Fuel cells are more reliable than the traditional electricity grid, experts say, and are not as susceptible to lightning strikes or fallen trees. But they are still experimental, and experts do not know their maintenance requirements, for example. Less than a dozen companies make fuel cells today, each producing a few hundred a year or more, all by hand. Another firm, Energy Partners, says its first residential fuel cell will be available late next year. One South Florida teenager, with the help of his parent's credit card, bought a small one last year from Dais-Analytic for a science fair experiment.
Major corporations are interested, including auto makers.
The earliest fuel-cell cars will be released in 2003 or 2004, including models from Toyota, Ford, Nissan and DaimlerChrysler. Others doing research include General Electric, Dow Chemical, and Westinghouse. For now, costs remain high. Even at those prices, a home with a fuel cell would have to stay connected to a power company for peak times, such as hot summer days. A fuel cell large enough to also support such peak use would be too expensive, industry leaders say.