‘It was an accident’: the scientists who have turned humid air into electricity

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jul/02/it-was-an-accident-the-scientists-who-have-turned-humid-air-into-renewable-power

by zeristor • 3 years ago

25 9 3 years ago

theguardian.com

WastingMyTime89• 3 years ago

Heck, that’s a bad article even for the already low standards of The Guardian. Could someone explain what this technology actually is about and if it is serious?

gus_massa2• 3 years ago

I'm very skeptical. IIRC they harvest the small charge that is in some water molecules/droplets in the air, but it does make too much sense. (Perhaps I'm misremembering, perhaps I didn't understand, perhaps it makes no sense.)

The biggest previous discussion I found is https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36112815 (95 points | 34 days ago | 94 comments)

seamac33• 3 years ago

Something like: using a board with nano sized holes, water's electrons fit through the holes and an imbalance is created. Something like solar panels p and n junctions with the air's moisture. Wish I could explain it better, just skimmed an article.

bilsbie• 3 years ago

Is there a reason we can’t submerge them and make more electricity?

jonnycomputer• 3 years ago

On a $/per-watt basis, I suspect won't ever be able to compete with solar, but as an indirect means of capturing solar energy, this seems interesting. One of the downsides of solar is that you need to clear out foliage so the array can receive sun-light. But if you can run something like this in the humid understory, i.e. without having to cut down trees, that seems like a potential real win.

‘It was an accident’: the scientists who have turned humid air into electricity

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