Could the Bloom Box Revolutionize the Power Industry?

Google and eBay are among the companies that are trying out a new energy device called “Bloom Box” that will be unveiled Wednesday and could, if it delivers what its proponents promise, revolutionize the power industry by creating a standalone device that could power individual homes and businesses, replacing the traditional power grid. The device, produced by Bloom Energy, was profiled last night on 60 Minutes as part of its rollout. Bloom Energy was named one of 26 companies designated as 2010 Tech Pioneers at the World Economic Foreum in Davos, Switzerland. The buzz online for this device is significant — some even calling it the “Holy Grail of clean energy.”

The box is described by Bloom Energy as “mostly a collection of fuel cells that use oxygen and fuel to create electricity without creating any emissions. Oxygen is drawn into one side of the cell, while a fuel, such as a natural gas or bio-fuel, is drawn into the other side. The two combine within the cell and produce a chemical reaction that creates energy without any burning or combustion.”