Sergey Brin’s secretive airship company LTA Research and Exploration is planning to power a huge disaster relief airship with an equally record-breaking hydrogen fuel cell. From a report: A job listing from the company, which is based in Mountain View, California and Akron, Ohio, reveals that LTA wants to configure a 1.5-megawatt hydrogen propulsion system for an airship to deliver humanitarian…
Tag: fuel cells
Spinach Gives Fuel Cells a Power Up
Researchers at the Department of Chemistry, American University, used spinach to make a carbon-rich catalyst that can be used to improve the performance of fuel cells and metal-air batteries. IEEE Spectrum reports: The spinach was a used a precursor for high-performance catalysts required for the oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) in fuel cells. Traditionally, fuel cells have used platinum-based catalysts, but not…
Hydrogen-Powered Passenger Plane Completes Maiden Flight In ‘World First’
ZeroAvia’s hydrogen fuel-cell plane that’s capable of carrying six passengers completed its maiden flight this week. The aircraft has been retrofitted with a device that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. CNBC reports: ZeroAvia has said the trip, described as a “hydrogen fuel cell powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft,” is a “world first.” Other examples of hydrogen-fuel cell planes…
Strange Bacteria Can Build Electricity-Carrying Cables in Mud
Bacteria in mud samples have been transformed into microbial fuel cells generating enough electricity to power a toy car — just part of a larger phenomenon that one chemical engineer had originally dismissed as “complete nonsense.” Science magazine remembers how Lars Peter Nielsen’s 2009 experiment at Denmark’s Aarhus University changed the way the world viewed bacteria:
At the start of the experiment,…
Microsoft Used Hydrogen Fuel Cells To Power a Data Center For Two Days Straight
Microsoft announced Monday that hydrogen fuel cells powered a row of its datacenter servers for 48 consecutive hours, bringing the company one step closer toward its goal of becoming “carbon negative” by 2030. Engadget reports: The idea to explore hydrogen fuel cells originated in 2018, when researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO used a proton exchange membrane…
To make an atom-sized machine, you need a quantum mechanic
Here’s a new chapter in the story of the miniaturisation of machines: researchers in a laboratory in Singapore have shown that a single atom can function as either an engine or a fridge. Such a device could be engineered into future computers and fuel cells to control energy flows. …
It’s been 50 years since Apollo 13’s safe return to Earth
After an explosion damaged their spacecraft, the Apollo 13 astronauts – on their way to the moon – were in dire peril. Read about the human ingenuity that led the Apollo 13 mission to a safe and successful conclusion. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/apollo-13-safe-return-to-earth-anniversary…
Big Rigs Begin To Trade Diesel For Electric Motors
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The New York Times: Two years ago, the eCascadia [the electric version of the Freightliner Cascadia] was nothing more than a PowerPoint presentation — a virtual rendering to expedite a diesel stalwart into a zero-emissions future for goods movement. Now it’s one of several competing models, from start-ups as well as established truck makers,…
Bill Gates Did Not Order a £500m Hydrogen-Powered Superyacht
“Billionaire Bill Gates has not commissioned a hydrogen-powered superyacht from designer Sinot,” reports the BBC, citing their direct confirmation from the company itself. It has been widely reported that Mr Gates ordered a £500m ($644m) luxury vessel, based on the concept which was displayed in Monaco in 2019. Sinot said it had “no business relationship” with Bill Gates. It added that…
Bill Gates Orders £500m Hydrogen-Powered Superyacht
Long-time Slashdot reader Freshly Exhumed quotes the Guardian: Bill Gates has ordered the world’s first hydrogen-powered superyacht, worth an estimated £500m ($644m) and featuring an infinity pool, helipad, spa and gym. The billionaire co-founder of Microsoft has commissioned the Aqua ship – a 112-metre (370ft) luxury vessel completely powered by liquid hydrogen – which was publicised last year at the Monaco…