Solar Energy at Night is Getting Close to Reality

With more and more households across the nation making the switch to renewable energy thanks to solar financing and other benefits, more attention is being given to one of solar’s most frequently-asked questions: how to harness this power at night? If recent developments are any indicator, however, it appears that these advances may be closer than previously thought.

The Washington Post reports that Tesla’s SolarCity will soon be working on installing a solar battery installation on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i to allow solar energy to power the grid both night and day. The expected advances plan to build off Tesla’s planned solar batteries, which are designed to store excess solar energy collected during the day for use at night or during inclement weather.

Hawaii is hardly a surprising choice for this endeavor; the island state’s high energy costs mean that many residents have chosen to go the route of using solar financing options to lower utility bills. The proposed implementation of the grid-connected battery storage system is expected to further decrease the area’s dependence on diesel for electricity production and help decrease electricity costs.

Batteries designed to store solar energy are hardly a new thing — indeed, many off-the-grid households that use solar financing to install solar panels also make the extra investment to purchase batteries so their remote homes can have power at night. But large-scale implementation is something new. And this is far from the only development.

Phys.org reports that research by the Missouri University of Science and Technology has found a way “to split water into hydrogen and oxygen…[producing] highly efficient solar cells that can gather solar energy for use as fuel.”

By combining this discovery with experiments utilizing “small clusters of cobalt catalysts” on a silicon panel, the researchers were able to produce higher voltages than typical panels, implying the possibility of more efficient solar panels that could more easily produce (and store) electricity.

With these exciting developments taking place, it is hardly a surprise that many individuals have decided that now is the time to begin investing in solar energy. With the assistance of solar financing, government tax credits and other benefits, switching to renewable energy has become an affordable way to save money on utilities and promote a healthy environment. And with the possibility of more advanced solar energy storage on the way, it seems likely that even at night, solar will soon be the best way to get one’s electricity.

Kevin Johnson is a renewable energy writer reporter for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Elements Capital Group. Follow on Twitter