Tandarin

Renewable energy technology has been around for awhile. Storage of energy has always been an hindering issue be it from solar power generators or from fuel cells.

On the fuel cell front, there is a fabulous desk top device now, which stores hydrogen in a manner which is much safer as well as storing density being more than storing hydrogen in its liquid form.

Named HYDROFILLTM, the world’s first personal hydrogen station will be unveiled at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.

The small desktop device simply plugs into the AC socket, a solar panel or a small wind turbine, automatically extracts hydrogen from its water tank and stores it in a solid form in small refillable cartridges.

The cartridges contain metallic alloys that absorb hydrogen into their crystalline structure, and releases it back at low pressures, removing concerns about storing hydrogen at high pressure. This storage method also creates the highest volumetric energy density of any form of hydrogen storage, even higher than liquid hydrogen. Unlike conventional batteries, these cartridges carry more energy capacity, are cheaper, and do not contain any environmentally-harmful heavy metals.

“A hydrogen station in every home” is a futuristic vision that is being demonstrated in reality this week as Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies unveils what could be its biggest breakthrough to date: a small home hydrogen refuelling and storage solution that could begin our transition to a hydrogen-based economy.


In addition to making many new fuel cell products possible, the refuelling device enables a lower cost, scalable, and consumer-centric hydrogen supply model which eliminates the dependence on large-scale fuelling infrastructure investments.

Horizon FCT, has begun the market introduction of a complete line of portable consumer electronic devices that address much larger markets. The first of these products include a micro-fuel cell power supply called MINIPAK, which extends the off-grid runtimes of small electronic devices including cell phones, lighting products, and many USB powered devices.

Horizon will also present an upgraded version of its larger portable off-grid DC power supply system called HYDROPAK. While these and other products will start entering the market in 2010, be on the look out for this technology to be brought in right into your living room.