Friday, March 15, 2019

How do you evaluate this statement?

A solar panel can split water into hydrogen at a rate of 250 liters of hydrogen per day.

Sounds impressive, yes?  Well, let's take a look at what that really means.  According to the gas laws, 22.4 liters equals 1 mole at standard temperature and pressure.  Therefore, 250/22.4 moles of hydrogen gas.  Running the arithmetic out at 2 grams per mole equals  22 grams of hydrogen.  A kilogram has about the energy of 1 gallon of gasoline, or so I have heard.  How much more to reach that energy level?  1000 gram/ 22 grams equals  nearly 45 days to make the energy equivalent to a gallon of gasoline.

Doesn't sound that impressive.  Indeed, no matter how efficient you make solar cells, you won't improve this by all that much.

Not very impressive.  But I am sure the greenies will love the idea.  Anything stupid and impractical is right up their alley.


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