Nano & Bio Hydrogen

[erich]

What do you think of these nano structured efforts toward direct Solar to Hydrogen?

Titania Nanotube Arrays Harness Solar Energy
http://www.physorg.com/news10244.html

And

I feel this company is the best bet in direct solar to Hydrogen technology. They are ready for commercial production with cutting edge nanotechnology:

http://www.hydrogensolar.com/index.html
They will be well over 10% efficiency in the near future with their Tandem Cell™, technology, they have had initial issues with scale-up, but these seem to have been overcome and they were sounding rather optimistic a few weeks ago.


OR: BIO- Hydrogen

http://www.smalltimes.com/document_...cument_id=10697

http://www.nanologix.net/index.php

About NanoLogix, Inc.

"NanoLogix is a nanobiotechnology company that engages in the research, development, and commercialization of technologies for the production of bacteria, disease testing kits, alternative sources of fuel"
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erich

[erich]

BIO Hydrogen Updates:

Venter is back from his ocean cruse with the bugs he hopes will make all our fuel:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/26/AR2006022600932.html

Welch's is buying the H2 Bug Farts:
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060313/20060313005750.html?.v=1
SHARON, Pa., Mar 13, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- NanoLogix, Inc. (Pink Sheets:NNLX) announced today that the Company has completed the construction of its first commercial hydrogen bioreactor facility at a Welch's Food plant in North East, Pennsylvania. The company also announced that the facility will begin hydrogen generation from Welch's waste organic matter on or about the first of April 2006.


The point is right now I could pay $20 K for a 12% efficient PV array to end my electric bill, in effect prepaying my electric bill for twenty years. If the nano developments in PV's, or direct thermal/electric or photoelectrochemical direct conversion to H2, can double the current efficiency while cutting the price in half, then we are talking $5,000 to be bill free.
Hydrogen Solar sent me their current Tandum Cell numbers @ 10.2% efficiency: $1.50/LB for H2
And they say that a theoretical efficiency of 35% is possible, and a 22% efficiency is realistically achievable, i.e.,... $0.75/LB of H2 which equals $0.049/KWhr equivalent. From what I understand of the direct solar to hydrogen fabrication technology, it is a much greener process, and cheaper that silicon based PVs.

I also found some tech-specs for the suncone, They claim a 50 MW array will produce at $. 046/KWhr !! This is the lowest costs I've seen for solar technology near commercial release.
Sustainable Resources, Inc. - The Suncone Solar Power Generator
http://www.sriglobal.org/suncone_intro.html
And the nano-dot approach to PVs also promises full spectrum conversion efficiencies along with clean production processes. ( UB News Services-solar nano-dots http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-ex...rticle=75000009


Another big plus is decentralization. Distributed power networks are inherently more stable than MW based systems. The flywheel technology that Beacon Power has installed for New York and California http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060301:MTFH76507_2006-03-01_20-54-57_N01399291&type=comktNews&rpc=44 Also contributes to the advantages of both distributed and centralized power sources. All the while adjusting to near perfectly conditioned power, and protecting from threats like this:

According to NASA and the National Science Foundation, the next 11-year sunspot cycle could be up to 50 percent stronger than the present one. That cycle will begin in late-2007/early-2008 and peak around 2012. The phenomenon is a big deal because it can disrupt satellites and knock out power grids. The details are in a story by the Los Angeles Times.
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erich