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- EcoLogic, on 11/19/2008, -2/+21i accidentally received someone else's technology review in the mail three weeks ago and read about this. I don't know how they're going to get around the scalability issue but it sounds good if it can be worked out!
- cap11235, on 11/20/2008, -1/+9You stole my magazine!
- string158, on 11/20/2008, -0/+4I suspect that if they can prove it works on a small scale, even if it is inefficient, there will be people willing to invest in this. Then it will gradually scale up & increase in efficiency.
Exciting stuff!! - yoda17, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2Even if scaling is poor, I think it is very inexpensive so would just require a very large amount of land to work.
- Dinsdale77, on 11/19/2008, -24/+12I bet Sarah Palin thought of this, she's always trying to find alternatives to drilling.
- isntreal, on 11/20/2008, -2/+21Dude, it's over.
- cowsgonemadd3, on 11/20/2008, -7/+4You betcha!
- etx313, on 11/20/2008, -4/+6You mean she is always getting drilled?
- roctimo, on 11/20/2008, -1/+6Enough with her already!
- LibertyKnight, on 11/20/2008, -3/+12This is really cool stuff! Thanks for posting this.
- jimmick, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2THIS IS A SPAMMER COMMENT.
MAKE A NOTE OF THIS.
- jimmick, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2THIS IS A SPAMMER COMMENT.
- DiggitalGhost, on 11/20/2008, -5/+2Good planning...
- FearisFailure, on 11/20/2008, -1/+21Sun + Water = Sunburn
- webcrumb, on 11/20/2008, -9/+2Sun + Water = Steam
- webcrumb, on 11/20/2008, -9/+2Sun + Water = Beach - Sand
- Nauree, on 11/20/2008, -1/+3Photosynthesis. Invented 2.0 Billion Years Ago
- daridave, on 11/20/2008, -2/+7You + Double Posting = Buried.
- webcrumb, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2Me + missing edit timeout = ffs
- FadieZ, on 11/21/2008, -0/+52 + 2 = 5
- dustin32, on 11/21/2008, -0/+4You forgot the disclaimer:
"For extremely large values of 2."
- dustin32, on 11/21/2008, -0/+4You forgot the disclaimer:
- ToYKillAS, on 11/20/2008, -8/+1it's better than he stops his research if he doesn't want to be buried 6 feet underground
- SilverBlade2k, on 11/20/2008, -5/+9This will be bought out and buried by some big business who sees this as a threat to their profits..
- crazyhorse13, on 11/20/2008, -2/+5Well, not buried entirely, just buried until they start to run out of oil. But yeah, no oil company is going to let this out of the labs any time soon.
- Ramble, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3There is no patent on this, hence they can't bury it.
- malex, on 11/20/2008, -1/+3Except the running out of (accessible) oil part has already started.
- yoda17, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3Except big business is already interested in this.
- crazyhorse13, on 11/20/2008, -2/+5Well, not buried entirely, just buried until they start to run out of oil. But yeah, no oil company is going to let this out of the labs any time soon.
- jackelopeus, on 11/20/2008, -0/+6Interesting more for the desalination abilities than the energy production, as of yet. Be interesting to see if the efficiency could be improved to the point where both could be accomplished though.
- yoda17, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2Especially as fresh water will likely be the biggest problem in this century.
- angelgabe, on 11/20/2008, -3/+3This could also be used to generate hydrogen for vehicles. Looks like pretty soon Southern California might be one of the cheapest places to live in the nation!
- drzaeus, on 11/20/2008, -2/+5...as long as they can continue to suck all of the water from neighboring states to the North and Northwest, then yeah, you're right!
- bgeek, on 11/21/2008, -0/+3Nah, California will tax it to death.
- swass, on 11/20/2008, -3/+50Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious
- nofx1510, on 11/20/2008, -0/+8Thank you.
- playuhh, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3Method?
- 8bitflu, on 11/20/2008, -2/+6Sun + Jin = Widow
- drewh1991, on 11/21/2008, -1/+2Lost reference?
- roddack, on 11/20/2008, -3/+12Sun + Water + Beer = Fun time
- soden240, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2Warm, watered-down beer, not fun at all :-(
- Cr0z, on 11/20/2008, -0/+11I was at the Inorganic conference in Edinburgh when Dan Nocera first announced details of this research, it blew everyone in the lecture theatre away. He started talking about how he envisions a future where every house is effectively a small power station, able to generate energy from the sun using this technology and store it until needed, it all sounds very cool. All we need now are cheaper solar panels and we're all set.
