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MIT Envisions DIY Solar Cells Made From Grass Clippings
Zothecula writes "Research scientist Andreas Mershin has a dream to bring inexpensive solar power to the masses, especially those in developing countries. After years of research, he and his team at MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, along with University of Tennessee biochemist Barry Bruce, have worked out a process that extracts functional photosynthetic molecules from common yard and agricultural waste. If all goes well, in a few years it should be possible to gather up a pile of grass clippings, mix it with a blend of cheap chemicals, paint it on your roof and begin producing electricity. Talk about redefining green power plants!"
Of course, at 0.01% efficiency, you won't be able to tell the difference. Unless, of course, you're into that "other" grass, in which case it's "Oh so kool man! Now I don't have to mow the roof AND get enough power to run a watch one day a year."
OK miss negative Nancy. It's 0.1% and it's still experimental. I think it's awesome that they can do that.
OK Miss Positive Pauline. Photosynthesis in plants only operates at a couple percent efficiency in the first place. Commercially available thermal and photovoltaic systems are already several times that, but still need immense tracts of land to make a significant dent in our electrical demands.
Yes, and we would have needed an airport every 50 meters if the plane built by the Wright Bros was really the best that could ever be built.
The first step is rarely the last one.
what is useless is to denigrate basic research
to do that, as an engineer, you should be ashamed of yourself
the common joe might bloviate ignorantly about how silly basic research is, and confuse basic research claims and evidence with the end-all be-all of claims and evidence, but you really should know better
yet, looking at other comments here on slashdot, it seems the intelligence to appreciate basic research has indeed been replaced by this kind of ignorant jump to judgment
you know what? paint on grass clippings does sound silly. but i thought we had a scientific bent here, and this would be EXCITING
imagine that
so shame on you slashdot
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it