Fuel cells, which were used in the Apollo space capsules, are garnering new attention from the private and public sectors, in part because they're also seen as potential replacements for combustion engines in cars and trucks. Now, for the first time, companies are designing and testing models that can be used in homes. The fuel cells feature high-tech processors that take hydrogen out of fuels such as natural gas and propane. The fuel cell being used in Plug Power's test house easily handles a refrigerator, lights, television and other appliances. The by-products of the process are heat, which could be used to warm the house, and water suitable for drinking.
Fuel cells work.
What don't, yet, are the economics. Because they are not yet mass produced, they can't be sold inexpensively to attract many consumers. But engineers are trying to reduce the amount of some costly materials, such as platinum, involved in the electrochemical process to shrink the price tag. Even the most optimistic proponents acknowledge it could be 20 years before it becomes clear whether such alternatives as fuel cells are taking hold. Another area of development involves photovoltaic cells, an advance on the old solar panels that were popular for heating water in 1970s homes.