§ 9. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the prospect of obtaining power from the sun; what Government-sponsored experiments are taking place, either by his Department or by private concerns working in conjunction with his Department or the nationalised industries; and what preparations are being made for the manufacture of solar batteries and utilisation of chemical energy with the injection of hydrogen gas.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power (Mr. David Renton)There is little prospect of obtaining power from the sun on a useful scale in this country because there is not enough sunshine and Britain is far from the tropics. No Government sponsored experiments are taking place at present, although Government scientists keep in touch with work in other countries.
American scientists have recently discovered a means of using sunlight to 895 convert water into hydrogen and oxygen gases but the process is still in its infancy and its development presents many difficult problems.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithIs the Minister aware that, while the politicians are laughing, the scientists are continuing their experiments for the obtaining of power from the sun?
§ Mr. RentonYes, but in this country even the scientists are handicapped by the fact that heat and light are not intense, and their staying power not very great.