Solar Power Breakthrough Stores Energy for Later Use

saltwn · #1 (**permalink**) 07-18-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

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.

2010-07-09-
Obama, Immelt Converge on MIT Energy

Quote:

Being an expert on the nervous system of leeches and fold-up, battery-powered cars is helping Susan Hockfield enlist Barack Obama and Jeffrey Immelt in her improbable passion: a factory for alternative energy.

The 59-year-old biologist, who became president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2005 and a year later spearheaded the MIT Energy Initiative, presides over a $300 million research program that’s developing new solar cells, wind turbines and fuel-producing viruses.

“If only 10 percent of what I’ve seen here materializes, this research will change the world,” said Paolo Scaroni, chief executive officer of Eni SpA, the Rome-based energy company, after a May 4 tour of the university’s laboratories, which include a new center conceived to reduce the costs of solar power.

Are we ever going to realize the benefits of these breakthroughs and initiatives?

MrLiberty · #2 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

Solar Power Breakthrough Stores Energy for Later Use

2010-07-09-
Obama, Immelt Converge on MIT Energy

Are we ever going to realize the benefits of these breakthroughs and initiatives?

she said we can power our homes in DAYLIGHT, what happens after dark or when like happens in the winter you don't get daylight just cloud cover for days?

solar power may be great for the southwest that get many more days of sunshine, but you will still need an alternative for the people who are living in the north.

Mustang Man · #3 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 08:48 AM

Can't energy derived from solar be stored in a battery?

GottaGo · #4 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang Man

Can't energy derived from solar be stored in a battery?

That's my understanding also.

We have a cow gate at our house, which is powered by a small solar panel, which powers a battery which opens and closes the gate (remote clicker, like a garage door).

And it does work at night.

MrLiberty · #5 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 09:14 AM

how long do the battery's last? If you go for three, four, or five days of clouds cover, which we have done here in Michigan, will the battery last that long? I doubt it.

GottaGo · #6 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrLiberty

how long do the battery's last? If you go for three, four, or five days of clouds cover, which we have done here in Michigan, will the battery last that long? I doubt it.

I'm guessing it would depend on the battery, the size of the solar panels, the exposure of the solar panels and usage.

No ONE alternative eneregy source will solve all our problems, but making use of what we can will reduce our dependancy on oil. Each step is a forward step, IMO.

MrLiberty · #7 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GottaGo

I'm guessing it would depend on the battery, the size of the solar panels, the exposure of the solar panels and usage.

No ONE alternative eneregy source will solve all our problems, but making use of what we can will reduce our dependancy on oil. Each step is a forward step, IMO.

solar and wind will at best be used for 10 to 15% of our energy use. Unless and until our government gets off their collective fat azzes and start building nuclear plants we will always be dependent on oil. And until the automakers build an electric car that can go more than 25 to 35 miles on a charge an electric car won't be a viable alternative.

GottaGo · #8 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrLiberty

solar and wind will at best be used for 10 to 15% of our energy use. Unless and until our government gets off their collective fat azzes and start building nuclear plants we will always be dependent on oil. And until the automakers build an electric car that can go more than 25 to 35 miles on a charge an electric car won't be a viable alternative.

I'll skip the nuclear plants, thanks.

Hydro is another good source, and better than nuclear as far as I'm concerned.

I don't think we will ever ELIMINATE oil, but the less we need/use the better.

And I don't think we should be waiting on the government to do anything about it, they've proven that.

faithful_servant · #9 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

Solar Power Breakthrough Stores Energy for Later Use

2010-07-09-
Obama, Immelt Converge on MIT Energy

Are we ever going to realize the benefits of these breakthroughs and initiatives?

Not until they're affordable and big enough to make a noticeable impact. You can get a bigger bang for your buck by installing a simple and relatively inexpensive solar water heater panels on your roof and get more benefit for dollar spent than any solar electric system. Yet people continue to push the higher cost solution instead of the lower cost one. While I'm not a big fan of the gov't sticking it's nose into private enterprise, I'd love to see them implement something to make this kind of thing attractive enough to builders to get them to make this SOP for new home const. The idea you posted, requires both solar panels and a home power cell, neither of which come cheap. A roof top solar water heater can be installed for a couple thousand dollars and actually pay for itself, something solar electric panels cannot say sonce they wear out before they pay for themselves.

faithful_servant · #10 (**permalink**) 07-19-2010, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrLiberty

solar and wind will at best be used for 10 to 15% of our energy use. Unless and until our government gets off their collective fat azzes and start building nuclear plants we will always be dependent on oil. And until the automakers build an electric car that can go more than 25 to 35 miles on a charge an electric car won't be a viable alternative.

And if we build nuclear plants, we'll be dependent on uranium - what's the difference??

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