He was one of the best speakers I've seen too.- yoda17, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3A physicist friend of mine works with utility companies. He said that they believe distributed power is the future and take this into consideration when making future plans. As opposed to what the tin foil hat crowd believes.
- Intercon, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2The only question is this: do we have the means to greatly increase efficiency in the manner in which humans create energy? The answer is very obviously yes. Let's forget about who has the money and who controls the energy systems now. We need to simply envision the new system and implement it. If the Exxon Mobils of the world want to get on board, fine: buy in. Otherwise ***** off.
It's way past time to end the out of proportion profits of energy generation. Energy should be abundant, clean, and free. I'll pay for the technology, but no more bills. Frankly, we've got more important things to deal with as a specie.
- Intercon, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2The only question is this: do we have the means to greatly increase efficiency in the manner in which humans create energy? The answer is very obviously yes. Let's forget about who has the money and who controls the energy systems now. We need to simply envision the new system and implement it. If the Exxon Mobils of the world want to get on board, fine: buy in. Otherwise ***** off.
- vincebodie, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2Excellent! One great way to store this energy would be as compressed air. As the electricity is generated, it could run pumps to fill an air tank (perhaps buried underground), which will then release the air as needed to regenerate electricity. From what I have heard this is a very efficient storage method without the environmental hazards of batteries.
- yoda17, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3A physicist friend of mine works with utility companies. He said that they believe distributed power is the future and take this into consideration when making future plans. As opposed to what the tin foil hat crowd believes.
- psdabfm, on 11/20/2008, -3/+6Should Read:
Sun + Water + Huge Investment Cost = Fuel
With that formula, anything can be converted to fuel. Enjoy cheap energy while it lasts.- yoda17, on 11/20/2008, -0/+4Yes, but the recurring and operation costs are very low.
- doople, on 11/20/2008, -1/+23Anyone else think green technology could be a new New Deal? Instead of throwing billions at companies who don't understand risk/reward investing, throw it in to renewable energy technologies. For this to be used in people's homes, it has to become extremely economical. But the government could afford it. Turn federal properties in to field labs for renewable technologies. Offer competitive contracts for it. The aerospace industry blossomed under competitive government contracts. Plus, why keep throwing money at decrepit companies to save those jobs, when you can just encourage the growth of a new industry full of jobs?
- kick, on 11/20/2008, -0/+5Germany has been doing just this with great success.
- Intercon, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2I completely agree. I've read about hundreds of innovations in energy technology right here on Digg. The potential for start-ups is profound.
I for one hope we reject the out-dated notion of energy as a commodity. I want to pay about the same price as a large air-conditioner, and get a machine that will power my entire apartment's electrical needs from sunlight through the windows, and while creating enough clean hydrogen to fuel my motorcycle on a short daily commute. Then it can plasma compact all my garbage, which would (relatively) cleanly create the electricity for itself, and just enough hydrogen to heat my home all winter.
And if Nocera's right, it can now just about be implemented with current technology, with a little more R&D on scalability (okay, maybe a lot more R&D.) Technological combinations seem to be the key, not any one single system...
The future. It's going to be awesome!
- AaronCo, on 11/20/2008, -1/+3Making hydrogen is easy, it's storing and distributing it that's the problem. Today's technology leaves an awful lot to be desired. Until we solve the storage and distribution problems we'll never have viable H2 power in this country.
- malex, on 11/20/2008, -0/+5Both those problems can be addressed by decentralization.
- Seraph787, on 11/20/2008, -1/+4The ability to split water into hydrogen and oxygen has been known since the 1800s I don't know why this is such a new concept. The reason people don't do this is because first the amount of energy used in electrolysis is extremely high. The amount of potential energy we can extract from the hydrogen and oxygen is very small compared to the amount that is spent getting it. Yes it is possibly a longer lasting form of energy compared to batteries which slowly loose their charge but there are many better ways to store this potential energy.
- derekmas10, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3I think the point of the article wasn't just the splitting of H and O, but mimicking the process of photosynthesis which would allow the utilization of energy under cloudy conditions or even under the cover of complete darkness.
- jhaks, on 11/20/2008, -1/+7This article was about a cheaper catalyst to facilitate electrolysis under normal conditions. As for energy spent driving the reaction and inefficiency, it isn't like "we" put any energy in or take any energy away from another source. The energy is from the sun which pretty much goes unused anyway.
- nj10ii, on 11/20/2008, -0/+7RTFA!
- yoda17, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2Did you read the article? It's about about a way to reduce the cost of electrolysis.
