Germany Finds Revolutionary 'Clean' Energy Source In The Unlikeliest of Places — Antarctica
A surprising discovery about Antarctica has stunned scientists, as researchers from several German institutes have found meaningful insights into the continent's energy potential, as reported by Eco News. Experts speculate that the continent's conditions could be viable for producing alternative forms of energy, making people rely less on fossil fuels and more on renewable sources. Findings regarding this discovery have been published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.
The study evaluates several approaches that can be used to generate energy through water electrolysis powered by solar cells. During the process, researchers confirmed that despite facing extreme conditions, Antarctica can host several solar applications. The approaches taken into consideration for this study were conventional and thermally coupled systems, providing a more sustainable approach for the future. In order to confirm whether energy generation from either of the systems would be applicable in extreme conditions, experts mimicked the Antarctic environment. After examining both approaches, researchers asserted that thermally coupled systems work better in the Antarctic environment.
Environmental Physicist Kira Rehfeld from Heidelberg University initiated the examinations because she wanted to know whether fossil fuels used on the continent for energy generation in appliances like generators could be replaced by hydrogen, per Science Daily. Seeing the light received by Antarctica in summer, Rehfeld and other authors believed that solar radiation could be used to produce the required hydrogen for the continent's energy requirement. Researchers estimated that, under the provided conditions, electrolysis would be the best method to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen using solar modules.
The study details the use of two approaches applied by the team to facilitate the electrolysis. In the conventional system, the photovoltaic module was thermally and physically apart from the electrolysis tank. The thermally coupled scenario, on the other hand, featured the photovoltaic module close to the electrolysis tank. Researchers noted that in the thermally coupled system, the conditions promoted thermal diffusion. In order to mimic the Antarctic conditions, the experts conducted the whole experiment inside a freezer.
The sunlight was simulated by cutting a hole in the freezer's door, installing a quartz window, and illuminating the insides. Electrolysis was facilitated in a container placed inside this whole arrangement. Researchers filled the electrolysis container with 30 percent sulphuric acid, which exhibited a freezing point of -35 degrees Celsius and could conduct electricity well. After finalizing the setup, electrolysis was conducted using both approaches. Measurements showcased that in thermally coupled systems, more hydrogen was produced compared to a conventional system.
Experts assumed the increased quantity of hydrogen in the thermally coupled scenario was mainly due to the illuminated PV modules being able to pass their waste heat directly into the electrolyzer. Researchers were also able to identify a drawback of conducting electrolysis in Antarctica using the thermally coupled approach. Electrolysis' efficiency reportedly dropped when faced with low temperatures. In this scenario, though, additional thermal insulation to the electrolyzer aided in bringing the efficiency back up.
The next step for researchers is to determine whether they can apply this approach at a large scale, stated Ulm University. The team wants to conduct these experiments in "realistic" conditions, in Antarctica itself, if possible, to determine whether they could apply the methodology to fulfill the continent's energy needs. Experts think their approach is a viable solution to the danger fossil fuel poses to the ecosystem of several remote regions of the world, like Antarctica. It includes the Himalayas, Alaska, the Alps, and other mountainous regions.