Fuel Cell Flashlight from Angstrom Power

Angstrom Power has announced its A2 micro hydrogen™ fuel cell flashlight. Running on hydrogen fuel stored in the handle and air from the surrounding environment, the 1-Watt LED flashlight delivers a continuous run-time of over 24 hours on a single charge of hydrogen.

The A2 is available for purchase and is designed for search & rescue teams, military, disaster response units and organizations seeking fuel cell devices for public demonstrations. The flashlight uses an Angstrom micro hydrogen fuel cell to generate electrical power and a proprietary metal hydride system for on-board storage of hydrogen. Refueling takes about 10 minutes using Angstrom's portable refueling station. Future versions will also offer refueling in the field via a portable cartridge. The A2 is 15cm in length and delivers an energy density of over 300Wh/l. A larger model is also available.

"The A2 flashlight is powered by micro hydrogen fuel cells and runs longer than any competing flashlight, said Dr. Ged McLean, President and CTO of Angstrom Power.

According to Angstrom, the A2's Luxeon LED produces white light with ten times (10X) the brightness of similar LEDs for the same amount of power. Unlike traditional battery-powered flashlights, where brightness degrades with successive use, the A2 retains constant light output for virtually its entire charge. The A2 flashlight eliminates the need for costly and environmentally damaging disposable batteries.

In addition to flashlights, Angstrom expects micro hydrogen power to be used in cell phones, PDAs, sensors, lighting, two-way radios and other products.