MIT-Developed Solar Panels Could Bring Cheap Energy to the Developing World
Thursday, May 20th 2010 10:58 PM
By GetSolar Staff.
Solar power is growing in popularity among homeowners and businesses in the U.S. - but it may also have value in developing countries.
Many third-world nations lack electrical infrastructure, diminishing the prospect of utility-scale energy projects. But solar - which only needs sunlight and basic wiring to operate - can be tapped to provide power for those who live far off the grid.
And a new technology developed by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology could bring an interesting kind of solar power to residents of less-developed nations. The technology uses a nickel-borate metal catalyst to electrolyze water, meaning that it splits water into hydrogen and oxygen atoms using sunlight.
The hydrogen could be trapped, stored and used to power generators or other devices, researcher Mircea Dinca said to SciDev.net.
Dinca added that the catalysts "work with water taken from rivers and this is something that hasn't been shown before."
Whether the technology can be commercialized remains to be seen. But MIT's discovery illustrates the promise of solar power - for residents of the developed and developing worlds alike.
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Solar power is growing in popularity among homeowners and businesses in the U.S. - but it may also have value in developing countries.