- derekmas10, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3I think the point of the article wasn't just the splitting of H and O, but mimicking the process of photosynthesis which would allow the utilization of energy under cloudy conditions or even under the cover of complete darkness.
- LogicBomB, on 11/20/2008, -2/+5Beer + Consumption > Sun + Water
- billbugger, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2I hope he can make this work on a commercial scale.
In the past there have always been people saying this or that invention/process will never work and have been proven wrong. - zadadka, on 11/20/2008, -1/+2Interesting....
However, I can't see the local solution of tanks of hydrogen and oxygen in every home coming to fruition, either in terms of the economics in supplying and maintaining roughly 8 million pressure vessels (based on estimated 4 million UK homes), particularly annually, and nor in terms of their home razing potential.
I liked the ruthenium battery though.
Useful stuff ruthenium. - jhaks, on 11/20/2008, -1/+6Damn nature, you... keep mocking our pitiful inefficiency.
- Albumen, on 11/20/2008, -0/+21Sun + me = shadow
- sourceholder, on 11/20/2008, -0/+5Big, round, and wrinkly shadow.
- androothebear, on 11/21/2008, -1/+2water+ me= Pee
- derekmas10, on 11/20/2008, -0/+4It's a start. Seriously inefficient at the moment, not to mention the home diagram should have a hydrogen tank twice the size of the oxygen tank BUT...
Like I said, it's a start. - JMellissa, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3Great stuff! I hope this goes beyond the laboratory!
- marc54, on 11/20/2008, -0/+5Old!
http://digg.com/environment/Solar_Energy_All_Night ... - inThePoopShoot, on 11/20/2008, -7/+2
- alexanEmpire, on 11/20/2008, -1/+2Welp, you've got to hand it to him/her. At this point, inthePoopShoot's solution is just as a realistic, practical solution as the one in the article.
Perhaps the reaction of Poprocks + soda = EXPLOSION! could be harnessed to solve our dwindling fuel supply? - malex, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2Enjoy your asstube.
- JustinTX, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2You'd get better results if you ignited the gas...
- Johnnyhorse, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2It's, uh, *beans*.
- alexanEmpire, on 11/20/2008, -1/+2Welp, you've got to hand it to him/her. At this point, inthePoopShoot's solution is just as a realistic, practical solution as the one in the article.
- TheAeneid, on 11/20/2008, -5/+2I can see it now, instead of Oil it will be Water Wars!
What happens when we have 20 billion people on the planet and we've turned all the freshwater into hydrogen and oxygen? Will it make the atmosphere flammable? What happens to all the impurities in water? Will it cake up the gear? When we turn to the sea and start splitting will that increase salinity to the point of killing off all the fish? Cost, storage, systems, corrosive build-up... the list goes on. Hydrogen is the wrong road to travel. "Oh, the humanity!"
A little over a century ago folks powered mills with water-wheels and ships on wind. What happened to these ideas? Where are the modern minds to tap these easy sources? - Wriggle, on 11/20/2008, -4/+1wait...
since it's a catalyst, if it got into lakes and stuff in fairly large quantities, wouldn't it destroy the lake eventually?
this is MUCH more dangerous than it appears to be.- string158, on 11/20/2008, -0/+1I suspect not, the elements mentioned in the article are fairly common and are probably in lakes already either naturally or through worse pollutants. Also the reaction they would cause is already being carried out in lakes by plants as it is, so i doubt there would be any major concerns.
- ilovestospooge, on 11/20/2008, -1/+3sun+water = hot water.
- crimsonkage, on 11/20/2008, -1/+3Am I the only one that sees a problem with storing gallons of Hydrogen and Oxygen near each other. If we work out a way to somehow keep hydrogen in a nonvolatile form that would be awesome.
But until then batteries FTW.
*edit* *looks up*
Huh well I guess I am not the only one.- string158, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2There is quite a lot of research going into this for fuel cells for cars - cars driving around with tanks of hydrogen in them is rather dangerous!!
- shanealeslie, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3There is no nonvolatile form of Hydrogen - it is 1 electron circling a neutron/proton.
It is actually even more dangerous as a liquid; and if you find a way of economically
making stable bricks of pure hydrogen I'd be welcoming you as our new Overlord.
- FloridaBlue, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3This is a really damn exciting development if the science pans out. We hear a lot of these developments, but few come to fruition. Here's hoping this one does.
