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Apple impresses again with hydrogen fuel cell one week batteies.


RadoStefanov

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The article in the HuffPo mentioned environmental reasons for pursuing a technology that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce water and electricity. I looked into fuel cells about 10 years ago to run a house "off the grid." The hydrogen is obtained from hydrocarbons (i.e. propane or LNG). The fuel cells do indeed combine H2 and O2 to make water, but they also produce CO2 and, unless the cell are 100% efficient (impossible) they also give off CO and un-consumed hydrocarbons as byproducts. Fuel cells are cool and sexy but they get their fuel from evil refined crude oil or gas wells.

There are many good reasons for pursuing fuel cell technology but protecting the shoreline and freedom from Middle East oil are not among them.

I would be pretty jazzed to squirt some butane into my mac and run for two weeks. That would be reason enough.

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The fuel cell battery tech for laptops already exists, it is IIRC for military and remote use, and stupid expensive right now. Oh, and the source of hydrogen isn't water, it is Methanol - wood alcohol. Right now, that stuff sells for about $10 per gallon, maybe more in small bottles. In an auto parts store, HEET dry gas has a 12 ounce size for about $1. That might be ok for a single recharge, maybe two.

But you then have a flammable gas source in your bag or pocket. You smoke? The vapors of methanol are highly explosive, and it evaporates faster than rubbing alcohol, and eats most plastics. Nasty stuff.

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The gypsies in Eastern Europe make moonshine from Methanol.

The fuel cell battery tech for laptops already exists, it is IIRC for military and remote use, and stupid expensive right now. Oh, and the source of hydrogen isn't water, it is Methanol - wood alcohol. Right now, that stuff sells for about $10 per gallon, maybe more in small bottles. In an auto parts store, HEET dry gas has a 12 ounce size for about $1. That might be ok for a single recharge, maybe two.

But you then have a flammable gas source in your bag or pocket. You smoke? The vapors of methanol are highly explosive, and it evaporates faster than rubbing alcohol, and eats most plastics. Nasty stuff.

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