MIT for the win

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080731143345.htm

I'll believe it when I'm taking the utility feed in for recycling.

I hope it bears out.

I also hope no "accedents" befall the researchers, you know what I mean?

Granted, but DAYUM... if this works!

This is a pretty confusing article. This sounds like electrolysis.

"The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and an electrode, placed in water. When electricity — whether from a photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source — runs through the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the electrode, and oxygen gas is produced."

With the addition of the catalysts, have they found a more efficient method of electrolysis. How does this differ from existing methods how much more efficient is it. We all know you can store energy with hydrogen.

And what the hell are they saying here: "Currently available electrolyzers, which split water with electricity and are often used industrially, are not suited for artificial photosynthesis because they are very expensive and require a highly basic (non-benign) environment that has little to do with the conditions under which photosynthesis operates." Why do we care about photosynthesis? Is it just that the equipment used in this method is cheaper?

they're talking about splitting water for the oxygen when they're talking about artificial photosynthesis, i think

Interesting. I've been saying for a while that the ideal form of energy production will be some form of artificial photosynthesis. If you want an effective an efficient system, find one from nature and replicate it.

This doesn't sound quite like photosynthesis though. Photosynthesis is:

CO2 + H2O + (Sunlight) Energy -> 02 + HxOxCx (hydrocarbon)

This sounds like hydrolysis, which is:

Water + Energy -> O2 + H2

Hydrocarbons are much more stable and easier to store.

But, obviously, people at MIT would realize this and not be amazed by electrolysis. I suspect we are being limited by a journalist who doesn't understand the process he's describing.

I was complaining to some friends about this over a beer last night and turns out one of them had read a german article about this. It's a new method that doesn't require platinum so same efficiency, just a E36 M3 load cheaper. What a terrible berkeleying article, very frustrating.

"In one hour, enough sunlight strikes the Earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year."

So all this time environmentalists have overlooked the world's greatest contributor to global warming... the sun.

ding ding ding