Test on “Artificial sun:” the future source of energy

Depleting renewable sources of energy are one of the biggest concerns in the present world. A team of researchers in Germany has switched on the plug, on March 23, of what they call it “the world’s largest artificial sun.” It is a tool they hope will assist illuminate new techniques of producing climate-friendly fuels.

The colossal honeycomb-like arrangement of 149 spotlights, which are officially called as “Synlight,” in Juelich, about 19 miles west of Cologne, utilized xenon short-arc lanterns usually seen in cinemas to replicate natural sunlight, which is often inadequate in Germany at this period of the year.

By concentrating the complete range on a single 20×20 cm spot, the researchers from the German Aerospace Center will be competent to generate the analogous of 10,000 times the quantity of solar radiation that would on average shine on the equivalent surface. As per the DLR’s Institute for Solar Research Director, Bernhard Hoffschmidt, crafting such furnace-like circumstances, with temperatures of up to 3,000°C, is the means of assessing new methods of producing hydrogen.

A majority believe hydrogen to be the future’s fuel as it does not generate carbon releases when burned, thus not contributing to global warming. As we know hydrogen is a very general element in the universe; however, it is uncommon on Earth. It can be manufactured by splitting water into its 2 constituents with the use of electricity in a method known as electrolysis. The scientists expect to avoid the electricity step by tapping into the massive sum of energy that arrives at Earth from the sun in the form of light.

Hoffschmidt said the amazing display is intended to get trials performed in smaller labs to the upper level, and also mentioned that the scientists have mastered hydrogen-producing methods with the 350-KW array of Synlight, the procedure can be extended ten-fold on the path of attaining a level suitable for industry. Specialists say this can even require a decade if an adequate support is provided by the industry.

The objective is to ultimately utilize real sunlight instead of the artificial light generated by the Juelich testing that cost $3.8 million for setup and needs as much electricity in 4 hours as a 4 people household would utilize in a year.

Isn’t it a great step forward to generate climate-friendly fuels?