Cheap solar power 15% conversion efficiency...

...using rust.

...This allows water splitting to take place that leads to the capture of about 15% of the energy in the incident sunlight - that which falls on a set area for a set length of time. This energy can then be stored in the form of hydrogen...

The big thing about hydrogen production has always been that it took power to crack water apart. If that power comes from free sunlight, and doesn't need any fancy/expensive chemicals, the production value equation changes.

A pretty good commercial solar panel will be about 15% efficient. The really cheap poly-silicon stuff is in the 10% range. So 15% out of rust-tech looks pretty good. All the usual caveats about hydrogen apply to commercialization though...hydrogen embrittlment, seal issues on fittings, splodyness in crashes, etc.

Mid-morning open thread major, with a minor in Zimmerman trial.

posted by Purp at 08:49 AM

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