(image from http://www.agaetech.com)
This could very possibly be the technology missing for photovoltaic to finally challenge on equal footing any type of fossil energy !
Indeed, one of the major if not the biggest challenge with PV panels, are their inability to produce energy at night and therefore not to provide electricity 24/7.
The only solution thought so far was to store the un-used amount of produced electricity, a process that is both costly and difficult to manage. Not to mention the loss of energy in the storing process.
A recent breakthrough that is the graphene/silicium battery could be an answer since it increases considerably batteries abilities, charging and life time. Yet the costs and malleability remain quite consequent with a battery-form storage.
Step in Dr Dan Nocera, a Harvard professor and American chemist who developed an ARTIFICIAL LEAF !
Great ! Awesome ! Neat ! WTF ?! What has this to do with anything ??!! You may ask.
Well first of all watch your tongue people ! You wouldn't kiss your mother with that mouth. And second, don't be so eager to take the royal pajamas might I answer !
It has to do with everything because the artificial leaf mimics the photosynthesis process that green plants use to convert water and sunlight into energy !
Still not following ?! The artificial leaf transforms water into hydrogen and oxygen which are both usable fuels !
Which means that the artificial leaf is the perfect interface that would transform sunlight into clean fuels that are hydrogen and oxygen ! And because it's a fuel, it can be used anytime, anywhere, however and is also way easier in terms of transportation.
Hence, the photovoltaic/artificial leaf could be the PERFECT combination for producing clean energy regardless of day time, in a fuel form that is both way easier to store and multi-usage (hydrogen powered cars) and STILL COMPLETELY CLEAN from production to usage stage !!
Very pragmatically: If your house is hydrogen powered, it is now a 24/7 self-sustaining entity (energy-wise) relying only on the sun !
In lemons terms: the artificial leaf is the answer to the energy storing issue of photovoltaic panels !
But producing hydrogen by electrolysis is an "old" and well known process, so why is the artificial leaf any "breakthrough ?!
Great question ! Even if the concept is rather ancient, the tremendous added values of the articial leaf are that:
- it's wireless
- uses a CHEAP nickel-molybdenum-zinc compound catalyst and a cobalt film instead of a cost-prohibitive platinum catalyst
- on top of being cheap the materials used are earth abundant
- this technology is already operational and therefore can be used/implemented right away
=> artificial leaf systems can be implemented in remote places and developing countries as well !
One issue I might see would be that fresh clean water is more and more scarce of a resource... Ergo what's the ratio water converted/fuel created ?
According to Dr Nocera, it only takes 1.5 bottles of drinking water to power a house for 2 days.
So the ratio seems rather "good enough" given the rising scarcity of water not to be to big of an issue.
Fuel for thoughts though: does it work with salt water ? with "dirty"/unfiltered water ?
The remaining obstacle standing in the way of artificial leaf's great success seems "just" to be high engineering costs.
But with the commercial development and use of that new technology, the break even point shouldn't be far away. And that's all we wish for !
Make it profitable, make it sustainable !
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123900.htm
http://theenergycollective.com/tinacasey/225966/new-artificial-leaf-concept-could-blow-fuel-cell-market
