

New process allows fuel cells to run on coal - pwg
http://www.gizmag.com/coal-gas-fuel-cells/19012/

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bradleyland
Ok, so:

* It still relies on a non-renewable fossil fuel

* It still produces CO2

What about this development is something we should look forward to? I see
mentions of 50% efficiency, which is awesome, but that's efficiency in energy
production. You'd still have to run it through an electric motor. I don't have
much knowledge in the field. Can anyone provide insight as to whether this
would provide a net benefit vs a traditional ICE running on petrol or diesel?

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pwg
The article did say (rather deeply in) that the CO2 produced was pure enough
to be directly sequestered without additional post processing effort. So while
not the best, that saves on the energy consumption to post process normal
plant output into pure enough CO2 for sequestering. That energy also has to
come from somewhere.

Also, if a 50% conversion efficiency is realistic, that is a benefit, because
the same energy output could be produced with a reduction in waste byproducts,
or more energy output could be achieved with the current levels of waste
byproducts.

Both are advantages. Not huge like a breakthrough in solar energy harvesting,
but still advantages.

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wglb
I have heard it said that Hydrogen is simply a pollution amplifier (Don
Lancaster in one of his hydrogen energy columns).

