The system uses electricity generated by solar cells to split oxygen and hydrogen for storage in fuel cells.
The fuel cells can then be used to provide electricity when the sun isn't shining, thereby overcoming one of the great limitations of solar energy.
In the past, conventional batteries have been suggested as a way to store solar-generated electricity but they have proved too costly and inefficient to provide sufficient power.
Earlier this month UK company Intelligent Energy presented a scheme to the US Senate based on linking hydrogen fuel cells into the US electricity grid so as to smooth out the peaky nature of alternative sources such as wind and solar.
In a public statement MIT’s researchers hoped that within 10 years all domestic premises would be powered this way, rather than using conventional electricity supplies.
MIT boffins promote solar-fuel cell combo
By
Andrew Charlesworth
on Aug 6, 2008 7:34AM
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have combined solar and fuel cell technologies to create what is being hailed as a clean energy breakthrough..
Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Partner Content
Promoted Content
AWS She Builds seeks to bridge the great IT gender gap
Promoted Content
The five questions every storage buyer should ask
Promoted Content
Critical considerations for moving to the cloud
Promoted Content
Why CIOs must now think differently about application security
Sponsored Whitepapers
Understanding the next security control points: applications and workloads
Best security practices after rapid Digital Transformation
The CISO View 2021 Survey: Zero Trust and Privileged Access
How and why to backup your Office 365 tenant
ForgeRock for Australia’s Trusted Digital Identity Framework (TDIF)
