The ability of the New England grid to deliver enough power where it s needed will be a critical price factor. As a buying pool with a large number of members, we ll be in a position to obtain a discount for our members. No matter what the eventual market price, we should be able to obtain a discount, relative to the market price. This will not happen overnight. Fuel Cells OTEC has been looking at alternative technologies, especially fuel cells, almost since OTEC s inception.
Fuel cells convert a carbon based fuel such as methanol or propane into electricity.
The byproducts are heat and hot water which can be captured for efficiency. No longer science fiction, refrigerator sized units capable of supplying the electric needs of an average size house will be on the market by the end of this year. At this cost, purchasers will not experience any cost savings unless the cost of electricity goes up. Their major advantage today is independence from the power company and the grid. In the next decade, they could become a critical component of power generation, especially if the national and regional grid is not upgraded.