It’s not unusual to find Fuel cells mentioned in the nightly news. It’s not unusual to hear people say the words, fuel cell. You very well could hear a car commercial comment about them. Yet inevitably, if someone were to ask “where can I buy one?” the response will be a look of bewilderment. Responses usually range from “you can’t buy them only scientists have them” to the simple; “Hmmm, I really don’t know”.
Fuel cells aren’t science fiction. They exist right here and right now, and in a multitude of styles, dimensions, and technical parameters. So, what exactly is a fuel cell? According to those who write definitions for various words, A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. It produces electricity from various external quantities of fuel (on the anode side) and oxidant (on the cathode side). These react in the presence of an electrolyte. Generally, the reactants flow in and reaction products flow out while the electrolyte remains in the cell. Fuel cells can operate virtually continuously as long as the necessary flows are maintained.
That’s the long version. The short version is that Fuel cells can generate electrical power, or they can act as storage vessels for electricity. In an energy hungry world, the hunt has been on for a fuel cell that will use common elements such as hydrogen, water, methanes, etc. to create the electricity, while producing little or even no hazardous waste products, and displaying high levels of efficiency while doing it.
Right now fuel cells are mainly being used where power is needed in places where it’s not practical for any other type of generation capability. Fuel cells have no moving parts, and are almost failproof. Uptimes of 99.9999% are standard, which equates to less than a minute of downtime, in six full years. As you can see, there are many many areas where a small stand alone fuel cell would be necessary. Other applications range from electric and hybrid vehicles, to off grid power, to substation generations, to portable charging docks for such items as personal computers.
So once again we must revisit the same question. If I was a professor teaching electrical theory, where would I buy a working model fuel cell? If I needed to power a weather station in the deep forests of Canada, where could I buy a fuel cell? If I already had a fuel cell, but needed additional units, accessories, and optional equipment, where would I go? How about the Fuel Cell Store?
The Fuel Cell Store is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Ecotality company. This is the single biggest market place for any and all fuel cell needs, and it doesn’t just end with an online shopping cart. No, the fuel cell store goes far beyond a simple click and buy menu for fuel cells and “parts”. Do you need overhead transparencies for that science class? The FCS has it. Do you need solar modules and electrolyzers? The FCS has it.
Founded in Boulder, Colorado in 1999, Fuel Cell Store is a provider of information, products, and services for customers that want cleaner and more efficient power alternatives. Fuel Cell Store is the pioneer and longest operating retail site of the fuel cell industry, and offers the most diverse and expansive fuel cell product line from more vendors than any other site. This is exactly why Ecotality took them under their wing. Fuel cells aren’t Buck Rogers science fiction, they are useful tools, being used in millions of applications around the world. Ecotality had the vision to realize that the world is striving for more and more energy solutions and fuel cells and their supportive technologies are part of those solutions.
ECOtality is a renewable energy company that acquires and commercially advances clean electric technologies and applications that address the world’s global energy challenges. For most companies, owning the single largest collection of retail fuel cell products would be more than enough, but for Ecotality this is simply another tremendous company under their energy umbrella. The next time someone asks where they might buy a fuel cell, mention The Fuel Cell Store. The next time someone asks where they might invest in fuel cells, mention Ecotality. Interestingly, they are indeed “one and the same.”
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