The hype concerning Bloom Energy's new solid oxide fuel cells is immense. Former NASA scientist and the companies co-founder, K. R. Sridhar, has worked in secrecy for ten years with the backing of silicon valley's most prominent and successful venture capital firms. The solid oxide fuel cell's thin wafers are made of sand and generate electricity through a electrochemical reaction involving oxygen, natural gas, and a secret lime ink paint. According to one New York Times article, "Bloom executives contend that their device could cut the greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation by at least 50 percent".
Fuel cell technology has been notoriously difficult to develop and has produced unreliable results in the past. However, the clean energy potential have kept scientist and venture capital firms in the race to produce a fuel cell breakthrough. If the "disruptive technology" of Bloom Energy can create authentic results, the electricity industry could be forever changed. Bloom Boxes could be a fixture in every neighborhood and every office complex. A 1kW system could cost residents as little as $3000.
However, skeptics are in no short supply when it comes to fuel cell technology. So critics believe the best outcome of the Bloom Boxes will be a slight decrease on the load of the coal-burning industry and an increase in use of natural gas. Over the ten-year warranty period, the Boxes will need government subsidies to reach the $0.10 per kWh. The current average U.S. electricity price per kWh is $0.11.
No one can tell at the moment whether Bloom Energy's Boxes will be the miracle energy technology that some predict it to be, or another big flop among venture capital companies. Only time will tell....
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