Fueled by Metal | Green Energy News

May 18, 2003 – Vol.8 No.8

FUELED BY METAL.

Zinc-air fuel cells, though fully recognized as fuel cells, don’t get the attention their hydrogen cousins get. (Both are in the same family of generating devices that comprise of a series of cells that can be refueled and in operation grab the flow of electrons when the fuel - zinc or hydrogen - is oxidized.) Yet zinc-air fuel cells seem to work as promised by the few developers working on them and are ready for the marketplace.

Metallic Power, a developer and manufacturer of zinc regenerative fuel cells, has announced it will partner with Marconi to develop and market backup power systems utilizing the former company’s technology for telecom applications. Marconi, already established in the telecom industry, will provide the enclosures for the devices.

The zinc-air fuel cells operating as back-up power could supply 1-5 kilowatts of back-up power for as long as 24 hours, replacing lead acid batteries that supply only 8 hours of power. The Metallic Power/ Marconi technology will also be used in applications where clean and quiet operations are necessary. Visit Marconi at http://www.marconi.com/ and Metallic Power at http://www.metallicpower.com/ .