This New Solar Battery Stores Energy Without Lithium or the Grid
JODI: Saudi Arabia Crude Exports Sink To Record Lows With over two decades of journalistic experience working in newspapers, trade publications and as a mining reporter, Andrew Topf is a seasoned writer specializing in… The challenge of solar-powered energy has always been the means to store it.
And the intermittency of solar and wind energy makes that storage capability essential.
Energy from the sun and wind can only be created — and stored — when the sun shines or the wind blows.
But that technological gap may be closing thanks to scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who have created a “rechargeable solar battery” that stores sunlight in molecules and later releases enough heat to boil water.
The scientists started with the assumption that solar panels lose their ability to generate electricity after sunset; the challenge was to store solar power for use later, whether during cloudy weather or overnight.
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara believe they may have found an answer that avoids the need for massive battery systems or reliance on the electrical grid.
Writing in the journal Science, Associate Professor Grace Han and her research team describe a new material capable of absorbing sunlight, storing that energy in chemical bonds, and later releasing it as heat whenever needed.
The material is based on a modified organic molecule called pyrimidone and represents a new step forward in Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) energy storage technology.Related: IEA: Oil Shock Sparks Surge in EV Sales The invention is inspired by DNA.
The pyrimidone structure resembles a component found naturally in DNA — the hereditary material in human beings and all other living organisms — that can reversibly change shape when exposed to ultraviolet light.
Using a synthetic version of that structure, the team engineered a molecule capable of repeatedly storing and releasing energy… the material could retain stored energy for years without significant loss.
According to Science Daily, a key milestone for the team involved turning the molecule’s energy storage capacity into a practical demonstration.
“Boiling water is an energy-intensive process,” said Han Nguyen, a doctoral student in the Han Group and lead author of the study.
| Product | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Brent Crude | $102.14/bbl | ▲ +0.34% |
| WTI Crude | $96.90/bbl | ▲ +0.21% |
| EN590 Diesel | $846/MT | ▲ +0.18% |
| Jet Fuel A-1 | $1090/MT | ▲ +0.55% |
| Mazut M100 | $450/MT | ▼ -0.15% |
| Bitumen 60/70 | $470/MT | ▲ +0.08% |
| Sulphur Gran 99.5% | $470/MT | ▼ -0.44% |
| Urea 46% Gran | $650/MT | ▲ +1.12% |
| NPK 16-16-16 | $460/MT | ▼ -0.28% |
| Nat Gas TTF | $15.42/MMBtu | ▲ +0.92% |
Price alerts · Industry news
Comments
Post a Comment