Could Silicon Power Stations Replace Coal And Nuclear?
June 11th, 2008
Future power stations could burn silicon instead of coal. This is the radical vision of Waikato University scientist Earl Bardsley, who believes the world’s desert sands are an ideal source of silicon. And if this sand can be converted to silicon using solar power, it could be a cheap and eco-friendly solution to the world’s energy needs. Prof Bardsley says solar energy could be used to create silicon from sand at smelters on the desert margins. The only waste product from silicon power stations would be large amounts of solid silicon-dioxide “ash” but this could be recycled back to the smelters to be reduced to silicon again.
Silicon is the most abundant element in the earth’s crust and occurs in large, natural concentrations as the white silica sand in many desert regions. Prof Bardsley says using parts of the world’s desert regions as an energy source would make good use of unproductive land. He adds “in contrast, seeking sustainability through the use of bio-fuels will displace agricultural land and continue to put pressure on food prices.” Prof Bardsley calculates says a stockpile of silicon just a few metres thick over a square kilometre has the same energy content as all NZ’s hydro lakes. He suggests a large solar power system in Aust could provide silicon fuel for a modified Huntly power station. In energy terms, silicon is comparable to coal when burned.
There is no direct research yet about silicon power stations, but Prof Bardsley notes work has begun in the silicon chip industry to develop carbon-neutral methods of making small amounts of silicon, and research in Japan is looking at adapting this to large-scale silicon production. He believes Singapore, China or Abu Dhabi are likely to be first to build prototype silicon power stations. Prof Bardsley has been invited to speak at the Oxford Round Table in Britain in August about his proposal for silicon power stations. His ideas are also to be published in the Natural Resources Research journal. Bardsley’s paper is online at: www.earth.waikato.ac.nz/staff/bardsley/download/silicon_economy.pdf
Copyright © Media Information Ltd
NZ Energy & Environment Business Week
Amalgamated Dairies