Photos: MIT Energy Conference talks money, coal, and 'Enertech'

Alternative fuel companies seem to be pursuing the sports car market first (witness the Chevy Volt and Tesla Roadster). Nuvera is a company that makes fuel cells that convert liquid fuels, like gasoline or ethanol, into hydrogen. The hydrogen then creates electricity from the fuel cell to power the vehicle. Its fuel cell is being tested in a concept car called the Sintesi by Pininfarina.

Nuvera is building fuel cells (the stack behind the screen) and fuel converters for both on-board applications, like this sports car, as well as stationary fueling stations for vehicles like forklifts. Although these fuel cells will use fossil fuels in some cases, company executives say that, on balance, the fuel cell is more efficient and cleaner.