http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/ Engadget Comments for HydroPak water-activated fuel-cell generator unveiled http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Now I can hide out deep in the secluded caves of Pakistan and continue my operations while US bombing campaigns tear the world apart around me. I can even watch Youtube !]]>Jan 4th 2008 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 9:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
When you throw away a battery it contributes to land fill and harms the environment by leaving heavy trace metals in the soil.


Why is no one doing anything serious with solar power? Sheesh the sun is the way to go it's the largest power source that we actually know how to harness why are we not doing more with it?]]>Jan 4th 2008 10:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
And damn that pesky technological innovation and the premium that comes with, I want my zinc plates and salt water back!]]>Jan 4th 2008 11:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 10:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 10:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
Metal comes from the environment. Is it such a bad thing to give it back?]]>Jan 4th 2008 10:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 10:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
Then there is the huge amount of energy and chemicals to make the things.]]>Jan 4th 2008 11:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
like hell any of you are going to tote around some 50 pound recharge unit.

"but it has a handle!"

man, can't wait to go tot he beach with it! or maybe starbucks!

sorry, it has it's place, remote areas without power. at the same time, a car battery and inverter will work just as well (better actually, you'll get more than 10 charges) and it's cheaper.]]>Jan 4th 2008 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 10:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 12:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
$20 for a disposable cartridge that has 350wh of juice?

How much energy does it take to make one of these cartridges?

$20 in gasoline will give you about 35,000 wh of power from a tiny quiet honda generator.

100 times more efficient. Emitting only co2, not some solid waste + co2 to make the cartridge.]]>Jan 4th 2008 10:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/ How much energy does it take to make one
> of these cartridges

Good question. There's probably about $0.05 of methanol in one. They're doing the printer ink thing (the fuel cell would otherwise be more than $400).

So the form factor / power density makes it terrible for portable use, and the disposable cartridges ruin any environmental claims.

Also re. the above, modern alkaline and lithium batteries don't contain any mercury or other bad heavy metals in significant quantities.

-Carl]]>Jan 4th 2008 12:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_borohydride_fuel_cell

so the cartridges are legit.

-C.]]>Jan 4th 2008 3:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 5:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/tools/edb/lbfinal.gif

Areas of the country experiencing drought. Note how few areas are white (unaffected). Gonna get worse.

This is a stupid idea. Yuppies will love it (and if the manufacturers' concerns are cell phones and handheld games, that's their target market), but it doesn't improve the world one bit.]]>Jan 4th 2008 11:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
Still, most of the comments here have a lot of merit -- the cost/size/convenience to power output here just isn't good enough yet for general use.
]]>Jan 4th 2008 11:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
Yes, there are those pesky emissions, but again, we're talking about temporary emergencies, not on-going use.

I'm all for progress, but I think in a lot of cases people would be better served learning and practicing how to do more with less than figuring out how to protect and maintain their current consumption habits at any/all costs.


]]>Jan 4th 2008 12:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
* Though this device does put out some emissions as well.]]>Jan 4th 2008 1:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 4th 2008 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
(Unless it is a "Mini" Nuclear Power Station, of course)]]>Jan 4th 2008 5:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/Jan 5th 2008 1:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
But I'm not going to buy one since I keep a couple of these on continuous charge at home (cheaper, and more options to recharge):

http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/63/p/1/pt/10/product.asp

]]>Jan 5th 2008 12:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/
- Xantrex Technology provides around 18 hours at 25 watts.
- this Fuel Cell provides 14 hours at 25 watts.

- The Xantrex System weights 60 lb (27.3 kg)
- this fuel cell weights 4lb (1.8kg)

when you are out of power to recharge, you can't have more juice from the Xantrex System, but with a replaceable cartridge. when you are camping with your bicycle you wouldn't want to carry 27.3 kg around with you nor would you carry 10 replacement-batteries for a laptop.

- The Xantrex System costs list price $449, amazon price $249 - if you are in need of portable emergency power, perhaps useable indoors, this fuel cell is a possibility.


]]>Jan 6th 2008 2:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/hydropak-water-activated-fuel-cell-generator-unveiled/They indicate it has an very long term storage life. It's much lighter before you add water so you'd probably pack this in dry and add water when it was needed. The materials the unit is made of once it has been used appear to be easily recycled though there would no doubt be some idiots who would just chuck it. It no doubt lends itself to many other uses that the company will be very interested in. They probably will introduce other versions at a later date for specific purposes. The other side of this partnership is Horizon fuel cell in Shanghai. Many of their prooducts fuel model sized vehicles and aircraft.]]>Jan 8th 2008 5:54PM