home based Hydrogen Fuel cell systems are coming to a home near you. Anyone in 2010 will be able to acquire a new home based hydrogen fuel cell system that can charge cell phones, mp3 players, GPS units, and small digital cameras.
Hydrofill Charging Station
The new system can be used on any device that operates off of a 5 volt USB charger. The hydrogen fuel cell charger is being offered by Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, and is called the HydroFill. The Hydrofill extracts hydrogen gas from water and stores it in Hydrostik cartridges with a metal alloy that absorbs the hydrogen. To then charge electronic devices, people use a pocket-size fuel cell charger, called a MiniPak, which pulls hydrogen from the cartridges and a produces an electrical current. The MiniPak can charge devices through a USB port and cell phone adapter, and the company offers an optional AA-battery charger. Horizon is touting the HydroFill as a small step on the way to the so-called hydrogen economy, in which hydrogen is an energy carrier and fuel cells make electricity. The company already offers a larger off-grid portable charging system, which uses the same basic technology, and plans to expand into other areas, such as gardening equipment. The HydroFill system is clean during use because the chemical reaction that happens in hydrogen fuel cells only produces water vapor and no air pollutants. To charge the hydrogen cartridges, people either plug the HydroFill into an electrical outlet or use a small solar panel. It’s also compatible with small wind turbines.
John Vlahakis
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