EFOY: Energy For You

By Roger McAfee

Over the past decade we’ve been hearing a lot about fuel cell technology—considered by some to be the Holy Grail of clean power generation. Fuel cells create DC current directly as a result of a chemical reaction wherein the only byproducts of combustion are water and a very small amount of carbon dioxide. Fuel cell technology has been around for a long time, but until recently, no one has been able to develop it at a reasonable price or into a practical and useful product for the recreational industry. Finally, a German company has produced the hardware that brings the advantage of the technology to the consumer market in a practical way. Last year, U.S. Marine Products of Taunton, Massachusetts became the distributor of EFOY (Energy For You) fuel cells to boat owners in North America. The company won a prestigious Eco Award for that product at the 2011 Louisville, Kentucky, International Boatbuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX).

Without getting into the mind-numbing technical details, a fuel cell is, as noted above, a device that generates electricity by a chemical reaction. The operation of the EFOY fuel cell produces a very small amount of carbon dioxide—an amount equal to a baby’s breath according to the builder—and water. An operating EFOY is whisper-quiet, 27 decibels, about half as loud as the noise level in a library, and about a third the volume of a small, well-muffled, portable generator. Fuel for the cell is methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, the simplest alcohol, a light, colorless and flammable liquid.

Because there is no “exhaust” (as we know that term), the fuel cell can be installed in any well-ventilated area on a boat. In Europe they are widely used in trailers and motor homes where many are most often installed under the dining settee bench seats. When installed, the EFOY automatically keeps the battery topped up. The battery can coincidentally be connected to a solar cell or a wind charger and, properly installed, the EFOY will come online automatically only when the battery requires more charge. The EFOY can also be connected directly to a multiple battery bank or to the electrical system through a central electrical box. The fuel cell can charge lead acid, lead gel or AGM batteries.

U.S. Marine imports two EFOY cells: the 1600, which produces 130 amp hours of 12VDC a day, and the 2200 producing 180 Ah/day. A 1600 Pro and the 2200 Pro can produce either 12VDCV or 24VDC. The units weigh less than 20 pounds, are fully portable and can be easily moved from one boat to another, or from a boat to an RV. They can operate in temperatures from -4F to +104F and measure 17″ x 7.8″ x 10.9″.

U.S. Marine imports fuel for the charger and, while the fuel cartridges look like ordinary poly liquid containers, they are, in fact, very sophisticated safety containers and are certified for air travel. At the time of the EFOY introduction at IBEX, the methanol fuel was sold in two quantities: a 1.3 gallon cartridge that would provide battery top-up for 10-14 days, and the 2.6 gallon cartridge for a top-up time of twice that. Very recently, the smaller cartridge was discontinued leaving only the 2.6-gallon available.

At this time, all fuel is imported from Germany and a 2.6-gallon cartridge lists for $59. According to U.S. Marine, negotiations are under way that may result in the fuel being manufactured in the U.S. while efforts are under way to have the fuel cell and the fuel stocked at major marine retailers. Fuel can also be obtained at a number of stocking RV dealers. Both the manufacturer and the distributor caution against using methanol other than that supplied by the manufacturer. To do so will damage the machine and void the normal two-year warranty. That warranty can be extended to five years as an extra cost option at the time of purchase.

A number of European boat builders, including Jeanneau and Dufour, have started producing “EFOY-ready” boats at their factories. All the necessary wiring is factory-installed so that a boat owner can simply plug in an EFOY unit any time after the vessel purchase. U.S. Marine can supply a wiring harness to any builders wanting to build EFOY ready boats for as little as $20.

The suggested retail price is about $5,000 for the larger unit. Street prices can be as much as $1,000 less. By comparison, a small regular generator costs about $10,000, including installation. These new units should be examined by any boat owner who is planning an electrical upgrade or who wants a very quiet charger that has little to no environmental impact.