Could fuel-cell-powered MacBooks be on the Apple horizon?

Apple is always filing, and being granted all kinds of patents some of which are obviously intended for a looming battle in the mobile space with Android but not all of them are meant for the battlefield but rather for some interesting innovation.

Two new patents have surfaced this week that are leading industry observers to wonder if Apple is actually working on a new way to power their MacBooks.

The patents show that Apple is exploring ways to use still cutting edge fuel cell technology as the power source for its future line of MacBooks, as well as other computing devices as well.

One of the big advantages of using fuel cells is that they would be even smaller and lighter in design that the current battery designs being used.

The patents, discovered earlier this week by AppleInsider go by the titles: “Fuel Cell Systems to Power a Portable Computing Device” and “Fuel Cell System Coupled to a Portable Computing Device”. Apparently the filings make reference to the need, and desire, for more renewable energy sources.

Of course the key point for Apple is that, as they put it in their filings, that fuel cell technology would allow laptops like their MacBook to “run for days or even weeks” before need a recharge.

via SlashGear