A New Energy Storage System Can Store Solar Power For Nearly 20 Years

And it releases energy on demand.

A press statement discloses that scientists from Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology developed an energy storage system that holds solar power in liquid form for approximately 18 years.

With the help of researchers from China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Chalmers group has tested its device, called the Molecular Solar Thermal system (MOST), by attaching it to a thermoelectric generator, verifying that it can create electricity on demand.

The Chalmers group has been tackling its technology for over a decade, and it may soon be a viable alternative for charging low-power electronic devices.

The system was designed to utilize specially-developed carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen molecules. When these are struck by sunlight, the atoms within the molecules are repositioned, turning them into an energy-rich isomer that’s stored in liquid form. Remarkably, the scientists say their system saves energy in this liquid form for as much as 18 years. It is then released utilizing a special catalyst that returns the molecules to their original shape, releasing the saved energy as heat.

Solar power in a closed system that produces no carbon emissions

The Chalmers scientists worked with researchers from China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University, bringing a thermoelectric generator to the table. This enabled them to generate a small amount of electricity, though the collaborators believe future models could improve this.

According to scientist Zhihang Wang from the Chalmers University of Technology, the generator is an ultra-thin chip that could be incorporated into electronics such as headphones, smartwatches, and telephones. So far, they have just produced small amounts of electricity. However, the new outcomes reveal that the concept really works. It looks really promising.

According to study leader Kasper Moth-Poulsen, Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers, the MOST system signifies that we can utilize solar power to generate electricity regardless of weather conditions, time of day, season, or geographical location. It is a closed system that can operate without triggering carbon dioxide emissions.

The evidence of the concept’s current output stands at a relatively small 0.1 nW. However, the scientists claim their system could be used to deal with the problem of intermittent solar energy by saving energy for months at a time and releasing it simply when needed. A finished model could be utilized to power small electronic devices. Next, the Chalmers team aims to better their system’s performance and is also building a cost-effective commercial version of their system that could be used in homes.

Read the original article on Interesting Engineering.

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