Turns solar heat into electricity 'hybrid'

An engineer at Duke University has found a way to convert sunlight into electricity more efficiently than current technology.

At present, systems convert sunlight directly into electricity by splitting water into electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen, or storing electricity in different types of batteries, especially lithium ion batteries. Replacing the system, engineer Duke Nico Hotz of Duke University has proposed a ' hybrid ' model between the two systems.

Solar heat is passed through a water-catalyst and methanol in a copper-coated aluminum and roving nanotube system. After two catalysts react, this system will produce much more efficient hydrogen than current technology and less impurities. The resulting hydrocarbons are stored in fuel cells and used on demand.

Scheme of the " hybrid " model (Photo: Sciencedaily)

" This system allows 95% of the sun's heat to be absorbed without losing heat to the outside. It allows temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius, while conventional systems boil only 60-70 degrees Celsius , Hotz said.

The combination of high temperature and catalyst increases hydrogen production very efficiently. Hydrogen collected will be stored in the fuel cell to provide electricity during the day.

' The new system could release energy 28.5 percent in summer and 18.5 percent in winter, compared to 5-15 percent in summer and 2.5-5 percent in winter. often , "Hotz said. This system has the cheapest cost.

Hotz's research paper is considered the flagship of the ASME 2011 Sustainable Energy Supply Fuel Cells Conference in Washington DC. He is currently building a system at Duke to test his theoretical modeling practice.

Hotz's research was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and other collaborators, including researcher Seung H. Ko of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology.