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FuelCellStocks.Com Fuel Cells News November 14, 2005 Coal Fuel Cell Has Promise The latest fuel cell technology doesn’t use emission-free hydrogen or methanol but rather traditionally dirty coal, a research group said Monday. SRI International, a nonprofit research and development organization, presented a carbon-based fuel cell technology Monday at the 2005 Fuel Cell Seminar in Palm Springs, California. Fuel cells are being looked to as a clean, inexpensive source of energy. Most fuel cells are seen as a potential replacement for batteries but coal-based fuel cells could have broader applications, producing general electricity for utilities. By adding oxygen to carbon in an electrochemical process, the direct carbon fuel cells (DCFCs) convert coal into electricity without burning it or turning it into a gas. The method can also use tar, biomass, and organic waste. The result is that twice as much energy can be produced from the same amount of fuel, at 20 to 30 percent lower cost and about half the carbon dioxide emissions, said Larry Dubois, SRI’s vice president. The emissions can also be more easily captured for use or disposal, he said.
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