24/7 Solar Power: Sooner than We Think?
Being able to generate solar energy 24/7 would give solar energy the push it needs when it comes to policies. Breakthroughs in renewable energy are making it harder and harder for politicians to say no — more so when companies decide to adopt renewable energy into their system, whether because of an incentive or not.
While being able to extract the maximum amount of energy from solar panels while it is raining using graphene is not a new idea, this concept has been pushed to the next level. Researchers of the Ocean University of China in Qingdao want solar panels to also be able to retain any light or indirect heat for future use.
Here’s what we know/what they’ve found out so far:
- Super thin graphene + solar panels = exciting results
- graphene sheets are able to separate (+) and ( — ) charged ions = electricity
- Rainwater consists of various chemicals and salts…perfect for graphene sheets
How They Did It:
- Thin (dye-sensitized) solar cell + thin graphene sheet on top ……then placed this ‘sandwich’ on top of (indium tin oxide (ITO) +plastic)
- A double layer forms due to the (+) charged ions interacting with the graphene sheet. This layer interacts with the layer of (—) charged ions
- = electricity
- When slightly salty water was used (to mimic rainwater), a 6.53% efficiency was achieved (solar to electric)!
This shows that there is work to be done, but nonetheless, it is an imperative breakthrough for solar energy, and more broadly, renewable energy.
Ponder the potential of this when you stand outside on a rainy day.
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