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.