Is the future of renewable energy in solar panels that will float above the clouds and generate electricity in all weather conditions?
Ilya Brebner - Angle - Science and Environment News Agency
A new technological model by scientists from France and Japan proposes to raise to a height of six kilometers, above the clouds, special hydrogen balloons on which solar panels will be mounted. These balloons, it is claimed, will allow the use of solar energy regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. The "NextPV" labs team, which is made up of scientists from the French National Institute of Sciences and the University of Tokyo, are working on building a prototype that can overcome some of the difficulties and limitations that exist in conventional solar panels - ground-mounted.
Solar energy has great potential to play a central role in the future of renewable energy in the world - from large solar power plants to solar collectors on roofs in residential buildings. But those standard solar systems have some notable weaknesses. Besides the initial, relatively high costs of the infrastructure needed to produce solar energy (costs that are decreasing rapidly, by the way), there are two challenges related to the entire solar energy industry: the need to store energy for the dark hours of the night, and the effects of cloudy or overcast weather on the production of electricity from the sun .
bypass the clouds
The developers of the new energy collection facility claim that the solar energy yields from a system of solar panels that will be deployed on special balloons floating above the clouds (about six kilometers above the ground) can be double compared to terrestrial solar systems. "The main problem with solar energy is that its rays are hidden by clouds, which makes the production of electricity partial and not entirely certain," wrote Jean-Francis Guilmoles, of the French National Institute of Science. "But above the clouds, the sun shines every day. Anywhere above the earth, there are very few clouds at a height of six kilometers, at these heights, the light comes directly from the sun, since there is nothing to cast shadows and almost no effect of the atmosphere on the intensity of the sun. At this height, the direct rays of the sun become stronger, because they are not filtered, so the energy configuration increases."
The researchers plan for the solar balloons to convert solar energy into electricity during the day. This electricity will be used by electricity consumers and will also be used to electrolyze water. Electrolysis will break down the water into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen will be stored in the balloons and will have two functions: the first, to allow the balloons to float without the need for special equipment or dedicated energy investment; The second, to be an "electricity battery" for the night hours. How will it work? The sun's energy is converted into electrical energy, which is converted into chemical energy stored in hydrogen. At night, the hydrogen in the balloons in a fuel cell will be used to generate electricity. In a fuel cell, hydrogen gas gives up electrons to the anode (the electrode where an oxidation reaction occurs), becomes a charged ion of hydrogen, and only then reacts with oxygen to form water. The produced electrons create a current that is fed into the electrical grid. This prevents an explosion of hydrogen, because the hydrogen gas does not react directly with oxygen.
And what about the birds?
The solar balloon system is still an academic idea, but members of NextPV Labs plan to produce a working prototype within two years. Until that time, as often happens in studies of this kind, less and less predictable problems and challenges will surface, such as the creation of kilometers of power cables and the constant drop in prices of standard solar panels.
The scientists may encounter many problems along the way, such as keeping the balloons safe during storms, preventing entanglement of the balloon cables (if the balloons are crowded, they may become entangled with each other; if the balloons are not crowded, the array of balloons will spread over vast areas and then the utilization of the space will not be optimal. Solution A possible solution to this problem would be the launch of a small number of huge balloons, each of which would be equivalent to the output of large ground solar installations), maintenance, interference with aircraft and birds and the danger of explosion of the solar hydrogen balloons (the Achilles heel of the zeppelins a hundred years ago was the fact that they were filled with explosive hydrogen), and more.
A video by NEXTPV, which explains how the solar balloons will work:
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How stupid can be in one article. Any beginning physicist will see that even a theoretical model is not possible. In order to reduce the load on the cable, make sure to pull exactly 1G so that the cable will hold a load of half the distance. That is 3 km. To get maximum efficiency, a servo system must be built to hold the panel facing the sun. In order to get high conversion efficiency, the inverters must be installed next to the solar panel. In my humble opinion, there is no cable containing electrical wires (even aluminum) that holds itself in a vertical length of 3 km. It is desirable that the learned professors look for another topic for their skills.
