The Future of Solar Power In a Glass of Water

Ed Grabianowski — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:00:00 PDT

Oxygen and hydrogen are both excellent energy sources, and we've got tons of both on Earth. Unfortunately, that energy is mostly tied up in water molecules that require still more energy to split apart. But what if you could split water molecules with a modest electric current, under conditions you can duplicate on your kitchen counter? Researchers at MIT have discovered a process, using the simple apparatus above, that could put a solar water refinery in every home.

Here's the MIT recipe for splitting water molecules. Take one glass of water that's pH neutral. Add a dash of cobalt and a pinch of phosphates. Apply a mild current via a conductive glass electrode. As the cobalt-phosphate mix forms a film on the electrode, a steady stream of oxygen bubbles will appear. Meanwhile, hydrogen ions collect at another electrode.

The crazy thing is, the MIT researchers don't really know why this works (they have a lot more research to do). They suspect the cobalt-phosphate is somehow catalyzing the reaction, but they need to figure out how to scale it up and collect the byproducts efficiently. They think they'll have marketable technology in ten years.

So how will you use this when the time comes? The current required could be supplied by solar cells. The resulting hydrogen and oxygen could be stored with relative ease, making this process an important new way to store and transport solar energy. There are lots of things you could do with all that O and H - like powering the hydrogen fuel cell in your car, perhaps. And what's the byproduct of a hydrogen fuel cell? Water. Images by steakpinball and EurekAlert!

Water refineries? [EurekAlert!]

A Zero-Emissions Car That Runs on Fossil Fuel

Annalee Newitz — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:40:57 PST

In the next year, students at Georgia Tech will be driving cars that run on fossil fuels but don't release tons of carbon into the environment. It's all part of the university's long-term plan to develop vehicles that produce recyclable carbon. Eventually they hope to eliminate fossil fuel from the equation, but in the meantime they are working with an engine that traps carbon emissions for dumping off and recycling at fuel stations. Let's hope they model it on this Swiss zero-emissions car called SAM, which looked cool but was discontinued due to lack of funds.

How does the carbon-collecting strategy work? A release from Georgia Tech says:

Georgia Tech's near-future strategy involves capturing carbon emissions from conventional (fossil) liquid hydrocarbon-fueled vehicles with an onboard fuel processor designed to separate the hydrogen in the fuel from the carbon. Hydrogen is then used to power the vehicle, while the carbon is stored on board the vehicle in a liquid form until it is disposed at a refueling station. It is then transported to a centralized site to be sequestered in a permanent location currently under investigation by scientists, such as geological formations, under the oceans or in solid carbonate form. In the long-term strategy, the carbon dioxide will be recycled forming a closed-loop system, involving synthesis of high energy density liquid fuel suitable for the transportation sector.

Sign me up!

Carbon-capture strategy could lead to emission-free cars [Georgia Tech]

io9: hydrogen

The Future of Solar Power In a Glass of Water

A Zero-Emissions Car That Runs on Fossil Fuel