Researchers have taken a step forward in developing an energy system that can catch solar energy, store it for up to eighteen years, and then release it when and where it is needed. They have now succeeded in getting the system to produce electricity by connecting it to a thermoelectric generator, after previously demonstrating how the energy can be retrieved as heat. The research, which was conducted at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, could eventually lead to self-charging electrical devices that utilise stored solar energy to charge on demand.
“This is a whole new approach to using solar energy to generate power.” It means we can generate electricity from solar energy regardless of the weather, time of day, season, or geographic location. It’s a closed system that can function without emitting carbon dioxide, explains Kasper Moth-Poulsen, professor at Chalmers’ Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.
“The generator is an ultra-thin chip that could be integrated into electronics such as headphones, smartwatches, and telephones. So far, we have only generated small amounts of electricity, but the new results show that the concept really works. It looks very promising,”
Zhihang Wang from Chalmers University of Technology.
The researchers behind the MOST solar energy system, which captures solar energy, stores it for up to 18 years, and then releases it when and where it is needed, have taken the technology one step further. They have now succeeded in getting the system to produce electricity by connecting it to a tiny thermoelectric generator, after previously demonstrating how the energy can be retrieved as heat. The study, which was conducted at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, could lead to self-charging devices that are powered on-demand by stored solar energy in the future. Chalmers University of Technology is responsible for this image.
The new technology is based on the Chalmers University of Technology-developed solar energy system MOST (Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage Systems). Simply put, the technique works by using a specifically designed molecule that changes shape when exposed to sunlight. When the research was first presented, it drew a lot of attention from all across the world.
The current work, which was conducted in partnership with researchers in Shanghai and published in Cell Reports Physical Science in March 2022, expands on the solar energy system by describing how it may be paired with a tiny thermoelectric generator to transform solar energy into electricity.
Heat is converted into electricity using an ultra-thin chip.
The Swedish researchers transferred their specifically built molecule, which was filled with solar energy, to Shanghai Jiao Tong University colleagues Tao Li and Zhiyu Hu, where the energy was released and transformed into power using a generator they developed. In essence, Swedish sunshine was sent to the opposite side of the globe, where it was turned into electricity in China.
“The generator is a super-thin chip that may be integrated into electronics like headphones, smartwatches, and phones.” We’ve only generated small amounts of electricity so far, but recent findings suggest that the concept is viable. “It appears to be quite promising,” says Chalmers University of Technology researcher Zhihang Wang.
Free of fossil fuels and emissions
The research offers a lot of potential for producing renewable and emission-free energy. However, much more research and development is required before we can use the system’s stored solar energy to charge our electronic devices or heat our homes.
“We’re now striving to streamline the system with the help of the numerous research groups involved in the project.” It needs to enhance the amount of electricity or heat it can extract. Even if the energy system is built on simple fundamental materials, it must be altered to be cost-effective to manufacture and thus launch more widely, “explains Kasper Moth-Poulsen.
More information on the most advanced technologies
Most is a closed energy system based on a specially constructed molecule of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen that changes shape when exposed to sunlight into an energy-rich isomer—a molecule made up of the identical atoms but arranged in a different way. After that, the isomer can be stored in liquid form for later usage, such as at night or in the cold. The device has been developed to the point where it can now store energy for up to 18 years, according to the experts. The conserved energy is released as heat via a specially designed catalyst, which returns the molecule to its original structure, allowing it to be reused in the heating system. The energy system can now generate electricity on demand thanks to the addition of a micrometer-thin thermoelectric generator.
Zhihang Wang, Zhenhua Wu, Zhiyu Hu, Jessica Orrego-Hernández, Erzhen Mu, Zhao-Yang Zhang, Martyn Jevric, Yang Liu, Xuecheng Fu, Fengdan Wang, Tao Li, and Kasper Moth-Poulsen, “Chip-scale solar thermal electrical power generation,” Cell Reports Physical Science, March 2, 2022.
