Abracadabra Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 looks like it could be entirely possible. Science turns sun, surf into green energy Deborah Smith Science Editor March 21, 2007 A REVOLUTIONARY technology that uses sunlight and sea water to produce an unlimited supply of clean, hydrogen fuel could be developed within a decade, Sydney researchers say. Leigh Sheppard, of the University of NSW, estimated that 1.6 million of the solar devices, installed on rooftops, would be able to produce enough hydrogen gas to supply Australia's entire energy needs. While other energy options under discussion, such as nuclear power, produce harmful wastes, the only by-products of this solar hydrogen technology would be oxygen and fresh water, Dr Sheppard said. "It is the cleanest, greenest energy option for a sustainable economy." Dr Sheppard said much more research was needed, but the university team was confident it would be able to make the process efficient enough within 10 years for it then to be developed commercially. Its technique relies on using a light sensitive material, titanium dioxide, to harness the power of the sun to split water into oxygen and hydrogen gas. "The process has the additional advantage that it works best in sea water," Dr Sheppard said. Australia was rich in titanium, and had abundant sunshine. "And we are surrounded by ocean." It might also be possible to use artesian water, or pump sea water inland, to a large array of solar panels which could produce hydrogen for local use and even for export. An area covering 40 square kilometres (24 square miles) would meet the country's energy needs. A way of using sunlight to split water was first developed by Japanese scientists in the 1970s, but worldwide interest in developing this approach has only recently been rekindled by concerns about burning fossil fuels and global warming. The small UNSW team, led by Professor Janusz Nowotny, is a world leader in using titanium dioxide as a catalyst to split water. The researchers have developed instruments which can measure the electrical properties of the material so they can improve its performance by altering its oxygen content or adding impurities. A visiting German solar expert, Helmut Tributsch, of the Free University in Berlin, said research was urgently needed into ways to covert the sun's power into usable energy, such ashydrogen fuel and photovoltaic electricity. Professor Tributsch said water splitting was a process nature used to harness the sun's energy. "We should really follow the example of nature. It is the only safe way to handle our environment in the long term." Hydrogen was a clean and efficient fuel for powering everything from vehicles to furnaces and air conditioning. "When you burn it, it gives water, so there is no pollution of the environment," he said. Dr Sheppard said hydrogen fuelling stations for cars were operating in several countries including Germany and the US, but a lot more infrastructure would be needed before hydrogen could be widely used as an energy source. He said nuclear power had the advantage that it was a proven technology. "But this is a smarter technology. It does not produce toxic waste." It could take five more years to commercialise the water-splitting technology once it was fully developed, he said. Professor Tributsch will give a public lecture on solar energy at the university on Monday night. source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest R@ndomH3ro Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 LIES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Wallbanger Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Man. Fuckin' Australians come up with the illest shit. Remember that crazy electric guitar from Young Einstein? That was good too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AORAone Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 damn, revolutionizing everything. good stuff man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r o n d a Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 hope for the best, expect the worst can't wait to see how the oil companies respond Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Huxtable. Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 "fuck! there is no evidence that fossil fuels pollute the environment!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUR X3 Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Everything I've read about hydrogen says that they are about 10 years off, for the last 10 years or so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydoses Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 it probably already is developed. i think big business has much to do with the release of new technologies. but then again i buy into conspiracy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire15 Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Yea that goes for everything. DONT WORRY GUYS.10 MORE YEARS AND WELL HAVE UNDERWATER SKYSCRAPERS AND HOVER SKATBOARDS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny ballbags Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 they wont release anything like that until the oil supply has been completely tapped... bad for business... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUR X3 Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Or the fact that they just don't have it... I believe that big oil might try to stop something like this, but in this case I'm pretty much positive that they just don't have shit. Anyone see "Who Killed the Electric Car"? Some good stuff to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdf_va! Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Ive thought about technology being stifled by big business... And that they are always 10 years off... It all boils down to(IMO) engineers have great Ideas, but the long term deficit that occurs when you take on a project that won't create an equal or greater than return than fossil fuels just doesn't appeal to the companies that have the capital to fund such a endeavor. I mean, it would be a project that would help the environment... but it would just cost too much with little return value for a really long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdf_va! Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 In a capital world... it's capital that affects the decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydoses Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 NO DUDE ITS ALIENS!!!!!!!!zOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!2012!!!!!!! word, capital does affect the descisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abracadabra Posted March 21, 2007 Author Share Posted March 21, 2007 well, let's put it this way, australia has enough open desert space to put these solar panels to do the conversion for the whole world and just export the energy. fuck it. let the oil companies bicker amongst themselves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest R@ndomH3ro Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Cant wait for clean energy to come out? Want to be on the up and up? Buy the clock that runs on water!!!1 Impress your eco-friends!! http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/757e/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny ballbags Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 alot of (oil) companies that had been shooting down the idea of wind generated energy just got involved in that shit in a big way.... i work for an oil co and ive heard people say some crazy shit..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdf_va! Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Oil companies are not run by demons. Just rich people that hire managers for the sole purpose of not losing any money at all. Most companies make more money every year. Thats the goal. Positive return. ^^It's shitty but true. If safe efficient CLEAN energy was cheap to make, didn't take to long to produce, and could be marked up at least twice the price of the cost to produce it... We would have a cleaner tomorrow. Simple truth, fact of the matter, is that fossil fuel takes thousands of years to make. We are just taking something that is here and a ready for sale. We didn't make oil. We found it. If we had to make it from scratch or build a new technology(now a days at least) to utilize it, we would find another way to get our energy. Innovation verses Instant Gratification... Thats a hard battle when dealing with money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r o n d a Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 ^ very true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogie hands Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 everyone is getting all ahead of themselves and theres still untapped wildlife preserves in alaska with plenty of oil. you faggots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdf_va! Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Apologies in straying off topic ABC... I would love to see a clean energy plan in place. Just as I get older, I start to understand(NOT AGREE WITH) the previous generations choices that dig us deeper in a rut and potentially endanger our children's children. They made their decisions out of survival through wealth. I want a better world... But I wouldn't start trusting the masses to make this happen anytime soon. People NEED their "things," their "gadgets." No one wants to go backwards and start again. I say go nuclear. Dangerous, but efficient and ready to use. Potentially cleaner, as long as a meltdown doesn't happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny ballbags Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 everyone is getting all ahead of themselves and theres still untapped wildlife preserves in alaska with plenty of oil. you faggots. wildlife preserves aka we made an excuse to not touch our oil until everyone else runs out and we can be the only ones left with the shit.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogie hands Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 did asdf_va move his margins or something? where is that setting on the reply box? i cant find it. anyway, all jokes aside, its really good to hear about advances like this. not to be an uber liberal but hopefully in 10 years this will still be viewed as a valid solution. eeessh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Issac Brock Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Man that shit would be so dopeeeeeee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 flying cars too right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I really dont think oil/gas is going to fall threw as quickly is everyone is thinking, we will just have to switch up our methods. there are literally trillions of cubic feet of gas, and millions of barrells of oil in the Barnett Shale, and that is just one formation. i work on wells here daily that could supply the gas for a neiborhood for a long time. Oil and gas are going to be around for a while.. That said we do need an alternative, shit is going to be gone someday and i hope im not alive to see the mass breakdown that will happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaolinmasta Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Yea that goes for everything. DONT WORRY GUYS.10 MORE YEARS AND WELL HAVE UNDERWATER SKYSCRAPERS AND HOVER SKATBOARDS Hover Skatboards the fuck is that you hover on some shit? getthefuckouttahere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdf_va! Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 ^^Jezz you guys are pushy on the techno tip... HERE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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