Solar Liquid System

Can solar energy be stored in liquid form?

A group of researchers have developed a way to store solar energy in a liquid form that will be capable of creating electricity on-demand, as well as store the energy for a whopping 18 years. Reported first by BGR, the technology has actually been in development for several years now.

How does Liquid solar energy storage work?

When the solution comes in contact with the sunlight, the atoms inside it rearrange and change the shape, turning the molecule to turn into an energy-rich isomer. Fusing the liquid solar energy storage solution with a thermoelectric generator -- an ultra-thin chip -- researchers could re-harness the power.

Can a liquid solar energy storage system re-harness power?

By combining the liquid solar energy storage solution with a thermoelectric generator, the researchers were able to re-harness the power. The generator is an ultra-thin chip. Researcher Zhihang Wang says that they can integrate the system into electronics like smartwatches and headphones.

Could solar and wind energy be stored in insulated tanks?

MIT researchers propose a concept for a renewable storage system, pictured here, that would store solar and wind energy in the form of white-hot liquid silicon, stored in heavily insulated tanks.

Can solar energy be stored for 18 years?

A series of research papers offer hope though, as they outline a novel approach to storing the sun’s energy. In 2018, scientists in Sweden developed “solar thermal fuel,” a specialized fluid that can reportedly store energy captured from the sun for up to 18 years.

How does a solar energy system work?

Carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen make up the specially designed molecule the system uses. When sunlight interacts with the molecule, the atoms within it rearrange and change shape. This allows the molecule to turn into an energy-rich isomer. That isomer acts as a liquid solar energy storage solution.