Is this the Energy breakthrough we have been waiting for

[YOUTUBECANBESAVED]

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10002704-54.html

http://dvice.com/archives/2008/08/major_discovery.php

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/08/01/mit-researchers-attain-solar-nirvana/

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/08/01/cheap_solar_at_night_mit_may_have_answer/ (Has Video)


In the video he makes it sound so simple having to do with water,hydrogen, and oxygen.

 

[Bible-boy]

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10002704-54.html

http://dvice.com/archives/2008/08/major_discovery.php

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/08/01/mit-researchers-attain-solar-nirvana/

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/08/01/cheap_solar_at_night_mit_may_have_answer/ (Has Video)


In the video he makes it sound so simple having to do with water,hydrogen, and oxygen.

Looks promising. I stongly believe that hydrogen fuel cells will be the next technology that replaces the oil/gas fired internal combustion engine. However, look at what the articles have to say about the state of this new technology and how long it will take to be widely realized:

The success of the Nocera lab shows the impact of a mixture of funding sources - governments, philanthropy, and industry. This project was funded by the National Science Foundation and by the Chesonis Family Foundation, which gave MIT $10 million this spring to launch the Solar Revolution Project, with a goal to make the large scale deployment of solar energy within 10 years. Source: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html

But wide-scale distributed power generation in people's homes, combined with hydrogen fuel cells, is mostly just a vision at this point. Turner said that many researchers are pursuing the same goal of cracking water to make hydrogen without losing too much energy in the process. Although existing electrolyzers are expensive, the challenge is devising a system that efficient enough to make energy inexpensively. "If we're successful, then we'll compete with electrolyzers," he said. "If not, we'll have to find another way to get hydrogen." Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10002704-54.html

Looks great, but so far, the system is using electrical power from an outlet rather than solar energy, still needs an expensive platinum electrode to make the hydrogen from hydrogen ions, and the oxygen is created too slowly. However, Nocera says this is so easy to set up, the problems should be solved quickly. Source: http://dvice.com/archives/2008/08/major_discovery.php

Problems solved quickly… Quickly is a very subjective word as it is being used in this article. According to the first article this technology will take about 10 years to perfect…

There is much work to be done in converting Nocera’s idea into a commercial product. At the moment, his catalyst can only accept small amounts of electrical current at once, meaning that it would be an inefficient way to quickly store large amounts of energy. But Nocera is certain that engineers will iron out the issues and produce commercial-scale products within a decade. Source: http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/08/01/mit-researchers-attain-solar-nirvana/

I know this new technology is just talking abot powering our homes so it does not realy effect the debate over how to best power our vehicles. But, if this is going to take 10 years to be realized let's go ahead and drill here, drill now, and pay less while we we wait for this new technology. According to the oil industry if they start drilling now they could be producing and refining U.S. oil within 2 to 7 years. Likewise, just the fact that they start drilling will drive the oil futures market prices down (law of supply and demand).

 

[Ed Edwards]

Rocket Science & Brain Surgery

Combining oxygen and hydrogen is rocket science
(really: thre being no oxygen in space, many rockets are fueled by combining stored oxygen and stored hydrogen - both very explosive materials - think blown up astronauts )

Thinking there is a silver bullet for oil shortage is brain surgery
(somebody needs to do surgery of folks that think $4 gasoline is THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM is not enough stuff on the earth for 6 Billion spoiled American consumers.)

 

[YOUTUBECANBESAVED]

Large Scale Deployment

"Problems solved quickly… Quickly is a very subjective word as it is being used in this article. According to the first article this technology will take about 10 years to perfect…"

I did not read that into the article rather it speaks of large scale deployment I think there is a difference or course you would not deploy something if it did not have a high degree of efficiency and safety.

Only 10 million dollars and this happened, will investors turn away from investing in oil and turn to this?



"I know this new technology is just talking abot powering our homes so it does not realy effect the debate over how to best power our vehicles"

http://dvice.com/pics/solar_catalyst.jpg

I think it did you would store that solar cell power and also be able to recharge you electric hybrid car, thus the idea of a power plant.

Dear Bible-Boy, I know you have bought into Newt Gingrich's plan but I cannot trust Newt Gingrich he is a politician. I would trust T. Boone Pickens and MIT before him.

From the article:
“This is the nirvana of what we’ve been talking about for years,” said Nocera in the press release. “Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon.”

Scientists don’t normally talk like this, and Nocera is not alone in his robust claims. The MIT press release quotes James Barber, a biochemist at Imperial College London who was not involved in this research.

“This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind,” he said. “The importance of their discovery cannot be overstated since it opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production thus reducing our dependence for fossil fuels and addressing the global climate change problem.”

also MIT announced this week

This is the second time this month that MIT has made headlines with advances in solar technology. Two weeks ago researchers in the university’s engineering school announced that they had developed an inexpensive mixture of organic solar concentrating dyes that can be painted on to windows.


God Bless MIT!

Renewables are picking up steam , I mean voltage :laugh:


(Edited only to remove oversized image per BB rules.)

 

[Bible-boy]

Oopps... Spelling correction follows:

You are free to trust whomever you want. The bottom line is that as of right now there is no alternative fuel source or technology that can equal or compete with the oil/fired internal combustion engine. No solar, wind, or electric car that can perform at the same level (speed, distance, payload) as my 1995 Chevy Suburban. No solar, wind, or electric airplane that can fly around the world carrying hundreds of people and luggage. No solar, wind, or electric truck that can move freight across the USA like an 18 wheeler. Burning food (corn) for vehicle fuel is just crazy because it drives up the cost of food and takes said food out of the mouth of the people.

Like I said, I strongly believe that the hydrogen fuel cell will be the next new technology that will replace the gas/oil fired internal combustion engine. I am all for this. However, it has got to be made safe and yet affordable for the "little guy."

Untill that day arrives we need to be using all of the U.S. oil, gas, oil shale, etc. resources that we have in abundant supply to avoid paying artificially inflated prices at the pump.


Another thing to remember is that during WWII Germany took over all of Western Europe and N. Africa without owning a single oil well. How did they fuel their war machine? Coal. They gasified coal using technology that was available in the 1930s and 1940s. South Africa used that same technology to fuel its vehicles during the years that it was under political sanctions regarding Apartheid.

Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less see http://www.americansolutions.com

 

[Revmitchell]

How about this:



http://www.profitmerger.com/

 

[billwald]

If your electric bill is around $100 you are probably burning about 1000 KWH a month, maybe 30 KWH a day. A KW of solar panals cost around $1000 so if the sun was pointed at your panels all day you would need $30,000 worth. But half the day is night, so we are up to $60,000. Where I live it is cloudy about half the time . . . .

 

[Ed Edwards]

Here in Tornado Alley, Oklahoma each 14 year cycle one can expect 94% chance of roof damage & car damage from hail. How long do solar panels last if not hailed upon?

How many additional solar panels will I need if the shade of the community windmills hits my panels?

 

[billwald]

Story in the Sunday Everett (WA) herald claimed that a $20,000 solar installation would produce 20% of a household's energy requirements. Sounds like a TERRIBLE deal. Break even point? When Hell freezes over?