New Semiconductor Splits Hydrogen From Water Using Solar Energy

9 Responses to “New Semiconductor Splits Hydrogen From Water Using Solar Energy”

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   Dave G Says:
   October 14th, 2007 at 12:09 pm

   Once again we see the inefficiencies of hydrogen.

   Solar cells are 20-25% efficient. Titanium disilicide is only 4% efficient. This would be in addition to all the other inefficiencies of hydrogen (transportation, storage, fuel cell to electricity conversions, etc.).

   Since efficiency is the biggest factor in making these kinds of products economically viable, I think hydrogen is a serious dead end. If we gave up on hydrogen and put all those human resources into battery and solar cell research, things would be better.  
   
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   AES Says:
   October 14th, 2007 at 7:58 pm

   I’d much rather just put a solar panel on the roof of my car and have that charge the battery. I know there’s one company that makes such products for the Prius: http://www.solarelectricalvehicles.com/

   I hope they consider making one for the volt as well.  
   
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   mbartosik Says:
   October 14th, 2007 at 9:40 pm

   Re post #2.
   The system at http://www.solarelectricalvehicles.com is about $4500. But that includes batteries. With a Volt there would not be a need for batteries.

   The solar panel is about 250W I think or 215W real world. You’ll only get 215W under pretty good conditions. About about 800Wh average per day in New York, good for about 5 miles on average, 3 in winter, 7 in summer.

   To add same capacity of PV power to an existing PV system on your house would only be about $1000. With net metering the utility averages out your generation.  
   
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   AES Says:
   October 15th, 2007 at 4:47 am

   “To add same capacity of PV power to an existing PV system on your house would only be about $1000.”

   Minus the 3kW (did they mean kWh?) battery from the cost equation, perhaps a Volt-specific solar roof would be about $1000 as well?

   The car-mounted solar option appeals to me for a couple reasons. Firstly, it would open the benefits of solar energy and non-genset-derived energy to people who don’t necessarily have reliable access to home charging. In other words, people who live in apartments, or who need to park on the street. That way plug-ins appeal to a wider niche of people. Secondly, for people who need to travel, they can derive all the benefits of their solar roof while away from home.

   In terms of the investment paying for itself, at 1.2kWh per day, and 12 cents per kWh off the grid (in California) that’s 14.4 cents saved a day. At $1000 pricetag, that’s 6,944 days, or 19 years. Versus energy from gasoline, probably much shorter.

   With more inexpensive solar technology (e.g. printed thin films) on the way, hopefully the cost will come down, though overall efficiency might be affected.  
   
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   David Says:
   October 15th, 2007 at 9:35 am

   This is good news if it’s true and not hype or a company simply bragging about a discovery.

   I encourage research but I am fearful that people will read this and thing that Fuel Cell vehicles are the way of the future as a result of such stories. Hydrogen is not a dead end; in fact it is probably where our future will be, just not in the near future at all.

   Battery technology is where our immediate future will most likely be, continued advancement in solar power generation is very important to help supply the grid along with more conservation.

   We need to concentrate our hopes and investments in the immediate future and we need to get off of gas and oil as soon as possible.

   The Earth is like a mother, if you treat is badly it will punished you.  
   
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   omegaman66 Says:
   October 15th, 2007 at 10:51 am

   Woohoo. That is one more step, now only 15,467 more steps to go.

   How far away is a practical fuel cell car? Now how far away is a practical all electric car? And if you can build an all electric vehicle that recharges quickly and has a 300 mile range then why would a fuel cell car every replace it???

   Fuel cells may have a place but I doubt it will be in transportation.  
   
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   Dave G Says:
   October 17th, 2007 at 8:12 pm

   “niche applications like submarines and spacecraft might use hydrogen”
   http://www.physorg.com/news85074285.html  
   
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   David Says:
   November 26th, 2007 at 1:51 pm

   Here is another issue in extracting Hydrogen from water… based on what I recall reading on the subject you need 100% purified water before you can start extracting Hydrogen.

   Does anyone know otherwise?

   So to create Hydrogen we need…
   1) Electricity to purify water.
   2) Electricity to extract Hydrogen.
   3) A system to transport Hydrogen.
   4) Gas stations to sell Hydrogen.
   5) Larger Storage tanks on cars.

   Oh yes… explosion proof infant seats.  
   
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   V. Eves Says:
   January 11th, 2008 at 8:40 pm

   If Starbucks can appear in every neighborhood, within a relatively short period of time, why not charging stations of whatever type?  
   
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