House Republican Press Release

October 1, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

A VIEW FROM THE INSIDE

State Representative Ruth Fahrbach

Fuel cells offer glimpse into future energy sources

As we look into the future of energy sources in Connecticut and throughout the United States, a lot of the focus has been on fuel cells.

Fuel cells work much like a battery and will produce electricity as long as fuel is supplied to the cell. Currently, many fuel cells are fueled by oxygen and hydrogen, although there are other types of fuel cells on the market. Unlike most batteries, however, fuel cells do not lose their charge or require recharging.

According to www.fuelcells.org, there are more than 2,500 fuel cell systems have been installed all over the world — in hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, office buildings, schools, utility power plants - either connected to the electric grid to provide supplemental power and backup assurance for critical areas, or installed as independent generators for on-site service in areas that are inaccessible by power lines.

Fuel cells are more than 85 percent more efficient than most energy sources, and can reduce energy costs by 20 to 40 percent. In addition, many stationary fuel cells run cleanly, and do not produce any emissions. Some stationary fuel cells use natural gas or hydrocarbons as a hydrogen feedstock, but even those produce far less emissions than conventional power plants. Fuel cell power plants are so low in emissions that some areas of the United States have exempted them from air permit requirements. Fuel cells are also very quiet, which reduces noise pollution, according to fuelcells.org.

Fuel cells can also be used in vehicles. Fuel cell vehicles are the least polluting of all vehicles that consume fuel directly. Fuel cell vehicles operating on hydrogen stored on-board the vehicles produce zero pollution, and fuel cells are fundamentally more efficient than combustion systems.

Fuel cells are versatile - since they are scalable, fuel cells can be stacked until the desired power output is reached. Larger fuel cells can be linked together to achieve megawatt outputs. Fuel cells are quiet, which allows for usage close to business or residences. They are also durable and rugged, so they can withstand any terrain or weather conditions.

Fuel cells are being developed for portable electronic devices such as laptops, cellular phones, etc. Fuel cells are providing a much longer operating life than a battery would, in a package of lighter or equal weight per unit of power output. Fuel cells also have an environmental advantage over batteries, since certain kinds of batteries require special disposal treatment. Fuel cells provide a much higher power density, packing more power in a smaller space, according to fuelcells.org.

Many organizations are working with the military to incorporate fuel cells into their equipment since soldiers are starting to carry a range of enabling electronic technologies, computers, personal radios, displays and thermal imaging, all intended to increase effectiveness, lethality and survivability. Fuel cells can operate 10 times longer than conventional batteries used to power hand-held battlefield computers, and are much lighter, are more cost-effective.

For more information regarding fuel cells, log on to www.fuelcells.org.

Rep Ruth Fahrbach represents the 61^st District, including Suffield, and parts of Windsor and East Granby, in the General Assembly.