The news:
The catalyst, used in conjunction with cheap photovoltaic solar panels, could lead to inexpensive, simple systems that use water to store the energy from sunlight.
Why it’s important:
- Batteries are way too big and expensive, so transforming the electricity generated through solar energy into a fuel might be a cheaper alternative.
- Without the need to heat and pressurize the water, the energy needs and cost of running the process overall are much lower.
- As soon as the first prototypes will appear, we’ll find out whether it’s a successful theory.