Phoenix, AZ – A hydrogen-based economy? Laptops and cell phones powered by lightweight, inexpensive rechargeable fuel cells? Automobiles that run on methane and emit virtually no pollutants into the atmosphere? All this is possible - and coming sooner than you may think – according to a report on fuel cells just published by Energy Business Reports, an energy industry think tank.
 
Over the next decade, fuel cell demand will likely increase due to high petroleum prices and continued environmental concerns, says EBR. The global commercial fuel cell market is expected to reach $2.5 billion by 2009. Electric power generation is emerging as a large-scale commercial market for fuel cells and is expected to represent more than half of all demand in 2008. Aerospace and motor vehicle applications may lag somewhat in the near term, but are projected to grow rapidly between 2008 and 2013. The portable electronics market is expected to report the strongest advances over the next decade.
 
The electrical capacity of batteries has not kept pace with the increasing power consumption requirements of electronic devices. These limitations have generated enormous interest in alternative power sources, and the fuel cell is the most promising candidate.
 
When micro fuel cells are commercialized, they may provide improvements in energy storage and allow electronic devices to incorporate new features and lengthen their operating times. Users will also be able to "reload" in a few seconds by replacing the fuel cartridge.
 
Various environmental and economic factors continue to drive the need to develop fuel cells, including the cost and availability of oil, energy security, climate change and environmental quality. For more information on the report, visit EngergyBusinessReports.com.

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