We all know how much global warming affects the environment and that we need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. The best solution is solar power which is already user in many countries around the world, but for the moment our technology can’t use this huge source of power at its full potential. Researcher from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a new technique that could revolutionize the use of solar power.
The researchers managed to remove the biggest problem of solar power - thanks to their technique, now we can use solar power at night or when the sun isn’t shining. Before, we also could store solar power but that technology was very expensive and inefficient.
MIT researchers developed a technology inspired by the photosynthesis and for this process, there are needed only non-toxic natural materials. They managed to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using solar energy and at a later stage they combined the hydrogen and oxygen inside a fuel cell.
“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,” said Daniel Nocera, the Henry Dreyfus Professor of Energy at MIT.
In order to make this possible, Nocera and Matthew Kanan, describes as “a postdoctoral fellow in Nocera’s lab”, used a new catalyst that consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and an electrode. This catalyst produces oxygen from water and another catalyst, usually platinum, produces hydrogen from water therefore when combined, these can resemble the process of photosynthesis.
“The new catalyst works at room temperature, in neutral pH water, and it’s easy to set up. That’s why I know this is going to work. It’s so easy to implement,” said Nocera.
“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,” said James Barber, a leader in the study of photosynthesis. Although he didn’t contributed to the research he described Nocera’s discovery as a “giant leap” for the use of renewable energy.
Still, there is a lot of work to do in order to make this work and to integrate it into current photovoltaic power plants therefore as Nocera admitted, “this is just the beginning.” Nocera is very confident that his discovery will be integrated within 10 years and the people will have all the power they need for their home and for electric cars.
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MIT Breakthrough Means 24/7 Solar Power - Debate Politics Forums says:
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:13 pm[...] up. That?s why I know this is going to work. It?s so easy to implement,? said Nocera. Source [ Device Inn] Bravo to the lads at MIT Now I can see why they rejected [...]
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MIT Researchers Propose Wrong Use for Breakthrough « The Unofficial Morgansolar Weblog says:
August 6th, 2008 at 10:13 pm[...] MIT develops way to bank solar energy at home [...]