Scientists at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, are working on a technology that can convert light energy into hydrogen. Hydrogen is a clean energy that does not leave a carbon footprint. The basic raw materials used in this technique are water and metal oxides, such as iron oxide, which is rust.
In order to maintain the economic feasibility of this solar hydrogen technology, Kevin Sivrula and his colleagues limited their research to some cheap metals and opted for a production process that was easy to produce. An article published in the monthly "Nature-Photonics" describes the equipment that is still in the experimental stage.
The idea of ​​converting solar energy to hydrogen is not a new idea. In the past 40 years, researchers have been conducting research in this area. In the 1990s, Michael Grzeel of the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne also started the study. He collaborated with a colleague from the University of Geneva to invent a photoelectrochemistry (PEC) tandem solar cell, a technology that directly produces hydrogen from water. The prototypes of both technologies use the same basic principle: a dye-sensitized solar cell plus an oxide semiconductor.
The conversion rate for several versions of the current prototype is still low, ranging from 1.4% to 3.6%. However, this technology has great potential. Sevula said: "Based on our concept of using iron oxide, we hope to achieve a conversion rate of 10% in the next few years, while keeping the cost per square meter under $80. With this price, we and the traditional The hydrogen production method will be very competitive."
Storage Handbags,Travel Handbags,Camera Kit
Door Hardware Co., Ltd. , http://www.hardware-xy.com