- cr42yr1ch, on 11/20/2008, -3/+3The article is awful; producing hydrogen and oxygen from water is both not like photosynthesis (which involves the fixation of carbon dioxide into complex organic molecules), and producing hydrogen and oxygen from water without toxic chemicals/high temperatures/etc. has been possible for years.
True artificial photosynthesis would be useful, as this would generate fuel in a usable form (hydrocarbons) whilst fixing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. And if you don't believe its been possible for years then just go and buy a solar pannel, put the electrodes in a cup of water and look at the bubbles which are produced.- ZubZerp, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2Well, you see, the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen takes place at the start of photosynthesis. The fixation of carbon comes later.
- quiggibub, on 11/20/2008, -1/+2I can't see this being very useful until we get solar cells that are much more efficient than the ones we have now. I'm sure we could generate enough hydrogen to be useful, but the cost would make it prohibitive to add power to the grid. This is an excellent first step though.
- wissler, on 11/20/2008, -1/+4Attach wires to a battery and stick them in saltwater. You'll see hydrogen and oxygen bubbling off the wires. You can even capture the hydrogen gas (the smaller bubbles) into a balloon and light it, causing a small explosion.
This isn't news, it's lame. - nightwing2000, on 11/20/2008, -0/+5I wonder what ever happened to other choices.
One concept for storing energy was in sealed carbon-fibre flywheels in a vaccuum chamber. Since flywheel energy is proportional to mass but to angular velocity *squared*, make flywheels that look more like rolling pins than bicycle wheels, but spin them really fast and make them of wound carbon fiber that can survice the centrifugal force. Put it all in a vaccuum and mount on magnetic bearings, and get the energy in and out with motor/generator. Bury a few of these in your back yard (after all, it is still energy, if there is a failure) and store a few days' electrical needs out back.
Even more ideally would be superconducting rings; pump 'em full of perpetually circling current in the sunny times, suck it out by induction in the darker times... just don't lose the liquid nitrogen coolant, or 3 days' stored electrical power will turn to heat in a very short interval. - plarp, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3complete this equation
sun + water + bikinis =- grungemusic3001, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2Baywatch!
- Almightymole, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2Boobwatch
- Corrosionx, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2Some have suggested that oil was made out of Sun + Water + Carbon and that we have an infinite amount of it.
- embryodb, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2we are well on our way to global sustainability
- shanealeslie, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2Anyone with an understanding of grade 9 science knows you can get hydrogen and oxygen from water by applying electricity.
There are probably a couple of hundred people in the world already using solar panels, windmills, and water wheels to perform
electrolysis, and storing the gasses for later use. The only reason this is now news is because the rest of the world is starting
to wake up to the dwindling supplies of 'convenient' fuels. Sure, it can take a while to fill the tanks - but if it's running day and
night, and you scale usage to supply its a near perfect system. - Spetz, on 11/20/2008, -0/+3Wow an intelligent article on renewable power that actually mentions base load power demand.
- acroyear2, on 11/20/2008, -0/+5sun & water = everything
- SPLATBlacK, on 11/20/2008, -0/+1I have wondered about Hydrogen fuel vehicles - today we deal with too much smog and pollutants from gas powered vehicles - will in the future with Hydrogen vehicles dominating the roadways - will we have to deal with too much water vapor in the sky - and the increased formation of clouds - blocking out the sun's rays. Just a thought.
- Kyan, on 11/20/2008, -0/+2Right, because it will be so hard to capture and condense the water vapour.
- FFXIfrohike, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2I think most of the problems with "storage" theorized as inherent logistical flaws in a solar power solution are lacking a certain imagination, or simply aren't stating the obvious though unlikely solution ... It's rarely dark and/or cloudy on the entire planet at once. The storage problem would be obviated by a global, completely decentralized, constantly operational solar power network.
Of course that will never happen because humans will forever hoard and be at war with one another, so the storage issues remain. ;P - Chupracabra, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2Sun + Water + Plant = Energy
- diggnationer, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2this technology was being designed in the 80's old news.
- kd1s, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2There is a video of a prototype MIT house that uses solar to split water into H and O2. It stores the hydrogen during the day and at night it burns it for heat, and runs it through a fuel cell for electricity.
I would love the opportunity to tell National Grid to go to hell. - noPCtoday, on 11/21/2008, -0/+3In another news, Scientists discovered how plants work!
- urineboy, on 11/21/2008, -0/+2I came up with this idea 15 years ago, except my idea was to use a giant magnifying glass to concentrate sunlight into shallow pools of water
- gbhall, on 11/21/2008, -0/+4Digg - Sun + Water = Fuel
Don't believe me? Title ^ -
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