Aug 13 2004
Hydrogen Solar Ltd, the UK-based hydrogen production research and development company today (August 4) announced it has more than doubled the performance of its world leading Tandem Cell™ technology, and is moving towards the 10 percent benchmark accepted for commercial production.
The increase means that the Tandem Cell™ is now able to directly convert more than 8 percent of sunlight energy directly into pure hydrogen fuel.
The target 10 percent performance level was recognised in 2003 by the industry as the common benchmark for commercially viable production on the open energy market.
Nanotechnology
Central to the increases in performance is the use of nano-crystalline coatings within the exclusively-licensed Tandem Cell™. Using novel metal-oxides, the coatings produce high photocurrent densities, and create a highly efficient means of converting light and water into hydrogen fuel from one single unit.
Using low-cost, scalable, materials Hydrogen Solar began work on the nanocrystalline coatings in mid 2002, and CEO Dr David Auty believes further increases in the conversion rate can be expected.
"We now have a scalable pathway, and can confidently foresee higher performance levels in the near future," he said.
Applications
Hydrogen Solar Ltd expects its world-leading technology will be used as a clean, CO2-free fuel for transport and home energy installations.
"This means, for example, that at the benchmark 10% performance level, a 7m x7m Tandem Cell™ unit on a double garage roof is capable of producing enough hydrogen from sunlight to run a Mercedes A-Class vehicle 11,000 miles over a year in Los Angeles light conditions," Dr Auty said.
The Tandem Cell™ is also expected to be incorporated into building designs, particularly on factory and garage roofs.
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