Micro Fuel to power your house

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Oorja Unveils Micro Fuel Cell That Could Power Your House

by Ariel Schwartz
sustainable design, green design, clean technology, emission free 
power, oorja protonics, fuel cell, methanol, bloom energy, power, 
alternative energy
Were you impressed by the recently unveiled Bloom Energy “micro power plant”? Well the stationary fuel cell already some competition in the form of a methanol fuel cell device from a California-based startup called Oorja Protonics. Oorja’s soon-to-be-unveiled device is much cheaper and can generate 5 kw of energy — enough to power a home or small business.
The small device isn’t quite as powerful as Bloom Energy’s fuel cell — 20 Oorja devices could provide the same power as a single Bloom Energy Server. But while Bloom’s device costs between $700,000 and $800,000, Oorja’s fuel cell will cost less than $15,000, making it much more accessible to the home market. Another advantage: Bloom’s fuel cell provides minimal heat, while Oorja’s device generates both heat and power.
Of course, it’s slightly unfair to directly compare the two. Bloom’s fuel cell runs on a number of fuels, including methane and biogas. Oorja’s device, in comparison, runs on methanol. We’ll find out soon what potential buyers prefer — Oorja’s fuel cell will be released in a few months.

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