Magnesium, fuel to metal fuel cell

Magnesium has attracted attention recently in the fuel cell field. It has many attractive features when it is applied as the fuel to the metal fuel cell. The magnesium resource is almost limitless. It is recyclable,　relatively high safety, and good storageability.
The problem we have to solve before it is used as the fuel to the metal fuel cell is how to reduce MgO (raw and/or produced after Mg is used). The reducing process currently used is expensive since it needs the burning of a large amount of coal that is done while emitting a great amount of CO2, and further needs the catalyst for the reaction promotion.
Prof. Yabe (Tokyo Institute of Technology) has provided a good solution to the MgO reduction problem. The proprietary solar pumped laser is used for smelting magnesium. A 1 kW solar pumped laser was completed. Another challenger for the MgO-reduction problem solution appeared recently. The challenger is Prof. Kohama (Tohoku University) et al. He uses a solar furnace with a concave mirror. The mirror concentrates the solar rays to a single point to form a super high temperature spot of at least about 1,200 degrees of C.

Prof. Kohama has revealed a prototype of a new Mg fuel cell recently. I wrote an article on this new Mg fuel cell. For details, please visit here, if interested. As well known, Mg is almost limitless as its resources. Mg fuel cell is resistance to disasters. The Mg FC does not need the gas infrastructure which is required for the fuel cells (PEFC, SOFC) currently used. And if the infrastructure is damaged in disasters, the Mg FC is operable.