August 30, 2010 9:36 AM
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The Bloom Box: An Energy Breakthrough?
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A Box Butte County Sheriff's deputy holds an assault rifle while responding to a call of "shots fired, officer down" on June 12, 2012, in Alliance, Neb. Authorities say an officer has been shot and a man is holding police at bay inside a store in the Nebraska Panhandle city of Alliance. The officer was shot in an arm and was taken to Box Butte General Hospital. No other shots have been reported, but the downtown business district has been blocked off. (AP Photo/Alliance Times-Herald, Mark Dykes)
But not everyone is convinced that even if the technology works, Bloom - that now makes one box a day - will ever be able to be as big as its backers say.
"Going from a few to mass-manufacturing's going to be tough. And then making them so people won't run away at the price tag. It needs to be cheaper than solar. It needs to be cheaper than wind," GreenTech Media's Michael Kanellos told Stahl.
"What if he can get the price way down? He claims he can," she asked.
"And if he can, the problem is then G.E. and Siemens and other conglomerates probably can do the same thing. They have fuel cell patents; they have research teams that have looked at this," Kanellos replied.
"What do you think the chances are that in ten-plus years you and I will each have a Bloom box in our basements?" Stahl asked.
"Twenty percent," Kanellos replied. "But it's going to say 'G.E.'"
"Companies that you have bet on, they haven't all succeeded?" Stahl asked John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins.
"I have some famous failures," he acknowledged.
Doerr is praying that Bloom is not the next Segway, as he and Sridhar get ready for the company's official launch this Wednesday. They're pulling out all the stops, including high profile endorsements.
"I have seen the technology and it works," former Secretary of State Colin Powell said.
He joined Bloom's board of directors last year.
Asked if this is the answer to our energy problems, Powell told Stahl, "I think that's too big a claim to make. I think it is part of the transformation of the energy system. But I think the Bloom boxes will make a significant contribution."
To make a contribution, in Sridhar's mind, Bloom boxes will power not just our richest companies, but remote villages in Africa and all our houses.
"In five to ten years, we would like to be in every home," he told Stahl.
He said a unit should cost an average person less than $3,000.
"You are an idealist," Stahl remarked.
"You know, it's about seeing the world as what it can be and not what it is," Sridhar replied.
"I see you seeing a Bloom box in the basement of the White House," she said.
"Absolutely. I would love that to go on the lawn," he replied.
"So, forget…the basement. You want the Bloom box in the Rose Garden?" Stahl asked.
"Maybe next to that organic vegetable garden," Sridhar joked. "I would be happy with that."
Produced by Shachar Bar-On
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. "Going from a few to mass-manufacturing's going to be tough. And then making them so people won't run away at the price tag. It needs to be cheaper than solar. It needs to be cheaper than wind," GreenTech Media's Michael Kanellos told Stahl.
"What if he can get the price way down? He claims he can," she asked.
"And if he can, the problem is then G.E. and Siemens and other conglomerates probably can do the same thing. They have fuel cell patents; they have research teams that have looked at this," Kanellos replied.
"What do you think the chances are that in ten-plus years you and I will each have a Bloom box in our basements?" Stahl asked.
"Twenty percent," Kanellos replied. "But it's going to say 'G.E.'"
"Companies that you have bet on, they haven't all succeeded?" Stahl asked John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins.
"I have some famous failures," he acknowledged.
Doerr is praying that Bloom is not the next Segway, as he and Sridhar get ready for the company's official launch this Wednesday. They're pulling out all the stops, including high profile endorsements.
"I have seen the technology and it works," former Secretary of State Colin Powell said.
He joined Bloom's board of directors last year.
Asked if this is the answer to our energy problems, Powell told Stahl, "I think that's too big a claim to make. I think it is part of the transformation of the energy system. But I think the Bloom boxes will make a significant contribution."
To make a contribution, in Sridhar's mind, Bloom boxes will power not just our richest companies, but remote villages in Africa and all our houses.
"In five to ten years, we would like to be in every home," he told Stahl.
He said a unit should cost an average person less than $3,000.
"You are an idealist," Stahl remarked.
"You know, it's about seeing the world as what it can be and not what it is," Sridhar replied.
"I see you seeing a Bloom box in the basement of the White House," she said.
"Absolutely. I would love that to go on the lawn," he replied.
"So, forget…the basement. You want the Bloom box in the Rose Garden?" Stahl asked.
"Maybe next to that organic vegetable garden," Sridhar joked. "I would be happy with that."
Produced by Shachar Bar-On
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