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solar power in bad weather:
storage method developed
Ecological splitting of water as a key - in one hour enough sunlight to meet global energy needs for one year
scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have a way found cheap solar power temporarily. The solution is hoping to win with a newly developed environmentally friendly Katalyst oxygen from water. This, together with hydrogen as needed in a fuel cell recombines to water to release energy. This can according to researchers revolutionize photovoltaics, as it is a meaningful Bridging sunless phases in the energy supply allows. "Solar power has always been a limited, temporally distant solution. Now we can begin to seriously think about solar power unlimited," Daniel Nocera, a chemistry professor at MIT said.
to guarantee electricity even in bad weather
To uninterrupted power supply at night or in bad weather, are needed for photovoltaic systems cache. Previous methods for this are expensive and inefficient, the MIT. The purposes of development of Nocera and Matthew Kanan help. The researchers use with cobalt and phosphate readily available materials in order to gain power by using oxygen from water through electrolysis. The production of hydrogen is by using a different Katalyst - such as the metal platinum. With the oxygen and hydrogen, then a fuel cell can be filled, so as to ensure a continuous power supply. Compared to electrolyzer systems that are already being used industrially, the new development would offer the advantage, at room temperature with normal water to work. Therefore, he was sure that the easily implemented solutions are adopted in practice, so Nocera.
One hour of sunshine brings a year Electricity
The main reason for the research on the storage system is the potential of solar energy. In just one hour enough sunlight falls on the earth to meet global energy needs for a year, said the scientist. The integration of the new development into existing solar power systems still require a lot of development work. "The scientific community will be heavily involved," said Nocera is certain. He hopes that within ten years can use a homeowner solar power during the day for the direct power supply and fuel production, so at night from the power supply and other energy sources to be independent.
Also suitable for wind turbines
The use of the system need not necessarily be limited to photovoltaics. Since it does not matter where the power comes for the electrolysis current could also use other energy sources such caches - for example, wind turbines, which fluctuates, as in photovoltaic power generation systems due to environmental conditions. (Pte)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
derStandard.at
02 August 2008
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