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Conclusion
Nick L. Akers
Akermin, Incorporated, St. Louis, Missouri
CONTENTS
Introduction
.......................................................................................................265
Statistical
Highlights.........................................................................................265
New Power
Opportunities.................................................................................267Military..............................................................................................................269
Large-Scale Power
............................................................................................269
Conclusion.........................................................................................................269
References
.........................................................................................................270
Abstract This chapter presents the authors opinion on the
drivers and need for
alternative energy sources. First, global energy use is
commented on, which serves
as an indicator for available resources. In-depth commentary is
provided on theopportunities for fuel cells as an alternative
energy source, especially as a near-
term potential replacement for rechargeable batteries. Potential
for fuel cells in
the military and as large-scale power plants is also
discussed.
INTRODUCTION
The need to fully develop alternative energy sources is
apparent. The first few
years of the new century have seen the highest energy prices in
recent history
due to geographic isolation of the primary fuel and its finite
supply. Coupled withinsatiable demand from emerging industrialized
nations, such as China, energy
has arguably become the greatest stress factor in modern
society. The president
of the United States held his first prime-time address in over a
year in April 2005
to campaign for, among other things, the need for innovations in
new sources of
energy.
STATISTICAL HIGHLIGHTS
The U.S. Department of Energys Annual Energy Review, published
September7, 2004, provides a wealth of statistics and research into
the use, production, and
availability of energy throughout the world. The holy grail of
alternative energy
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266 Alcoholic Fuels
sources is to address the use of petroleum since it accounts for
39.4% of energy
consumption followed by coal and natural gas, each accounting
for 23.2% (Figure
15.1) [1].The presidential prime-time address was not purely
political; the United States
is by far the largest user of petroleum, followed by Japan whose
consumption is
quickly being surpassed by Chinas budding development (Figures
15.2 and 15.3)
[1].
FIGURE 15.1 Energy consumption by source. Source: Department of
Energy, Energy
Information Administration: Annual Energy Review, 2003. With
permission.
FIGURE 15.2 Petroleum consumption by country. Source: Department
of Energy, Energy
Information Administration: Annual Energy Review, 2003. With
permission.
45
30
15
0 Geothermal,Solar, Wind
Hydro-electricPower
Wood,Waste,Alcohol
NuclearElectricPower
Natural GasCoal
0.533
8
2323
Petroleum
39
QuadrillionBtu
By Source, 2003
25
20
15
10
5
0
SpainUnitedKingdom
ItalyMexicoFranceCanadaSouthKorea
GermanyJapanUnitedStates
1.51.71.92.02.02.12.22.7
5.3
19.8
MillionBarrelsperDay
Selected OECD Consumers, 2002
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Conclusion 267
The United States geographic nature of dispersed cities and
urban centershas created the reliance on personal transportation
and thus the leading consump-
tion of petroleum. Despite efforts to institute mass transit,
there has been little
or no effect on the increasing use of this form of energy. The
current adminis-
tration believes the answer to be hydrogen fuel cells, stating
the desire for a child
born in 2003 to have a fuel-cell vehicle as their first car
(January 28, 2003).
However, there are nearer-term opportunities, as described in
this book, which
should be the focus of the countrys efforts.
NEW POWER OPPORTUNITIES
There are a number of opportunities for new power sources aside
from replacing
petroleum for transportation. Beginning at the small end of the
scale, alternatives
to todays battery chemistry are in critical demand.
Proliferation of portable
electronics and increasing functionality has exceeded the
capabilities of the lith-
ium-ion battery. Indeed, the features able to be offered to
consumers by the major
electronics development companies are limited by the battery, an
example being
the delay of mass introduction of the 4G cell phone. Many
outside of Japan may
not be familiar with these phones, known as power eaters, which
last for all of15 minutes when being used to watch television or
movies. The Japanese suffer
through this shortfall because their long daily work commutes
are brightened by
the entertainment. Batteries limitations have at least created a
new market oppor-
tunity, known as juice bars, where the Japanese cannot only
receive liquid
refreshment, but for a fee can recharge their cell phones as
well.
FIGURE 15.3 Petroleum consumption by country over past 40 years.
Source: Depart-
ment of Energy, Energy Information Administration: Annual Energy
Review, 2003. With
permission.
20
15
10
5
019991996199319901987198419811978197519721969196619631960
2002
United States RussiaChinaJapanFormer U.S.S.R.
MillionBarrelsperDay
Leading Consumers, 1960-2002
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268 Alcoholic Fuels
This, of course, is a temporary solution to an obvious problem:
the need for
new portable power sources. Fuel cells have been studied for
over 40 years as a
potential battery replacement technology. With a potential
$4-billion-plus lithium
battery market takeover opportunity, there are a plethora of
entities working todeliver portable fuel cells [2]. The Direct
Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) has
probably received the majority of attention in this area.
