E. Jullien/CNRS/Pixscience
Source: Energy Matters
We’ve reported on space-based solar farms before, where orbiting satellite arrays beam uninterrupted energy back to Earth via microwave or incredibly huge electrical cables.
A French researcher has suggested a simpler method of unimpeded solar electricity production: ‘solar balloons’.
The idea, according to electro-chemist Professor Jean-François Guillemoles, is to rise above the pesky clouds that hamper the production of solar energy by using hydrogen-filled polymer balloons fitted with solar cells.
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(E. Jullien/CNRS/NextPV)
“The main problem with photovoltaic energy is that sunlight can be obscured by clouds, which makes electrical production intermittent and uncertain. But above the cloud cover, the sun shines all day, every day,” Professor Guillemoles says.
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“Anywhere above the planet, there are very few clouds at an altitude of 6 km—and none at all at 20 km. Under these conditions, the energy source is five times more abundant than on the ground, and production is entirely predictable. So why not send solar cells up above the clouds, where the sun always shines?”
The concept would involve mounting solar panels on high-altitude polymer balloons, which could be tethered to the ground or float free. During the day, electricity would be sent back to earth via cable or transmitter, with a portion of the current producing hydrogen from an attached fuel cell. At night, the fuel cell takes over, providing 24-hour energy.
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Where there;s a will there’s a way! And if we can move past profit type thinking
waiting for flat earthers to say it’s not possible ???
Seems more plausible with a flat earth. Lol
Seems more plausible with a flat earth. Lol
No don’t , there are better ways
question is, if that solar energy is normaly bounced back to space by the clouds will our collecting it not increase the so called global warming effect?
?
why the question mark nathan
No, is the short answer, energy transference.
There is a way with gel filed solar collectors wich in theory would absorb 23% more energy with 0 feed back to environment I’ve designed one just can’t get anyone to listen it actually makes a simple 350watts solar panel in earth 35% more efficient and is cool to the touch at 1 pm
Well what about planes? Would have to have fly around zones
Before we bombard the skies and atmosphere lets make sure the side effects don’t exceed the gain.
awsome ,
Cool!
this is an incredible idea !
And it’s like sending out an intersteller symbol, that we are partying down here.
Greg Benson
jh
LOL … Air traffick controllers and pilots nightmares.
She wore an itsy bitsy teeny weeny polka dotted sky bikini!
Mason Ernst
Erik Smith
Sounds like San Fransokyo from big hero 6. Hopefully we get baymax aswell! Charleigh Williams
Jason Galvin
I am very interested to start studying renewable energy starting this winter
More govt control
think about it. not good for the Airplanes.
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the French always make great contributions…
Stop bitching about dreamy shit…..how about a Windmill with blades fixed with solar panels…. -__-
It will have to be made a no fly zone, cyclones prone areas not suitable, quite a lot surface area wasted, you have to install cells all around the sphere to take power all the time of the day, the rope so long will twist, dangerous to birds, ropes need to be absolutely non conductive which is not possible because it will have power cable hence danger from lightening in clouds, too much investment for little power, long term durability still a question, too unfeasible …
Rad! I say do it?
Tayo Redondo
Come on us inventors we need to win this race
Kristina Chapman
Patrick
All this technology to harness the energy we were freely given before technology.