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Technology Stocks : Plug Power Fuel Cells (PLUG) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mr Bones who wrote (36)	1/29/2000 11:03:00 PM
From: Krowbar	Respond to of 83

Mr. Bones, I plucked this from the PLUG Web site about platinum.... "For example, as recently as 1980 the amount of platinum (used as a catalyst) needed for a 7 kW fuel cell cost $9,000! However today, due to improved methods of applying platinum, much less is required and the cost is down to approximately $50 for the same size fuel cell. In addition, through design and integration improvements, overall system costs have been substantially reduced, making commercialization feasible." plugpower.com About efficiency from the GE MicroGen site.... Traditional utility generation is about 30% efficient. Another 8% of that resulting electricity is lost to inefficiencies in the transmission and distribution. This results in overall efficiencies of less than 30%. The HomeGen 7000 offers higher efficiencies of near 38%, requiring less fuel to produce an equal amount of electricity than traditional combustion technologies. This will extend the use of the earth's finite natural fuel resources. Eventually, the heat may be captured and reused for heating hot water or providing winter heat, thereby eliminating waste heat escape into the atmosphere. Heat recovery could increase the HomeGen efficiencies to as much as 75% or more. gemicrogeneration.com Both of these sites answer most of the questions that I see asked about fuel cells. Del