Listen to the Tagesschau Future Podcast: Solar panels on every roof? So what then?
Solar cells in the facade? How does that work? Find out more in the Tagesschau Future Podcast!
Let's assume there are solar systems on every roof. And what happens if the sun doesn't shine for a while? Follow the thought experiment of the Tagesschau Podcast. Our solar expert and architect Thorsten Kühn joins us.
At the Advice Centre for Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BAIP) at the HZB, Kühn advises on how solar power can come not only from the roof, but also from the façade. "Photovoltaics in façades are adapting well and will establish themselves as a normal building material in the future," Kühn says in the podcast. The aesthetics do not suffer either: in principle, all façade colours are feasible with photovoltaic panels, says the expert.
Listen to the podcast (in German):
https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/der-tagesschau-zukunfts-podcast-mal-angenommen/71374876/
- Green hydrogen: ‘Artificial leaf’ becomes better under pressureHydrogen can be produced via the electrolytic splitting of water. One option here is the use of photoelectrodes that convert sunlight into voltage for electrolysis in so called photoelectrochemical cells (PEC cells). A research team at HZB has now shown that the efficiency of PEC cells can be significantly increased under pressure.
- Green hydrogen from direct seawater electrolysis- experts warn against hypeAt first glance, the plan sounds compelling: invent and develop future electrolysers capable of producing hydrogen directly from unpurified seawater. But a closer look reveals that such direct seawater electrolysers would require years of high-end research. And what is more: DSE electrolyzers are not even necessary - a simple desalination process is sufficient to prepare seawater for conventional electrolyzers. In a commentary in Joule, international experts compare the costs and benefits of the different approaches and come to a clear recommendation.
- From waste to value: The right electrolytes can enhance glycerol oxidationWhen biomass is converted into biodiesel, huge amounts of glycerol are produced as a by-product. So far, however, this by-product has been little utilised, even though it could be processed into more valuable chemicals through oxidation in photoelectrochemical reactors. The reason for this: low efficiency and selectivity. A team led by Dr Marco Favaro from the Institute for Solar Fuels at HZB has now investigated the influence of electrolytes on the efficiency of the glycerol oxidation reaction. The results can help to develop more efficient and environmentally friendly production processes.