A prototype fuel cell that could turn every household into a mini power station has been developed at Keele University in Staffordshire. Chemist Kevin Kendall and his colleagues have incorporated a ceramic battery into a conventional gas-powered water heater. Free electrons produced by the combustion of natural gas and oxygen are used to create a voltage across a thousand tiny tubes of zirconium oxide coated inside and out with metal alloys. This would provide enough electricity to power an average house. A commercial version costing £500 could eliminate domestic electricity bills, Kendall says.
More from New Å®ÉúСÊÓƵ
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Å®ÉúСÊÓƵ articles
1
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
2
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
3
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
4
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
5
Faecal transplant makes the brains of old mice act young again
6
Europe’s heatwave is the hottest and most humid ever
7
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
8
Lost books by ancient philosophers recovered from 'unreadable' scrolls
9
We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
10
You should turn off fans when it's too hot – but how hot is too hot?
