New: Solar panels that work in the rain.

Could be useful here in Ireland...


Future Solar Panels Will Generate Energy From Raindrops -

Did this come out on April 1st?
Solar panels store electricity? Don't think so....

folivier said:

Did this come out on April 1st?
Solar panels store electricity? Don't think so....

Click to expand...

I think its similar to drops of water on a steel surface that result in an electrical potential across the droplet; similar to a tiny battery.

I presume graphene works in a similar fashion ?

Greetings,
Mr. RB. I think they'd be better off installing these in the pub pissoirs. Lots of stored up energy there. Just think of the advertising:

Guiness is good for you AND the environment.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. RB. I think they'd be better off installing these in the pub pissoirs. Lots of stored up energy there. Just think of the advertising:

Guiness is good for you AND the environment.

Click to expand...

Lol!
they used to collect it to make gunpowder back in the good old days.

Seriously? The name of that site is Science News Journal? And they can't even get a writer who has the remotest clue as to what he/she is writing?

I'm used to journalism majors making some obvious mistakes when writing science-related stories, but that one takes the cake.

CaptTom said:

Seriously? The name of that site is Science News Journal? And they can't even get a writer who has the remotest clue as to what he/she is writing?

I'm used to journalism majors making some obvious mistakes when writing science-related stories, but that one takes the cake.

Click to expand...

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/chemical/corrosion.html

Science isn't my speciality; how do water droplets on a graphene surface generate electricity, or is it total bs?

CaptTom said:

Seriously? The name of that site is Science News Journal? And they can't even get a writer who has the remotest clue as to what he/she is writing?

I'm used to journalism majors making some obvious mistakes when writing science-related stories, but that one takes the cake.

Click to expand...

??

I thought it was pretty clear. What are you objecting to?

Rustybarge said:

Could be useful here in Ireland...


Future Solar Panels Will Generate Energy From Raindrops -

Click to expand...

Thanks Peter,

An interesting article. I will have to look at the journal more often.
What's not mentioned, is that probably today, it would take 10,000 years to pay back the cost of the panels.

Certainly an innovative idea.

Wxx3 said:

Thanks Peter,

An interesting article. I will have to look at the journal more often.
What's not mentioned, is that probably today, it would take 10,000 years to pay back the cost of the panels.

Certainly an innovative idea.

Click to expand...

They also neglect to mention degradation in UV light; I believe standard solar panels can suffer loss of up to 30% of output after a few years. Maybe graphene isn't affected.

Nice to hear from you Richard; are you returning to Ireland for the spring to collect your kk? The weather has been atrocious over the winter, the Shannon rose to record highs.

Ive been to Gibraltar with the kids over Christmas to have a look for suitable winter moorings; all I need now is a suitable boat! Lol.

I heard that the Irish were working on solar panels that work in the dark!

That's right after they send a man to the sun. He won't get burnt to a crisp because they are sending him at night!

menzies said:

I heard that the Irish were working on solar panels that work in the dark!

That's right after they send a man to the sun. He won't get burnt to a crisp because they are sending him at night!

Click to expand...

Lol!.

...

An American takes a sightseeing tour around Dublin. While walking around he smiles and tells the guide:
"Listen pal, why is everything so small here? Look at this building for example. In America it would be 10 times as big..."
"I completely agree, sir! That's the madhouse...

I think RT may be on to something. The article mentions the Chinese developed this. The production of power depends on ions in the rain; however, when water evaporates it is essentially free of any salts much like distilled water. When clouds form they do so when water vapor condenses on dust particles which might contain trace amounts of salt. When rain falls it may pick up more trace amounts of salts from the atmosphere (think acid rain from around old coal fired power plants and smelters). The effect may work in China due to the levels of pollution but may not work as well in the US because our air so much cleaner.

Hence, RT 's solution could work if the output of the urinals was piped back to the roof and sprayed on the solar cells at night or in cloudy conditions. I wonder how many federal/state/local regulations that would violate.

Tom

Greetings,
Mr. tp. Good catch. I took the necessity of salts into account when I posted the "device". With the new panels mounted vertically in such a "device" indoors, one wouldn't have to worry about UV degradation.

tpbrady said:

Hence, RT 's solution could work if the output of the urinals was piped back to the roof and sprayed on the solar cells at night or in cloudy conditions. I wonder how many federal/state/local regulations that would violate.

Tom

Click to expand...

Nah, just move the head to the roof.

Marty.....................