Discovery uses solar power 24/7

[Modelworks]

This isn't about producing energy , it is about storing it. Right now solar panel electricity for homes require lots of batteries, 24 batteries is not unusual. So if this can store the energy in the day cheaply and cleanly then you lower the cost and impact of having solar powered homes.


Batteries cost about 200.00 each, so that is almost $5K for a single home just in batteries.

I can see its potential if we can get solar panels to be more efficient. They need to be 50% efficient before they are cost effective to replace other methods. Right now they are rather poor , average about 18%.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

The issue is not producing energy at all, it is only in how we store it. Moving away from fossil fuels will require a bit more work, simply because it works so well for us. Current batteries aren't cutting it either, plenty of issues come up when you try to use batteries alone to store it.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
This isn't about producing energy , it is about storing it. Right now solar panel electricity for homes require lots of batteries, 24 batteries is not unusual. So if this can store the energy in the day cheaply and cleanly then you lower the cost and impact of having solar powered homes.


Batteries cost about 200.00 each, so that is almost $5K for a single home just in batteries.

I can see its potential if we can get solar panels to be more efficient. They need to be 50% efficient before they are cost effective to replace other methods. Right now they are rather poor , average about 18%.

Excellent points, also factor in the fact that energy is subsidized for traditional methods, and not solar generation, at least that's how it was the last time I checked for the state of Indiana.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo

Originally posted by: Modelworks
This isn't about producing energy , it is about storing it. Right now solar panel electricity for homes require lots of batteries, 24 batteries is not unusual. So if this can store the energy in the day cheaply and cleanly then you lower the cost and impact of having solar powered homes.


Batteries cost about 200.00 each, so that is almost $5K for a single home just in batteries.

I can see its potential if we can get solar panels to be more efficient. They need to be 50% efficient before they are cost effective to replace other methods. Right now they are rather poor , average about 18%.

Excellent points, also factor in the fact that energy is subsidized for traditional methods, and not solar generation, at least that's how it was the last time I checked for the state of Indiana.

Yeah , it is that way in most states. I think a few states in the west are doing some sort of subsidy. Anyone curious about cost and what is required, I would check here:
http://www.solarpanelstore.com/

Great group of people , a friend had a system done. Cost $22K. Will be about 7 years before he breaks even, but he has always been big on alternative energy so to him it was like buying a new pc or tv.

 

[CycloWizard]

Solar-powered electrolytic fuel cells have been available for nearly a decade. The difference here is that it looks like these are cheaper and more robust, since they don't rely on the patented Nafion catalyst, which catalyzed the process using platinum in the membrane.

 

[PowerEngineer]

I wonder if it really makes sense to have individual homeowners all storing their own excess energy in the form of hydrogen/oxygen and then passing it back through their own fuel cells. It might be more efficient and cost effective to have the excess fed back into the distribution system (and paid for by the utility), and then used by an industrial-sized processor that would produce the hydrogen/oxygen for later electrical power production or for fueling hydrogen cars.

 

[IEC]

Cheaper, more robust, and possibly more efficient.

Not a marvelous breakthrough, but more progress on this front is welcome.