Solar Power Breakthrough Stores Energy for Later Use

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Solar Power Breakthrough Stores Energy for Later Use

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, August 2, 2008 (ENS) - Within 10 years, homeowners could power their homes in daylight with solar photovoltaic cells, while using excess solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water to power a household fuel cell. If the new process developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finds acceptance in the marketplace, electricity-by-wire from a central source could be a thing of the past.

"This is the nirvana of what we've been talking about for years," said MIT's Daniel Nocera, senior author of a paper describing the simple, inexpensive, and efficient process for storing solar energy in the July 31 issue of the journal "Science."

"Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon," Nocera said.

Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is expensive and inefficient. But Nocera and his team of researchers have hit upon an elegant solution.


Daniel Nocera has developed a simple method to split water molecules and produce oxygen gas, a discovery that paves the way for large-scale use of solar power. (Photo by Donna Coveney courtesy MIT)
Inspired by the photosynthesis performed by plants, Nocera and Matthew Kanan, a postdoctoral fellow in Nocera's lab, have developed a new process that will allow the Sun's energy to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases.

Later, the oxygen and hydrogen can be recombined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power buildings, homes or electric cars - day or night.

The key component in the new process is a new catalyst that produces oxygen gas from water - another catalyst produces valuable hydrogen gas.



http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2008/2008-08-02-01.asp

[hendo]

1. This is frickin awesome

I was already planning to get geo-thermal heating in my house when I buy it, I would love to add this as well.

[Ezlivin]

2. Platinum is needed to catalyze H2

I wonder how much platinum would be required, its lifespan and if the supply is constrained? I'd love to move from using oil, but if we have to get platinum from another hostile or unfriendly country it's not much of an improvement in that sense.

[high density]

3. A few months ago, researchers at Penn State claimed the same thing

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/02/19/using-only-the-sun-to-split-water-and-make-hydrogen/

Their solution is only 0.3% efficient at the moment.

"It's an interesting concept but clearly still a long way from being viable."

[FogerRox]

4. Bring it to market & see if it floats

Using solar power to make H, is as old as my high school diploma. This is an interesting development, but doesnt appear to be something thats going to change the world by itself.

[kestrel91316]

5. Improved efficiency and conservation still need to be the cornerstones

of our long-term energy plan. And diversification.

[a kennedy]

6. Woohoo

just what we needed......oh, and smaller solar collectors for home use. :bounce: :thumbsup: :woohoo: :applause: :patriot: