[pct-l] ultralight solar cells

[edmond at mydogmeg.net (Edmond Meinfelder)]

At 10:49 PM 10/16/2003 -0700, Gray wrote:
>Um, I'd be really interested in hearing where you heard about [nuclear 
>batteries], simply because the amount of fissionable materiel needed is 
>way more than anyone
>that thruhikes would be willing to carry.


The power provided by nuclear batters is proportional to the half-life of 
the isotope. Radioisotopes with long half-lives have long battery lives, 
but provide low power. Nuclear batteries have been used in satellites and 
pacemakers for a while. (Two applications requiring light-weight, small 
footprint and low power fuel sources, like hiking.)

I have enough guilt disposing of dead AAA alkaline batteries in towns not 
having safe disposal for traditional batteries. I can't imagine what I'd do 
with radioactive isotopes in Sierra City or Ollalie Lake.

Here's a link if you want to learn more:

http://www.cae.wisc.edu/~blanchar/res/batteries.htm

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