Riding on Sunshine » solar

Generating electrical power in the future: how will we do it?

Admin — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 15:33:12 +0000

Presently most of the world uses three non-renewable fossil fuel sources in addition to nuclear energy to generate electricity: coal, natural gas and petroleum. Also used in significant quantity is hydroelectric power generation. In limited quantity we see some geo-thermal production and limited quantities of wind turbines.

Since fossil fuels are essentially finite in total availability over the long haul, new sources of creating electricity will have to be found or existing alternative methods made profitable.

For instance, present photo-voltaic methods cost some US$0.023 to US$0.32 per kilo-watt hour which is current KWH prices in the USA range from USS$0.058 to US$0.l67.

Geothermal sources provide less than 1/2% of electricity in the USA and their cost effectiveness presently is limited to areas where geothermal activity is relatively close to the surface of the earth.

Wind turbines generate less than 1/2% of electricity in the USA. In most places the cost of this wind power is not yet fully price competitive but the efficiency of wind turbines is improving and capacity has grown to well over US$4 billion annually in the USA but still less than 1/2% of all electricity produced.

Innovation in most industries comes from small companies that develop a breakthrough technology.

In the foreseeable future (10 to 15 or 20 years out), what do you see as the source(s) to replace fossil fuels for the production of electricity that most of us do not presently have in our viewfinders?

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Fred Beisser

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Solar Tower – renewable energy green global warming

Admin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:07:04 +0000

Solar Nirvana

Admin — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:53:36 +0000

Solar Nirvana

Science is publishing an MIT paper (in press) outlining a revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal boutique energy source into the mainstream.

The breakthrough revolves around storing energy when the sun isn’t shining—an expensive pitfall until now.

The new method uses the sun’s energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Like photosynthesis.

Later the two can be recombined inside a fuel cell to create carbon-free electricity. Like running a fuel cell backwards.

The good part is the system would work day or night. The other good part is it requires nothing but abundant, nontoxic natural materials.

“This is the nirvana of what we’ve been talking about for years,” said senior author Daniel Nocera. “Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon.”

For those who want to know how it works…

A new catalyst produces oxygen gas from water. Another catalyst produces hydrogen gas. The new catalyst is a combination of cobalt metal, phosphate, and an electrode, placed in water. When electricity (from photovoltaic cell, wind turbine, or other source) runs through the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the electrode and oxygen gas is produced.

Combined with another catalyst like platinum (which can produce hydrogen gas from water) the system duplicates the water-splitting reaction of photosynthesis.

Also good: the catalyst works at room temperature, in neutral pH water, and is easy to set up. “That’s why I know this is going to work,” says Nocera. “It’s so easy to implement.”

Well, by George, implement away!

BTW, this study has interesting hybrid parentage between government and philanthropy. May they couple more often.

Julia Whitty is Mother Jones’ environmental correspondent, lecturer, and 2008 winner of the Kiriyama Prize and the John Burroughs Medal Award.