Posted on 04/05/2007 6:25:44 AM PDT by Uncledave
Solar power breakthrough at Massey By MERVYN DYKES - Manawatu Standard | Thursday, 5 April 2007
New solar cells developed by Massey University don't need direct sunlight to operate and use a patented range of dyes that can be impregnated in roofs, window glass and eventually even clothing to produce power.
This means teenagers could one day be wearing jackets that will recharge their equivalents of cellphones, iPods and other battery- driven devices.
The breakthrough is a development of the university's Nanomaterials Research Centre and has attracted world-wide interest already - particularly from Australia and Japan.
Researchers at the centre have developed a range of synthetic dyes from simple organic compounds closely related to those found in nature, where light-harvesting pigments are used by plants for photosynthesis.
"This is a proof-of-concept cell," said researcher Wayne Campbell, pointing to a desktop demonstration model.
"Within two to three years we will have developed a prototype for real applications. "The technology could be sold off already, but it would be a shame to get rid of it now."
The key to everything is the ability of the synthetic dyes to pass on the energy that reaches them - something that mere coloured water could not do.
"We now have the most efficient porphyrin dye in the world," said the centre's director, Ashton Partridge.
"It is the most efficient ever made. While others are doing related work, in this aspect we are the world leaders."
The development of the dyes has taken about 10 years and was accomplished with funding from the Royal Society of New Zealand for fundamental work and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology in the later stages.
Now the team is seeking extra funding to go commercial.
"This particular technology does not require the large infrastructure required for silicon chips and the like," said Professor Partridge. It lends itself to being taken up by local and New Zealand industries.
Other dyes being tested in the cells are based on haemoglobin, the compound that gives blood its colour.
Dr Campbell said that unlike silicone-based solar cells, the dye- based cells are still able to operate in low-light conditions, making them ideal for cloudy climates.
They are also more environmentally friendly because they are made from titanium dioxide - an abundant and non-toxic, white mineral available from New Zealand's black sand.
Titanium dioxide is used already in consumer products such as toothpaste, white paints and cosmetics.
"The refining of silicon, although a very abundant mineral, is energy- hungry and very expensive," he said.
Professor Partridge said the next step was to take the dyes and incorporate them in roofing materials, tinted window glass and wall panels where they could generate electricity for home owners.
The aim was to develop a solar cell that could convert as much sunlight as possible to electricity.
"The energy that reaches Earth from sunlight in one hour is more than that used by all human activities in one year."
COLOUR THEIR FUTURE GREEN: Wayne Campbell, left, and Ashton Partridge with a tiny demonstration solar panel filled with synthetic dye. Not only is it environmentally friendly and capable of being made in New Zealand, but it costs a fraction of the price of silicon cells.
Please Freep Mail me if you'd like on/off
And it has NO EFFECT on global warming.
Now the team is seeking extra funding to go commercial.
More here:http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=1727.php
Using nanotechnology to develop a better solar cell
(Nanowerk News) Solar cell technology developed by Massey University’s Nanomaterials Research Centre will enable New Zealanders to generate electricity from sunlight at a 10th of the cost of current silicon-based photo-electric solar cells.
Dr Wayne Campbell and researchers in the centre have developed a range of coloured dyes for use in dye-sensitised solar cells. The synthetic dyes are made from simple organic compounds closely related to those found in nature.
Other dyes being tested in the cells are based on haemoglobin, the compound that give blood its colour.
Dr Campbell says that unlike the silicon-based solar cells currently on the market, the 10x10cm green demonstration cells generate enough electricity to run a small fan in low-light conditions – making them ideal for cloudy climates. The dyes can also be incorporated into tinted windows that trap to generate electricity.
He says the green solar cells are more environmentally friendly than silicon-based cells as they are made from titanium dioxide – a plentiful, renewable and non-toxic white mineral obtained from New Zealand’s black sand. Titanium dioxide is already used in consumer products such as toothpaste, white paints and cosmetics.
“The refining of pure silicon, although a very abundant mineral, is energy-hungry and very expensive. And whereas silicon cells need direct sunlight to operate efficiently, these cells will work efficiently in low diffuse light conditions,” Dr Campbell says.
“The expected cost is one 10th of the price of a silicon-based solar panel, making them more attractive and accessible to home-owners.”
The Centre’s new director, Professor Ashton Partridge, says they now have the most efficient porphyrin dye in the world and aim to optimise and improve the cell construction and performance before developing the cells commercially.
“The next step is to take these dyes and incorporate them into roofing materials or wall panels. We have had many expressions of interest from New Zealand companies,” Professor Partridge says.
He says the ultimate aim of using nanotechnology to develop a better solar cell is to convert as much sunlight to electricity as possible.
“The energy that reaches earth from sunlight in one hour is more than that used by all human activities in one year”.
The solar cells are the product of more than 10 years research funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
Source: Massey University
Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
They are predicting two to three years just for a prototype. If I only had a nickel for every failed promise concerning energy products.
....You'd be able to invest in THIS one.
Nanosolar’s technology is a better bet. Already starting production, more efficient conversion (as good as silicon cells).
If this article is accurate, they should have venture capitalists throwing money at them.
Of course it affects global warming. Otherwise the earth would be a block of ice.
