Spray-on Photovoltaic cells...

[IanT]

Alright... I have been following this stuff since it came out , its all about the nanotechnology stuff...

Basically they have designed a way to incorporate a photovoltaic cell that can be used to harness solar energy---into a sprayable solution like a aerosol... WOW...

I wish I could learn how to do this... I know its pretty much impossible for one to construct anything nano-like in their garage (as Id be doing)... given the major cost implications of the microscope equipment alone...

So... Just putting my feelers out there cause I know we have a lot of members in the science community and whom could possibly be exposed to such research etc...

I know you can make your own solar cells from copper plating, but they arent really very powerful... My question is ...is there any way for a DIY-er to make a more efficient solar power solution??

It might be the rebel in me but I want to try and bootleg this spray-on solar technology stuff... I feel like its not aaaaaalll that complicated, even though it is.. its just wrapping my brain around the concept...

I wish we could harvest the energy from photosynthesis...now THAT would be cool... plug your cellphone into a tree or something lol

 

[Tabitha]

What is this spray supposed to do?

My husband is into solar stuff...

 

[Tabitha]

OK, I just googled it. interesting... but no idea.

 

[IanT]

lol pretty much it gives you the ability to spray this stuff on anything and turn it into a solar cell... so in the future Id say that it should be incorporated into Asphault (think of how many miles of roads there are in the world which, other than being used for transportation can be considered "dead space"...) imagine all of that as a interlinking system of solar cells!?!?! woooooah...we could power everything in the world!... and then you could apply the same concept to house-paints, roofs, window glass, even clothes!... pretty much any surface exposed to the sun. Very very profound implications for energy technology... talk about green industry

Im excited to see what this turns into, Id really like to figure out this technology...it is supposedly going to be on the market in 5 yrs or so...but im too damn impatient... I want to see if I can duplicate or make something similar...muahahahhaa.... evil genius style

 

[donniej]

IMO, the most efficient way for a home tinkerer to harness solar would be...

Building a cistern in your basement to hold sun-heated water. Pump the heated water through your house to heat it. I once knew a guy who had an above-ground pool in his basement to do this.

Build a parabolic mirror to focus the heat onto a Stirling engine.

You'd probably have better luck collecting used cooking oil and running a Lister engine or waste oil furnace off it. It's probably easier, assuming you have a good source for oil. I hear you can also run a Diesel off it
Don't get me strated on this stuff.... I've got years of research into it at this point 8)

BTW, good microscopes aren't that expensive. I got one off of Ebay that goes up to 1,200X, stereoscopic... new for ~$220.

 

[Zenobiah]

Make sure you have ample mass in front of your windows, i.e. tiled floors or concrete. Massive walls to retain the heat. This helps stabilize the energy flow.

We live in NM and have two solar panels that pump water from our well, a massive wall of concrete block behind our wood cookstove which we not only can cook on, but it also heats the house and the water in two old water heaters. Hubby is working on installing three ancient, huge decontamination tanks/showers outside as passive solar water tanks.

Eventually our electric bill should be pretty low!

 

[IanT]

IMO, the most efficient way for a home tinkerer to harness solar would be...

Building a cistern in your basement to hold sun-heated water. Pump the heated water through your house to heat it. I once knew a guy who had an above-ground pool in his basement to do this.

Build a parabolic mirror to focus the heat onto a Stirling engine.

You'd probably have better luck collecting used cooking oil and running a Lister engine or waste oil furnace off it. It's probably easier, assuming you have a good source for oil. I hear you can also run a Diesel off it
Don't get me strated on this stuff.... I've got years of research into it at this point 8)

BTW, good microscopes aren't that expensive. I got one off of Ebay that goes up to 1,200X, stereoscopic... new for ~$220.

I was hoping youd chime in ... ooooh I want to get you started!!!! lol... this stuff fascinates me!

Zen-- I cant WAIT to have some space to be able to do that.. Im living in an apt right now so it kind of sucks... but I think Ill find a way...

on a side note..I just had a vision of me mounting a wind turbine on top of my car to run my radio/accessory electronics in my car... muahahahah.... I wonder if that would work?

It would be pretty cool...maybe it could recharge the car battery as well when parked, and then when running you know its gonna be exposed to winds at least 40-95 mph (at least the way i drive lol)

Im on the highway alot put about 300 miles on my car a week...eeeeeeeeeeegh....

Come oooooon cheap helicopter technology... lol

 

[Zenobiah]

Yeah, where are those flying cars anyway?

 

[IanT]

Yeah, where are those flying cars anyway?

excatly!

Check out the CEO dude from Virgin Airlines.... hes got some crazy flying vehicles in the works.......aaaah if only I too, was a billionaire...

 

[Zenobiah]

I thought those had been "in the works" for 20 years...

 

[donniej]

on a side note..I just had a vision of me mounting a wind turbine on top of my car to run my radio/accessory electronics in my car... muahahahah.... I wonder if that would work?

It would be pretty cool...maybe it could recharge the car battery as well when parked, and then when running you know its gonna be exposed to winds at least 40-95 mph (at least the way i drive lol)

The wind resistance you'd be adding to your car would probably add so much reistance that you'd run a net energy loss. A little known fact is that aerodynamics actually has a much greater effect on efficiency than weight.

You'd be much better off using the lost energy from braking (like a hybrid) or from the energy which is converted to heat (huge percent).

 

[IanT]

hmmmmm now i must rethink my strategy muahhahahaha