Reasonably priced of course
It will take some 50 years before it will be possible to create 6 kilometers of spider webs or graphene
It seems to me that engineered spider webs or graphene wrapped in webs to produce a thick cable might be worth an experiment and strong enough without support and also flexible. I saw that there is genetic engineering for the laboratory production of spider webs. Let the machine experts think.
By the way, an observation balloon can easily reach a height of 800-900 meters. I suppose it would have been possible even more, but I don't think there is any operational need (a greater height would make it less good to see. In any case, it is not about 200 meters as you wrote. And the electricity can be lowered with a cable from a mooring and there is no need for an additional cable (as long as a transformer is installed to raise the barrage For a high burst, the energy worker will be negligible for 6 kilometers even on a steel cable)
If it is really not possible to anchor a balloon with cables to the ground at a height of 6 kilometers with the help of metal, and you have to build a tower to hold the balloon. So of course the whole project is complete nonsense. They talk about balloons attached to the ground. Today it is not possible to produce a long cable from graphene. In any case, energy transmission may be suitable for satellites that do not move relative to a point on the ground or whose movement is completely predictable. It is not suitable for a balloon that cannot be easily left even in the same area. How long do you think steel is strong enough to hold a balloon?
6 km x 20 mm is a fraction of 1/3X10^-8. There is no metal in the world that in a vertical position without supports every 200 meters will withstand this.
Add to that a non-negligible mass of the cable. There should be no insistence. The line of thought should not be of throwing a 200 meter linen cable from a hot air balloon, but of a column standing in such a ratio 3.33X10-9. Cracks and dislocations will form in the material as a result of displacements and it will tear. You don't have a skyscraper in the world with such an attitude and the skeleton is built of steel. To solve the problem, in my humble opinion, an engineered material with flexibility and strength many times higher than spider webs will be required. Alternatively, the solution I said: a directional antenna. The solution exists, and is not illusory. The problem is the need for control so that the beam's position compared to the ball's oscillations is fixed exactly 0.1 degrees.
To Yossi
In my opinion, you are exaggerating the complexity of anchoring a balloon at a height of 6 kilometers. It is not a space elevator, in my opinion the cable can be made of metal.
It seems to me that from an economic point of view the biggest problem is the drop in oil prices which can threaten any green project.
That is why we need the help of governments to intervene in projects that may become unprofitable in the event of a drop in oil prices. What's more, as green energy enters, the demand may decrease and then the price. Or even lowering prices and deliberately increasing output of oil exporting countries, to block the entry of green technology. As with the oil flakes.
In short, without the support of the countries, another century will pass until weaning off oil, and it may be too late
Japan does not believe that generating electricity in space will be unprofitable. Germany - a cold country reaches 78% electricity from renewable energy in the summer and about 50% in July-August average. There is the problem that renewable energies destroy the economic viability of power plants with different fuels. Eventually each of us will have solar cells and batteries like Elon Musk sells and a micro grid. Sad but there will be less need for power plants. how do i know Know. But there is a reference for everything on the web.
Creating greener "lossy" electricity is more profitable for the state
in many respects. The state must help make the change. Secondly, today it is no longer safe to lose, but there is a high initial investment. The state can help, say, by providing a loan to citizens to create household electricity.
In the electricity market, not the tycoons, but the IEC board, which does not allow the state to force the IEC to buy electricity from external producers, green or not. And the electric company is a monopoly, so it has no reason to be efficient. . If there was competition, it is possible to impose a special tax on polluting electricity or tax relief for green electricity. And so the country could reach at least almost energy independence, reduce air pollution, and save on spending on health problems
When cables are laid on the ground or between two poles - their own weight is not terrible. If we talk about producing 200 amperes for the balloon - speculation, a multi-core cable with a diameter of 20 mm is required. Imagine a high-rise whose base to height ratio is 20 mm x 6 km. Now you will understand that there is wisdom here. The cable should be flexible to be wind resistant, not bend like the Titanic when it came out of the water and broke in two. Cables for such distances without reinforcements for a supporting wall or ground, or rods, should, in my opinion, be made of materials that are very strong, such as graphene.
