nabraxas Posted August 16, 2010 A renewable carbon economy? Surely that's a pipe dream? Perhaps not, now that solar power facilities are cropping up in deserts across California, Spain and North Africa. The idea is to use the sun to power chemical plants able to split carbon dioxide. Combine the resulting carbon monoxide with hydrogen and you have the beginnings of a solar fuel that could one day replace oil. full article: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19308-the-next-best-thing-to-oil.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dude Posted August 17, 2010 sweeeet! I'm hopeful for the future, we got some smart cookies on this planet. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Deb-One-Amine Posted August 18, 2010 we have plenty of room for solar panels all over the globe. just depends if the country want to invest in it or not Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nabraxas Posted August 18, 2010 ^ yeah, but one ov the perceived problems w/solar power has always been how to get the power generated in the middle ov a desert to where it's needed efficiently. If i understand correctly this process converts the solar power into an actual fuel that could be used to power cars etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted August 20, 2010 and power the vehicles that truck it into the cities! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest svarg26 Posted August 20, 2010 one word: magnets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nabraxas Posted August 20, 2010 ^ poles (is this the new TWAT?) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheFriendlyPlanter Posted August 21, 2010 (edited) ^ yeah, but one ov the perceived problems w/solar power has always been how to get the power generated in the middle ov a desert to where it's needed efficiently. If i understand correctly this process converts the solar power into an actual fuel that could be used to power cars etc. Easy, the electric charge from the panel can be used to directly produce hydrogen which can be bottled and shipped just like they do with LPG or petrol. Making hydrogen using solar panels doesn't even require a battery bank and is very simple, they just run the electric current straight to (and through) a tank of salty water (electrolyte). The hydrogen bubbles-up from one of the electrodes and oxygen bubbles-up from the other electrode. That's pretty much how they've always produced hydrogen in large amounts. It is also possible to store the energy as compressed air. ie the electric charge is simply used to run an air compressor. This compressed air can be transported easily just like any other fuel. compressed air can run a compressed air-motor like this one http://trak.in/tags/business/2008/07/01/tata-motors-air-car-minicat/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+trakin+%28India+Business+Blog+!%29 Indeed, it can be used to run a simple generator ( in a far off place) that generates electricity. (obviously there is some loss of energy every time it is converted into a different state) but the principles are all simple, easy, cheap, clean, etc and we've been using them in some way or another for a loooong time. It's simple technology, the only barriers are political barriers. The fundamentals of this sort of technology preceded the moon-landing in the 1960s. Why don't governments put some of their space-race money into developing 'Renewable' technologies? Because you can't make billions out of energy if it becomes free and unlimited. Edited August 21, 2010 by Quantum turkey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
