By Luke Edwards | Pocket-lint –
Hydrogen fuel cells could be the future of power. They use hyrdogen mixed with oxygen to produce energy with a by-product of water. In the case of Intelligent Energy’s Upp it uses a replaceable hydrogen cell to charge mobiles, smartphones, tablets or whatever needs power, delivered at the same speed as a wall charger.
Initially the Upp will launch in Africa as a means of providing sustainable, eco-friendly power. One hydrogen cell will provide five full charges of a mobile phone (25Wh capacity per cell). And the only by-product produced is water vapour. A USB ytpe A socket means it will charge most USB devices with a 5V, 5W, 1000mA output.
The Upp also comes with an accompanying iPhone and Android app which can provide predictive usage statistics as well as user profile information to enable better management of fuel levels. The Upp itself has an Intelligent Auto Shutoff feature that conserves energy and protects the battery of what it’s charging.
“We are delighted to launch Upp, which represents a new category of energy device, and are excited about the transformational implications for the portable electronics market and the consumer,” said Henri Winand, CEO of Intelligent Energy. “With the growing demand for portable devices, mobile and cloud services, consumers want the energy independence to keep their devices connected and powered-up all the time.
“Upp is evidence that fuel cells are not just rocket science; the Upp fuel cell personal energy device has the power to extend your everyday life experiences and untether you from the wall socket, while making sure you stay connected.”
Upp will roll out in December. Pricing and international availability have not yet been announced.
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