There's only so much space on the surface of the earth. And, frankly, we're going to need all the space we can get to feed 7 billion people without pushing every other species into extinction.
That's why Dr. Pini Gurfil wants to put solar panels in the sky. The basic idea is a string of large helium balloons coated with solar panels and tethered together. The cord that connects them to each other and to the ground has two additional functions, delivering helium to the balloon, and pulling electricity back down to earth.
The research team from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology says that every house would require roughly two balloons. They've already installed two pilot projects one for in-city generation and one for an off-the-grid area in the desert.
The initial applications could be for offshore power, where it's hard to be on grid and surface area is extremely limited. But the folks in Hafia say that this design could, if mass produced, soon be producing economically viable solar power in sunny areas of the world.
Via The Jerusalem Post
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written by James, July 06, 2007
I see a major problem with the design. How will it handle lightning strikes?
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written by Kassy, July 07, 2007
So everyone who floats these balloons will need a constant supply of helium. If we are experiencing helium shortages now what will it be like in the future? How will these balloons be kept afloat if they are ever mass produced?
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written by zemadeiran, July 07, 2007
Why are the brains wasting time on solar blimps?
There is only one answer to our enrgy needs and that lies in clean fusion...
Stable fusion is the key to a stable global future and will enable many new technologies currently beyond our imagination.
Once they manage a sustained fusion reaction, we can scale the tech to required sizes and uses from off grid to space propulsion.
All other avenue's in my humble opinion are a means to an end.
Regards from the UK
There is only one answer to our enrgy needs and that lies in clean fusion...
Stable fusion is the key to a stable global future and will enable many new technologies currently beyond our imagination.
Once they manage a sustained fusion reaction, we can scale the tech to required sizes and uses from off grid to space propulsion.
All other avenue's in my humble opinion are a means to an end.
Regards from the UK
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written by Saul Wall, July 07, 2007
I suspect that a good lightning rod & cord could be supported but if most of the material was insulating except the wire then wouldn't a good grounded surge protector be sufficient? Blimps seem to deal with the risk alright so there must be a fair understanding of this risk. I suspect that they would be used a lot in deserts where lightning storms are few and easily forecast so they might just haul the things down during storm conditions. If they are cheap enough they might just sacrifice the occasional one.
I also am concerned about helium. Wouldn't hydrogen be a better choice? If they don't leak too much it would not be expensive and in the rare instance that there was both a leak and a fire the gas goes up and if the material is not flammable there would be no Hindenburg phenomenon. Or, as long as you have a tube going up and if the material has a fairly good insulation value, you could use some of the power to just heat the air inside them. Hot air balloons are open at the bottom and not great insulators yet they manage to stay up with the occasional blast of flame so contained hot air might be a possibility. If the design has a transparent top with the solar cells on the inner concave bottom it would produce electricity while warming the air to keep the device aloft. Enough of these units might gather dew during the night, causing a local micro climate in the desert. It would not be enough to graze animals or farm but it might help stabilize the sands somewhat in the area. This would be very useful at desert edges where there are people living who need electricity but need to keep the desert from encroaching.
I also am concerned about helium. Wouldn't hydrogen be a better choice? If they don't leak too much it would not be expensive and in the rare instance that there was both a leak and a fire the gas goes up and if the material is not flammable there would be no Hindenburg phenomenon. Or, as long as you have a tube going up and if the material has a fairly good insulation value, you could use some of the power to just heat the air inside them. Hot air balloons are open at the bottom and not great insulators yet they manage to stay up with the occasional blast of flame so contained hot air might be a possibility. If the design has a transparent top with the solar cells on the inner concave bottom it would produce electricity while warming the air to keep the device aloft. Enough of these units might gather dew during the night, causing a local micro climate in the desert. It would not be enough to graze animals or farm but it might help stabilize the sands somewhat in the area. This would be very useful at desert edges where there are people living who need electricity but need to keep the desert from encroaching.
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written by car rent Israel, December 26, 2007
It's unbelievable. What a simple idea. It's no wonder it comes from Israel
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