Introduction
Every year we see a constant increase in the need for energy. Whereas most of
this is supplied by large, fixed location units, i.e. power stations and
distribution networks, there is a market for smaller, units which can be
fixed, portable, or even self-propelling. Much of this need is supplied by
products such as generators and vehicle engines, but this places a constant
demand on the fossil fuel supply. One potential alternative is the fuel
cell.
Conventional fuel cells offer a possible (and partial) solution to this
problem, allowing the direct production of electricity from the chemical
reaction of a suitable fuel with oxygen obtained from the atmosphere. The
most common type of fuel cell uses hydrogen, but this is of course a gas and
highly explosive, with the storage and transport challenges this entails.
Another common series of fuel cells utilize methanol, and other cells have
been developed that run on other fuels such as hydrocarbons [1,2]. These
still, however, utilize highly flammable liquids and are often reliant on a
fossil fuel supply. Moreover, many of these cells use expensive materials
such as platinum as catalysts.
There is a wide range of common organic products, often waste products, that
contain large amounts of stored energy which could potentially be used to
supply energy. Common methods include incineration, but a much more
attractive approach would be to use these materials as fuels in fuel
cells.