Solar-Hydrogen for Australia’s Energy Future

Leigh Sheppard

Solar Energy TechnologiesSchool of Natural Sciences

The University of Western Sydney

WHO DO YOU KNOW?

List 1Thomas Edison

Archimedes

Marie Curie

Leonardo da Vinci

Galileo

Charles Darwin

Isaac Newton

Albert Einstein

Louis Pasteur

Daniel Bernouilli

WHO DO YOU KNOW?

List 2William Gates III

Warren Buffett

Carlos Slim Helu

Lawrence Ellison

Ingvar Kamprad

Karl Albrecht

Mukesh Ambani

Lakshmi Mittal

Theo Albrecht

Amancio Ortega

WHO DO YOU KNOW?

List 1 List 2Thomas Edison William Gates III

Archimedes Warren Buffett

Marie Curie Carlos Slim Helu

Leonardo da Vinci Lawrence Ellison

Galileo Ingvar Kamprad

Charles Darwin Karl Albrecht

Isaac Newton Mukesh Ambani

Albert Einstein Lakshmi Mittal

Louis Pasteur Theo Albrecht

Daniel Bernouilli Amancio Ortega

REASONS TO BECOME A SCIENTIST

• Desire to learn and understand

– Challenge personal limitations

– Become knowledgeable of the world

• Sense of discovery and pioneering

– Always at the frontier

• Science allows you to touch peoples lives

– Understand problems and discover solutions

– Present and future

GLOBAL ENERGY DEMAND

1990 2000 2010 2020YEAR

EN

ER

GY

(kW

h)

Western Europe, North America

Asia

Africa, Middle East

Other

104028

119772

144516

174156

1.4 %*

1.9 % *

1.9 % *

* Compound Annual Growth Rate

15.1%

20.7%

20.5%

WORLD ENERGY SOURCES

(2004 data)

87%

GREEN-HOUSE

GAS EMISSIONS

FOSSIL FUEL DOMINO EFFECT

NECESSARY TO INCREASE UTILISATION OF

SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES

GLOBAL

ENERGY

DEMAND

FOSSIL

FUEL

RESERVES

FOSSIL

FUEL

COSTS

IS THIS SUSTAINABLE ?

GLOBAL

ENERGY

DEMAND

FOSSIL

FUEL

CONSUMPTION

GREENHOUSE

GAS

EMISSIONS

IS THIS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ?

AdvantagesConcentrated energy

TransportableStorable

Easily utilised

FOSSIL FUEL CHARACTERISTICS

DisadvantagesLimited quantity

PollutionUnequal distributionSecurity uncertain

AdvantagesConcentrated energy

TransportableStorable

Easily utilised

FOSSIL FUEL CHARACTERISTICS

HYDROGEN vs. FOSSIL FUELS

Advantages of Hydrogen -

• Zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions

• Additional utilisation potential

• Improved distribution efficiencies

• Ecologically safer fuel

ISN’T HYDROGEN UNSAFE?Hindenburg

Hydrogen bomb

Time = 0 seconds

In which car would you prefer to crash?

H2 Fuel Gasoline Fuel

Time = 3 seconds

H2 Fuel Gasoline Fuel

Time = 1 minute

H2 Fuel Gasoline Fuel

Time = 1 minute 30 seconds

H2 Fuel Gasoline Fuel

Time = 2 minutes 20 seconds

Gasoline Fuel

US HYDROGEN VEHICLE TRIALS

ECTOS-HYDROGEN STATIONECTOS-HYDROGEN STATION Example of Pre-Commercial Filling StationExample of Pre-Commercial Filling Station

HH22OO

EnergyEnergy

ElectrolyserStorage

Compressor

Dispenser

Icel. New Business Venture Fund, Reykjavik Energy, The National Power Company, Hitaveita Sudurnesja, University of Iceland, The Technological Institute of Iceland, Fertilizer Plant, Reykjavik Resources, Government of Iceland

VistOrkaVistOrka

AUSTRALIAN HYDROGEN BUS TRIAL

“Buses currently contribute about 2.7

percent of road transport greenhouse

gas emissions. Replacing the entire

Australian bus fleet with hydrogen-

powered buses would cut the carbon

dioxide being currently produced by

two million tonnes, the equivalent of

taking 500,000 cars off the road.” Media Release

Minister for the Environment and HeritageSenator the Hon. Ian Campbell

5 October 2004

HYDROGENIs not Clean When Produced

Current

H2

Technology

From fossil fuels

(Natural Gas)

CO2 Emissions

Sustainable

H2 Technology

From renewable and H2O

No CO2 Emissions

HYDROGEN ENERGY

WHAT ABOUT RENEWABLES?

(6000x annualconsumption)

(25x annualconsumption)

3 TW

Tidal

Australian Sun1 hour can power Australia

for a year!4 days of can power the

world for a year!

BASIC CONCEPT ofSOLAR-HYDROGEN

Photo–Electrochemical Generation of Hydrogen from Water

H2O

PHOTO-CATALYST(TiO2)

HYDROGEN GAS

SUNLIGHT

ADVANTAGES• Sustainable and environmentally friendly• Direct solar to hydrogen conversion• No H2/O2 separation required• Stored fuel for use anywhere and anytime

TiO2 is commonly known as:

• Titanium dioxide, titania, rutile

TiO2 is used in:• Toothpaste, sunscreen, paint, food colourings

Why do we use TiO2?• Cheap – few $ per kg• Abundant – Australia is world production leader• Properties can be widely manipulated • Will not corrode – Survives for centuries

WHAT IS TiO2

Materials Engineering – Imposition of Desired

Material Properties -

• Absorption of Sunlight• Reactivity with Water

PHOTOSENSITIVE OXIDE SEMICONDUCTORS

TiO2

CatalystsCommercial Processed

Ti4+

O2-

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti4+

O2-

O2-O2-

O2-

O2-

O2- O2-

O2-O2-O2-

O2-

O2-

Ti4+ Ti4+Ti4+

Ti4+ O2-O2-

O2-

O2- O2-

O2-

O2- O2-

O2-

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti4+

O2- O2-

O2-O2-O2-

O2-

Ti4+ Ti4+Ti4+ O2-

O2- O2-

Ti4+

O2-

O2-

O2-

O2-

O2-

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti4+

O2-

O2-

Ti4+

DEFECT ENGINEERINGIdeal TiO2

Ti4+

O2-

Ti3+

Ti4+

Ti4+

Ti3+

Ti4+

O2-

O-O2-

O-

O-

O- O2-

O2-O2-

O2-

O2-

Ti4+ Ti3+

Ti3+ O2-O2-

A-

O2- O2-

O2-

O2- O2-

O2-

Ti3+

Ti3+

Ti3+

A3-

4iTi

4TiV

3iTi

O2-

O-

O2-

O2-

O2-

Ti3+

Ti3+

Ti3+

O2- O2-

O2-O2-

O2-

Ti3+ Ti3+M5+ O2-

O2- O2-

Ti4+2OV O-

O2-

M3+

O2-Ti4+ Ti4+

iM

DEFECT ENGINEERINGReal (Defected) TiO2

SUMMARY

• Our standard of living is linked to energy supply

• Growing energy demand fed by fossil fuels

– CO2 emissions and climate change

• Solar-hydrogen offers a solution

– Sustainable and environmentally friendly

Thank you!Please ask your questions