The primary issue is how much of the sun's heat is radiated back into space and how much remains contained within the atmosphere and oceans.
The concetration of different gases in the atmosphere alter the amount of heat retained or released as do multiple other factors.
Anthropogenic warming postulates that increased levels of Carbon Dioxide caused by the burning of fossil fuels has changed this formula and the result is an overall average increase in the global temperature.
It would seem as if you either are fully ignorant or were just commenting for fun. I hope it was the latter and that you have a real opinion about climate change based on your analysis of the evidence rather than a (poorly) parroted response of agenda driven, conspiracy laden and poorly informed right-wing talkshow hosts.
Already starting production
You could start your own failed energy promise company!......
It would be a ball of ice..........
First there are spelling police now we apparently have geometry police here at FR ;0)
The author of the article gets right to the heart of the matter.
...as we have Math Police, Grammar Police and Science Police. The only thing we don’t seem to have is Phys-Ed Police.........
Forget teenagers, perhaps we could outfit soldiers with this to charge their electronic equipment’s batteries.
ping
You seem a bit testy.
My understanding is that "global warming" is currently being observed on several of the planets in our solar system. I wonder why. Some folks on Earth like to point to "increased levels of Carbon Dioxide caused by the burning of fossil fuels" but that doesn't explain the melting ice caps on Mars, or the warming on Jupiter.
You recognize that the Sun gives us a huge energy input. You also recognize, I hope, that the Sun goes through cycles and that it's energy output is not uniform and constant.
Perhaps you also recognize that the Earth has gone through many periods of ice ages and warming periods. The Middle Ages saw vikings successfully establish farms in Greenland during a warming period called the Medieval Maximum. But between 1600 and 1850 we had a period called the Little Ice Age.
The current warming trend is seen as tied to industrialization and is considered (by some) to be Anthropogenic. Of course, others (like me) like to point out that if the Little Ice Age came to an end, a warming period -- by definition -- would follow.
The folks who blame man for Global Warming have to ignore historical climate variations, discount known solar variations, and ignore the current state of other planets in our solar system. They just say damn the evidence, let's blame man.
But what is its life expectancy? Does it break down after a year? does extreme heat or cold affect it? Does the dye freeze at typical winter temperatures? A lot of unanswered questions.
Still, I hope this product does well and enters the market rapidly.
Just dump some antifreeze in it. ;)
There have to be all kinds of uses for this stuff. Recharging GPS’s and holographic sights come to mind right away, for instance. I thought it kind of funny that the writer only mentioned how handy it could be for teenagers.
Also, I don’t see why the actual application has to be years away...sounds like the inventors have a mindset where they are envisioning securing more grants which can be strung out more or less indefinitely.
Very exciting nonetheless, thanks for the post.
Own some commercial property? How many acres of glass on your 46 story building that you have to tint anyway? Perfect application: office space and gigantic solar panel. Cut your daytime energy costs for your property. This is definitely worth pursuing.
If more of us had our photos online, we'd have those for sure.
Or of dissenting scientists writing peer-reviewed papers?
Of course, they would not have the Climatologic credibility of someone who flunked Divinity classes and made movies.
I’d definitely be ARRESTED!........
Paint ever man made structure on the face of the earth.
I like the thinking, but paint cracks and peels. How often do you have to repaint your house? How do you hook up an electrical circuit on a shingle covered house? On vinyl, or aluminum siding?
Glass is relatively stable provided you keep the hail off with an overhang, and on a commercial building you have acres of the stuff!
Nope. What I gather from their various press announcements and their website is that their "one-line" production scale pilot line has been working for quite a while now, and they are actually producing modules based on product from it. I don't know if these are for commercial sale yet, or for pre-sale testing.
The new round of venture capital funding is for the full-bore multi-line production plant.
But at any rate this is well past the "R&D" stage.
Assuming it used water and steam, it "was" a pressure vessel. You can get away with a lot of safety short-cuts with an R&D prototype, but when it comes time to produce "consumer" units, you have GOT to "dot all the i's and cross all the t's". Those regs are there for a reason.
Really like Gilbert Sheltons comics.
Got a source for that?
nano technology is just around the corner too
How much a gallon? How many watts/gallon? I would need about ten gallons to cover the south side of my house. Do you need wires, ground planes, or does the electricity kind of seep into the house?
Now that gets my attention.
Not even if you could get the energy capture of the sun output combined with the generation and storage of the energy up to 50% efficient. (more likely 5%) It would take a dish ~12 feet in diameter.
US Solar Radiation Map
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/images/us_pv_annual_may2004.jpg
Househole Consumption of Electricity
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/recs/recs2001/enduse2001/enduse2001.html
It was the 70’s
Just how much pressure did the system generate?
Yes, with 1970 technology for capturing the energy, running the generator and storing the power. I suspect it would have been closer to the 5% efficiency requiring a collector 30 feet in diameter. It was also 1970 efficiencies running the Air Conditioner and Refrigerator as well.
The difference in pressure between your BBQ propane tank and a steam boiler is quite large. Many hundreds of psi, depending on the operating temperature of the boiler.
"nano-technology" is in use today in a number of places.
true but in respect to solar stuff.nana acomin there too
For the past few years I have been convinced that I am living on Bizarro world.
MXYZPTLYK........
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