Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 17 April 1998:
Vol. 280. no. 5362, p. 382
DOI: 10.1126/science.280.5362.382
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Research News

RENEWABLE ENERGY:
A Record in Converting Photons to Fuel

Robert F. Service

Using solar energy to split water into oxygen and hydrogen would create a clean, powerful fuel. But the process is inefficient and expensive, because the two steps involved--generating electricity from sunlight and using it to split water--normally take place in separate devices, and energy is lost in between. Now, on page 425, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have come up with a single device that accomplishes both tasks without using any additional external energy and which has set a world record in efficiency for converting photons to fuel. The new device appears to be efficient and stable, but because the materials are expensive, the researchers estimate that it would produce hydrogen at three times the cost of the cheapest method for bulk production.

Read the Full Text

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)