Despite hundreds of
millions in research and development dollars, in early 2005
there is no consumer
product on the market. DMFC has applications and viability in
other markets,
but the size, cost, and performance requirements for
rechargeable battery replace-
ment have thus far proved insurmountable. New catalyst
developments as well
as new membrane technology may push DMFCs over the hump to
widespread
commercialization; however, toxicity will remain a serious
obstacle.
Enter the opportunity for fuels other than methanol in the
portable batterymarket. Ethanol is the obvious choice because it is
already widely available in
day-to-day life and on airlines as well, a necessity.
Additionally, ethanol has
certain chemical properties making it desirable as a fuel, such
as higher energy
density than methanol while remaining a small enough molecule
for good diffu-
sion properties. As discussed in this book, innovations in
catalysts are required
to employ ethanol. Efficacy has been demonstrated; however,
catalyst stability
and operating temperature must still be addressed for
metal-based systems.
Perhaps a previously considered fringe effort, now gaining
momentum, is the
use of nontraditional catalysts, i.e., biological catalysts. The
advantages are costsavings from elimination of precious metals,
simplification of system design due
to high selectivity for analyte, dramatically increased fuel
options, and efficient
operation at room temperature, among others discussed. Enzymes
in particular,
have the potential to compete (and in some cases already are
competing) with
DMFC and DEFCs and surpass their performance. It may be
breakthroughs in
this area of research that ultimately enable commercial
applications. Elimination
of PEMs, bipolar plates, and precious metal catalysts are
significant advantages.
SOFC fuel cells have also had a resurgence of effort, most
likely driven by
military interest. Advances in catalysts and insulating
materials are showingpromise for portable applications, portable
meaning 20-W systems.
Overall, it is the opinion of this author that the portable fuel
cell effort
emerged too early for its time. Hundreds of millions of dollars,
if not billions,
have been taken in by start-up companies through institutional,
noninstitutional,
and government sources over the past 10+ years with no product
to show for it.
The technology continues to suffer from essentially the same key
hurdles that it
did since the start of effort. Many investors are losing
interest and have become
calloused to the excitement surrounding portable fuel cells.
That is unfortunate
because we are nearing the opportune time for this market. Key
breakthroughsare on the verge of occurring, which will hopefully
burst the bubble and pave
the way for commercial applications. Some venture firms
recognize this oppor-
tunity and are sticking with fuel cells in the belief that we
are near the gold rush.
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Conclusion 269
MILITARY
Todays military has become increasingly reliant on portable
power to main-
tain a devastating advantage over less sophisticated enemies.
Vital communica-tions equipment, night-vision goggles, and weapon
systems are being developed
and deployed that require immense amounts of portable power
available to the
individual soldier. Lieutenant Marc Lewis was quoted in Iraq in
June 2003 stating,
If we run out of batteries, this war is screwed. Soldiers are
typically employing
disposable batteries and some rechargeables for their equipment.
Batteries can
account for up to 50 pounds of a soldiers rucksack due to
inability to recharge
batteries in the field. To reinforce the reliance on batteries,
a 12-person Special
Forces team on a 30-day deployment can go through 3000 batteries
at a cost of
$350,000 [3]. Many of these batteries are only used for 1020% of
their capacitybefore being discarded. This may immediately seem
wasteful but imagine staking
your combative edge on being able to see at night or communicate
with other
troops; one would much rather pop open a new battery than use
one that was not
fully charged.
Portable fuel cells could provide incredible advantages to the
military. Rather
than carrying a number of disposable or rechargeable batteries,
a solider could
carry a couple fuel cells and the fuel needed to refuel them as
needed in the field.
Additionally, because fuel cells can provide more energy for
longer periods of
time than batteries, they could enable the next generation of
electronic devicesfor the military to further enhance its combative
advantage.
LARGE-SCALE POWER
Perhaps somewhat counterintuitive to the layperson, the first
commercial fuel
cells have been introduced for large-scale applications.
Stationary power plants
are being installed all across the globe. As the cost of such
systems decreases
and reliability increases, large-scale fuel cells will begin to
be used for residential
power. One fairly obvious operating concern is how to provide
the fuel to resi-dential areas. It is doubtful that such systems
would operate on direct hydrogen,
just as the large-scale industrial fuel cells being used today
do not. Possibilities
include using natural gas or piping in other liquid fuels such
as methanol or
ethanol using the existing infrastructure.
CONCLUSION
It would be hard for anyone to deny that energy is one of the
most important
issues at the start of 21st century. Energy is at the root of
the major conflicts ofour time as well as the catalyst for
previously disadvantaged societys emergence
into modern culture. As energy demand increases at staggering
rates, the murmur
for alternative energy technologies is quickly turning into a
scream.
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270 Alcoholic Fuels
REFERENCES
1. U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information
Administration,Annual Energy
Review, 2003.2. Darnell Group Report to the U.S. Fuel Cell
Council, Jan. 2003.
3. Valdes, J., The World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology
and Bioprocessing,
Orlando, FL, Apr. 2123, 2004.
2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
