Bloom Box is the Rage, but is it Better than Solar?
With Bloom Energy stealing all the clean energy headlines with its release of its fuel cell powered Bloom Box, Greentech Media has performed a comparison for potential consumers between fuel cells and solar power.
Some of the key areas Greentech Media compares include:
Versatility and Up-Front Cost: The smallest size a Bloom server array comes in is 100-kilowatts. This means the Bloom Box will not be available for households or small businesses. Bloom is working on developing a smaller home version, but that will take around ten years to arrive. Currently, the 100-kilowatt Bloom Box costs between US $700,000 and $800,000 after incentives, or $7,500 per kilowatt. Solar spans residential to commercial and offers cheaper up-front costs. Advantage: Solar
Energy Costs: The Bloom energy server is estimated to produce energy for 9 to 10 cents per kilowatt hour after incentives. Commercial solar installations, the equivalent of the Bloom server produce energy at average cost of around 10 cents per kilowatt hour. Advantage: Equal
Maintenance: The Bloom server will be monitored frequently by initial buyers — there are fans, mechanical objects, and zirconium plates that will potentially have to be replaced. On the other hand, solar panels require little maintenance, maybe the occasional dusting. Advantage: Solar
Carbon Emissions: Bloom boxes continually emit carbon dioxide. They produce about half the amount of CO2 that would be generated if the power were purchased from a power plant. On the other hand, a solar panel’s carbon footprint can be wiped away in four years. Advantage: Solar
Availability: The Bloom server can produce power 24 hours per day — a huge selling point. Solar, on the other hand, can only produce power during the day. Advantage: Bloom Energy Server
Source: Energy Boom
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