Green energy Bloom Boxes have been saving large companies a lot of money for months, and they could soon do the same for smaller businesses and even homes.
That's according to Stu Aaron, Bloom Energy's vice president of marketing and product management. Bloom Boxes, which use solid oxide fuel cell technology to produce green electricity, have already helped eBay power its offices, reduce its carbon footprint and cut energy costs.
The technology has saved eBay more than $100,000 in electricity charges over a period of nine months, according to eBay CEO John Donahoe, who discusses the savings in this video. eBay purchased five of the devices in 2009 and unveiled another box on its PayPal campus in February. The boxes produce more energy than eBay's 3,000 solar panels, the company reports.
"It's been very successful thus far," Donahoe says.
With a price tag of between $700,000 and $800,000, only large companies like eBay, Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, FedEx and Google have been able to purchase the green electricity devices, but the boxes could be available "on a residential scale" within five to 10 years, Aaron says.
"We believe that ultimately there will be a lot of technologies helping us address the world's many energy challenges," he says.
So far, companies have bought 30 Bloom Boxes and are achieving their "economic and environmental goals," Aaron adds.
Auctiva staff writers constantly monitor trends and best practices of those selling on eBay and elsewhere online. They attend relevant training seminars and trade shows and regularly discuss the market with PowerSellers and other market experts.
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