jerryd
Just not true. Lead batteries cost about $100/kwhr for storage and easily pay for themselves by charging at night and sell at peak, even making money. So no net cost.
Solar happens mostly at peak so far more valuable than steady power in most places.
Nor are H2 systems energy dense. They take up much space, far more than batteries or their cost, containment makes them not viable. Fuel cells are far too costly and have short lives. Nor are they eff, only 25% as eff as batteries.
Just another H2 hype press release looking for fool's money.
windykites
Has this guy heard of the idea of putting electricity back into the grid? (effectively, your meter runs backwards) Withdraw as you require.
Rich Hessler Solar
I believe he is describing generating electricity in off-grid locations (such as Africa). In the US, it makes sense to put the excess on the grid. It's easy money.
EE_Tim
Batteries and H2 are not the answer. What we need is more research in high-density, nano-scale supper capacitors. They charge almost instantly, they can hold the charge as long as the plates don't short, and they can be drained at a controlled rate to work like a battery.
bio-power jeff
does the water used have to be distilled or can it be just used from unpurified water? in some countries in africa people (or children) have to walk for 5 hours or more just to get water, and nearly always it is definetly not safe.
bio-power jeff
but the "new oxygen-evolving catalyst" which splits water into oxygen and hydrogen could mean a new method for generating hydrogen gas, from greener sources then coal.
Jonathan Cole
Professor Nocera has the right idea but the wrong technology. The reason for bundling the solar with storage is to reduce installation costs. Flooded lead acid batteries used correctly are already 90% efficient. Fuel cells are more like 50% efficient. You cannot afford to waste expensive photovoltaic-generated power on inefficient storage technologies. Specific energy density is not that great an issue for stationary power generating installations because they can be relatively large and heavy since they do not have to be moved after installation. The problem is that because of this size, they cannot be mounted on the panels themselves, increasing installation costs. What is needed is a no maintenance, 90 % efficient battery with 15,000 deep cycles. Just such a battery is already claimed to exist at Altairnano.com. However, the company seems to be in decline due to deficient management or lack of capital.
Rex Alfie Lee
There is a use when considering H-based vehicles. In the USA you may be lucky enough to travel on one battery-load but in Australia you can have up to 320kms or 200mls between service stations. I reckon Africa would be the same. On this basis anything that is going to stretch the distance a vehicle can travel would be of use.
Considering the distances & population of Oz the numbers of servos is unlikely to change by any great amount, especially across the desert.
Pommie
By developing the rooftop solar hot water system to produce super heated hp steam during the day and storing it overnight for the continuous generation of power may also be a way forward?
John M
Any source of heat at 50F can generate energy. Just look at Rasser technology. the working medium is a refrigerant namely butane. The New Zealand Dsir had a thermal plant that produced 300 watts at their Antarctic research station 30 years ago but gave up development. Typical. Hydrogen gas when burnt produces more thermal energy than the energy used to make it. Is it not about time some-one or group got there act together to produce a cheap source of reliable energy for home use. The rest will follow. cheers John M. kiwi