Should small cities include fuel cell natural gas generators as a source of electricity planning long term disaster?

I think every city should work up its own energy production, now that such a thing is possible. But out here in Claremont, CA, we're stuck trying to get control of our water supply from the Three Valleys company. I guess our city council is assuming the electricity will continue, whatever malarkey they play with.

No need. Unlike nuclear plants, existing coal and gas power plants don't suffer much from being shaken or wetted, and they can be quickly fixed by guys with welders..By contrast, fuel cells are very delicate things, depending on very thin and delicate membranes, and those can't be fixed on site. They're more likely to be wrecked than the others.

Suppose the earthquake was 8.3 GoldenLion 6 months ago .

I believe that methane derived from sewage and garbage should be developed before changing from conventional electrical generation. While the price of natural gas is relatively inexpensive, cost will increase with demand. Given that a city has an almost endless supply of waste materials, after the initial costs of installation have been recouped, the minimal methane production and distribution costs should provide more kilowatts per buck than current conventional methods, and with a smaller carbon footprint.

Is methane cost effective for electricity production GoldenLion 6 months ago .

In a recent issue of Scientific American there was an excellent article on fuel cells. Bloom Energy is but one company that has commercial products in use (Google is one of their customers). Several other companies are still in the R and D stage.

Various fuel cells can use a variety of hydrocarbon liquids and gases. Currently methane is manufactured from coal, I believe. However some methane is also being collected from landfills, albeit in only a few locations.

A few dairy farms are also harvesting methane in sufficient quantities to power their entire operation from the waste their cows produce. I think it is a coming thing--a good place for venture capital.

I should have noted that the dairy farms use methane to fuel internal combustion engines to drive conventional electro-mechanical generators.

No need. Unlike nuclear plants, existing coal and gas power plants don't suffer much from being shaken or wetted, and they can be quickly fixed by guys with welders..By contrast, fuel cells are very delicate things, depending on very thin and delicate membranes, and those can't be fixed on site. They're more likely to be wrecked than the others.

Ancient_Hacker 53 months ago.

No need. Unlike nuclear plants, existing coal and gas power plants don't suffer much from being shaken or wetted, and they can be quickly fixed by guys with welders..By contrast, fuel cells are very delicate things, depending on very thin and delicate membranes, and those can't be fixed on site. They're more likely to be wrecked than the others.

Ancient_Hacker 58 months ago.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.