German scientists have made a revolutionary discovery that could be key to the development of renewable energy in extreme conditions. A research team has developed a new method for generating energy from solar water resources that has proven its effectiveness even in the cold conditions of Antarctica.
The discovery was made as part of an international project. Scientists have created a system that is capable of splitting water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen using solar energy even at low temperatures. This breakthrough could help in the creation of new catalysts and thermal storage systems, which would significantly increase the efficiency of the energy generation process.
“Antarctica receives a huge amount of sunlight in the summer. This solution could be used to power remote infrastructure,” explained environmental physicist Kira Rehfeld from Heidelberg University.
This method will not only help reduce energy consumption at remote polar stations, but also has the potential to be used in other regions with harsh climates.
The US Department of Energy has already supported this idea. According to calculations, the implementation of this technology at the Amundsen-Scott station at the South Pole will save more than $57 million over 15 years. At the same time, the cost of implementing the project is only $9.7 million, and its payback is only two months.
The developers are currently looking for partners for further testing and plan to test prototypes of the technology in real conditions.
