Letter: Fuel cells could become primary energy source

Monday, Feb. 12, 2001 | 9:33 a.m.

I read Mary Manning's Feb. 5 piece regarding power company construction, and I want to raise an issue that I believe is not given nearly the attention it deserves. There is no question that, since there is no effort at controlling the population, there will be an ever-expanding need for energy.

Is it because the gas/oil/coal interests are so powerful that the research and development of the various kinds of "alternative" energy sources are so sadly neglected? Do we need to go through the California experience on a global scale before a permanent solution is in place?

I believe there is a place for all the alternatives, but my favorite is the hydrogen fuel cell.

I recently heard of the successful experiment near Seattle where they harvest the methane from a landfill to produce electricity with fuel cells.

There are many ways to power these fuel cells and, of course, the only byproduct is water. It seems to me that with more efficient technology, which would come with more use, it could become cost-effective in the very near future.

EDWIN BOYER

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