Hobie Cat Company, a manufacturer of sail and fishing boats as well as kayaks, has signed a technology license agreement with NEAH Power Systems, Inc. of Bothell, WA to jointly explore using NEAHs patented, silicon-based fuel cells to power Hobie Cat boats. NEAHs fuel cells use renewable methanol, a cost-efficient, sustainable and “green” mode of energy.
The announcement was made by Doug Skidmore, president of Hobie Cat Company. NEAH Power Systems, Inc. is known for the development of fuel cells for the military and portable electronic devices. Dr. Chris DCouto, NEAHs President and Chief Executive Officer, noted that NEAH fuel cells operate in both aerobic and anaerobic manners, which directly apply to Hobies water environment. “Our micro fuel cells may eventually replace batteries for most uses,” DCouto said, “meaning that cost-efficient and “green” technology is at hand to not only preserve the environment, but to provide nearly perpetual power to the military, to manufacturers of almost any product that requires an energy source, and to the millions of consumers who require energy on-the-go.”