No. And Benjamin
The main producers of electricity from solar energy in Israel are tycoons.
The reason they don't produce more electricity from solar energy in Israel is that it is more expensive than electricity from coal or gas. In Europe, electricity is produced from solar energy because the tycoons there have a large lobby of greens who convince the governments to pay them tax money (subsidy) for this loss-making electricity production.
Only nuclear fusion will solve the energy problem
No copper cable is even needed. In any case, the balloon is connected to the ground by metal cables. If there is a transformer on top, there will be almost no loss of energy for 6 kilometers. 6 kilometers is considered a very short distance, even the high voltage wires of the electric company are not made of copper and transmit electricity for much longer distances without significant loss.
In any case, this is not a solution for Israel, here there are not enough cloudy days to justify such a complication, and in countries that are darker than clouds like Europe, there are often stronger winds, which can be a problem.
the problem that the balloons will get tangled in their own strings. It is possible to solve so that they connect all the balloons to one surface that will be anchored in the corners
I agree that six km high copper cable is also appropriate.
There are other problems there, no free gifts. The beauty is that the human mind will think of solutions. The cable will have a diameter of about 80 mm to transmit up to 1000 amperes (or 25 mm for 250 amperes), the weight of the cable that pulls down the balloon - being an anchor - which makes it vulnerable to the winds (as Isaiah said: the monkey is not as strong as his head), Diameter to length ratio - requires new engineered flexible materials such as perhaps graphene.
Right. But both radars of fighter planes and lasers that aim at the moon, are aimed in a very focused way and with high efficiency.
very They do this with an array of antennas (phased array) that transmit waves at one frequency (monochromatic) and one wave front (phase coherent), out of spatial interference that destroys transition to a beam focused in a thin tube in space. This is true for radar and we are talking about energy transfer, but the idea is not illusory. In Japan there is a government project for a solar farm in space with such an antenna. In addition, if you remember, it was Tesla's idea to transfer electrical energy wirelessly through the natural waveguide created by the layers of the atmosphere.
There is no reason for creative ways to transfer energy to a distance of only 6 kilometers. which is the height planned for the balloons
A copper or even aluminum cable will waste the least amount of energy.
The world is currently working on wireless energy transfer. Success is still partial. Cell phone chargers require physical proximity. But the idea of transferring energy wirelessly.
The energy is converted from direct current to radio waves (giga hertz) and projected by a phased array antenna to the earth. The problem: if the Entente moves at a micro level it will burn a city instead of hitting the shelter. No need for cables.
No.
Not dreams, brazen corruption.
...and we have the answer and Noble Energy...
In the most embarrassing way, Israel, which is progressive and abundant in the sun, produces the least amount of electricity from renewable sources
Relatively (and certainly in absolute numbers) from many countries in cold Europe, because here you have to maintain tycoons
From them and only from them will we buy energy and to hell with the state and the consumers. Therefore, forget about innovations in the field, they are really irrelevant to Israel.
There are really some crazy bars in this project
The balloon has to carry not only solar collectors but also capacitors 6 kilometers long, isn't that heavy enough? A water pipe will have to be added to it.
Also, what's the matter with a hydrogen balloon, it's much safer to work with helium, especially in the environment of generating electricity and lightning, helium is better even if it's less light.
I don't understand the logic of storing the excess energy for the night on the balloon. and not on the ground (either with batteries or with the help of hydrogen)
In my opinion, in the end they will manage to reach a level of energy utilization, so that it will be profitable enough and there will be no need for such grandiose solutions
What is certain is that in Israel today there is no need for such inventions. Only a dreamer can explain how in Germany they produce more solar electricity in percentages than in sunny Israel