Experimental system harnesses, stores sun's power

Researchers at Edwards Air Force Base combine solar panels with fuel cells to create an efficient, lightweight flying power plant

October 31, 2000
Web posted at: 1:22 PM EST (1822 GMT)

MONROVIA, California (CNN) -- Large flying wings being tested by NASA at Edwards Air Force Base may represent a new dawn in solar power. The technology could one day be used to heat, cool and light homes and even to fuel automobiles.

One of the experimental aircraft, the Helios, is fitted with solar panels that channel the sun's power to a unique fuel cell storage system that is able to power the flying wing's electric motors day and night.

"It's a new energy system that takes solar energy -- sunlight -- and turns it into electricity. It stores it in this system and then can release the electric energy any time it wants to be used," said Tim Conver, CEO of Aerovironment.

High-efficiency solar panels made by Sun Power generate electricity by day. Fuel cells developed by Aerovironment use some of the power to break water into hydrogen and oxygen. An electro-chemical process can then re-convert them into electricity on demand. The system requires only one-third the weight of current batteries.

The Helios flying wing, being tested by NASA, stores solar power in fuel cells for later use

"This is where the fuel cell, married with the solar cell, will make really a quantum breakthrough, allowing solar to produce its own fuel," said Dick Swanson, president of Sun Power Co.

NASA hopes this ability to store solar-generated electricity can keep the unmanned, remote controlled flying wings in continuous high-altitude flight for up to six-months -- essentially acting as inexpensive satellites.

Every day, the flying wing's two-energy storage units should be able to soak up and retain about 100-kilowatt hours of electricity. In Earth terms, that's enough to power about four average family homes for a day.

As part of a $12-million-a-year project, the prototype system is still too expensive for common use. But for NASA it may represent the future of electricity in space.

"The space station needs a system like that. Currently they're using batteries. A system like this would also work, for example, on a lunar or a Mars base," said NASA's John Del Frate.

As uses increase and the related costs go down, such a power system might be capable of generating and storing electricity for businesses and homes.

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AeroVironment Inc.
Sun Power Co., Ltd.
NASA

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