Featured Ceres Power - Solid State Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by bwilson4web, Jun 2, 2017.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    A word of caution after the YouTube:


    I am reminded of how NiMH batteries became a dead-end because the patents were held too tightly. Available for data centers, NiMH licenses all but banned them for transportation. Yet Toyota managed to get in before the curtain came down to the success of the Prius. Unintended, this increased the efforts in LiON batteries which are rapidly relegating NiMH to a footnote of history.

    The problem is "Ceres" is limiting who can get access to their technology. In the USA, Cummins who also have a significant investment in ICE powered systems. Cummins advertises their interest in this technology for data center power ... the same grave of NiMH battery systems.

    If history repeats itself, it means inspiration and investment of other, natural gas fed, fuel cell technologies. Trying to partner with "big companies" is the death of the technology until it become irrelevant. Here is the CEO of Ceres reading their last will and testament:


    The technology is important but it looks like another 'patent sitter' making sure it is delayed until the patent runs out.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #1 bwilson4web, Jun 2, 2017
  2. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    They aren't the only player in solid oxide fuel cells though.
    Nissan unveils world's first Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell vehicle - Nissan - Nissan Online Newsroom
    With an actually FCEV using it in Japan by 2020, Ceres sitting on these patents may only hurt the US market. With the alternate fuel car markets growing in China and India, what happens here may not matter.
    It could simply be greed getting the way of success, and not some conspiracy. CHAdeMO was the first fast DC charging standard to market. Seeing themselves as the only game in town, they charged high licensing fees. They may even have charged other car makers for just experimenting with their standard. This played a part in car makers outside of Japan working on another standard.
     
    #2 Trollbait, Jun 2, 2017
  3. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    CHAdeMO revisited. Charge too much for their exclusivity membership & the industry will opt to build a different mouse trap all together - (ah la Supercharger & SAE formats) while they opt in stead to just flip you the bird.
     
    #3 hill, Jun 6, 2017
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