MIT Energy Storage Discovery Could Lead to ‘Unlimited’ Solar Power
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have discovered a new way of storing energy from sunlight that could lead to ‘unlimited’ solar power.
The process, loosely based on plant photosynthesis, uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. When needed, the gases can then be re-combined in a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity whether the sun is shining or not.
According to project leader Prof. Daniel Nocera, “This is the nirvana of what we’ve been talking about for years. Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now, we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon.”
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Nocera has also explained that the process (video) uses natural materials, is inexpensive to conduct and is easy to set up. “That’s why I know this is going to work. It’s so easy to implement,” he said.
Other prominent scientists in the field have rushed to highlight the revolutionary potential of the new process. According to James Barber, biochemistry professor at Imperial College London, this research is a ‘giant leap’ towards generating clean, carbon-free energy on as massive scale. In a statement, he also said:
“This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind. The importance of their discovery cannot be overstated since it opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production, thus reducing our dependence for fossil fuels and addressing the global climate change problem.”
No news has yet been released of a predicted timescale to commericial development or mainstream adoption. However, Nocera has said that he’s hopeful that within 10 years homes will no longer be powered using electricity-by-wire from a central source. Instead, homeowners will be able to harness solar power during daylight hours and use this new energy storage method for electricity at night.
Image Credit - markus941 via flickr.com on a Creative Commons license. See the Visual Photo Guide.
This was in a different journal a month or so ago and the process was outlined as a new form of electrolysis that requires less energy to separate the molecules do to some type of inexpensive additive. Some type of a salt if remember.
EelTamer, what you’re describing only sound like ways of using hydrogen, not producing it. The new MIT process is for making hydrogen from solar. Making hydrogen efficiently is the hard part, using it is easy. In the “home refueling units” you reference, where does the hydrogen (or energy to make the hydrogen) come from?
ALL this article states is the REVOLUTIONARY use of using SOLAR CELLS to generate electricity for ELECTROLYSIS! NOTHING new at all.
http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2004/08/27/6900038_SolarHydrogen/index.html
So it doesn’t say it produces electricity intermediately, like the other article I read which used I believe cobalt for the anodes.
Great! The best solution for energy resources. Soon cars will have no problem powered by solar power and car should park at outdoor parking instead of indoor parking to get solar power.
Looking forward to an affordable production model. Even if this reduces your electricity bill with only a small amount, I imagine the large scale use would make a significant impact on the world usage of fossil fuels.
Unfortunately this is yet another PR release from a university desperate to appear relevant and competent. A totally stupid idea, hydrogen is a terrible gas to work with: invisible, superfast flame speed, odorless, and horrible to store, and not efficient to convert back to electricity, etc.
25% of the energy in the US is used to heat hot water. Why not just do low-tech heating of water on rooftops, to preheat water tanks. When is the usa going to do the obvious, cost-effective things instead of chasing rainbows?
“The process, loosely based on plant photosynthesis, uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases.”
That is the new part for everyone who is confused.
Rick Jolly asks what the process is. As said in the article it is photosynthesis, the direct use of the energy in light to split hydrogen out of water also releasing oxygen. Electrolysis is the use of electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Obviously using light energy directly is far better than making electricity first from light, then spliting water with the electricity. Personally I prefer using solar thermal energy to heat vegetable oil than running Stirling engine generators at night from the heat.
The phrase “uses natural materials, is inexpensive to conduct and is easy to set up” would seem to make this available to anyone today. That doesn’t compute with the “within 10 years” statement later in the article. I have seen far too many of these “revolutionary” discoveries that never seem to make it to an real physical product. What I would expect to see from the info in this article is a do-it-yourself demo since it is supposed to be so easy to make.
There is nothing new in this story, except that a new catalyst has been discovered.
So in the interests of saving the planet, is this guy giving his catalyst to the world for free? Or is MIT keeping it secret for their own profit…
If they really cared they would let the world know what they have found.