|
Post by DT on Jul 7, 2017 22:17:26 GMT -6
Hey Jake, I have had a core position (stock) with a company called PlugPower since 2014, PlugPower.com (check them out, iffin, you Tweet, check out my Due Diligence on twitter, @uaddt) they are into fuel cells and hydrogen. Amazon put themselves in a position to own 23% of the company. Anyhoo, with that said, what do you know about fuel cells powering robots? Is it becoming popular in robotics?
|
|
|
Post by Chicago Jake on Jul 13, 2017 0:01:14 GMT -6
I've never heard of fuel cells powering robots, but it makes sense to me. Fuel cells are little fuel tanks delivering hydrogen as a fuel. When you "burn" hydrogen, you get tons of energy release, and the waste product is nice clean water. What's not to love? The only hard part is creating the hydrogen fuel, which requires tons of energy in the first place. Free, combustible hydrogen does not exist in nature.
If you are trying to power a stationary piece of machinery, like an industrial robot, there is little point in using a fuel cell. You might as well use electricity. But if it is a mobile robot (or a vehicle) where delivering electricity is impractical, the fuel cell makes sense. But you still have to utilize some other form of energy (electrical, nuke, whatever) to create the free hydrogen in the first place.
Not sure if that was what you were asking, but that's about all I know about it!
|
|
|
Post by DT on Jul 22, 2017 20:00:49 GMT -6
Thanks Jake, yes hydrogen availability is the main problem. Plug Power is building hydrogen sub stations (supplied with liquid hydrogen from Praxair) for all of Amazon and Walmart's distribution centers to replace lead-acid battery banks on fork lifts. I asked the question because I noticed on the Amazon hydrogen receivers they are bigger than Walmart's, thinking maybe Amazon is into robotics more than Walmart and using them on robots too.
|
|
|
Post by Chicago Jake on Jul 23, 2017 0:07:37 GMT -6
Could be. I know a little about the science, but nothing about the current state of the business.
|
|
|
Post by DT on Jul 23, 2017 7:31:24 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by DT on Jul 23, 2017 7:59:29 GMT -6
"When you "burn" hydrogen, you get tons of energy release, and the waste product is nice clean water." Yup, and why companies that move a lot of products are in.
|
|