As prices have fallen, solar energy has become more popular and popular. However, households equipped with photovoltaic panels have not yet separated from the traditional grid, because the former cannot properly store energy for later use. Yes, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have improved a device that can harvest and store solar energy. They hope that one day, this device will provide electrical support for rural and underdeveloped areas.
New solar cells, energy efficiency reached 14.1% (photo: UW-Madison / David Tenenbaum)
The issue of energy storage has sparked a lot of thinking in the industry, and some proposals have been made, including holding batteries. However, an article published in the journal Chem recently details the latest developments of scientists.
Scientists are trying to improve an integrated battery that can work in three different ways. Research author, Song Jin, a chemist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains:
It can instantly convert sunlight into electricity like a normal solar cell. It can also be charged like a normal battery to store solar energy. This combines two existing technologies - a solar cell that captures light energy, and the so-called Flow battery.
As the most commonly used battery, lithium ions appear mainly in the form of solid-state storage devices. In contrast, flow batteries can transfer energy to external tanks, meaning that it can scale up very much.
Timothy Cook, a chemist who did not participate in the study, said that – to expand the lithium-ion battery, all its components will scale up simultaneously. But for flow batteries, simply increase the tank.
He added: 'We don't want to build a flow battery that powers a mobile phone, but use it for construction or industrial use.' The Jim team is the first to combine these two features. They have been researching batteries for years and the current efficiency has been Reached 14.1%.
Jin rides on 'round-trip efficiency' – acquiring, storing, and releasing energy. In the next few years, it is expected to increase efficiency to 20%, or even 25%.
In addition to improving efficiency, the team also hopes to develop better designs to apply more affordable materials. The current invention is still in the proof-of-concept phase, but it is expected to have a huge impact on remote and underdeveloped regions in the future.
Energy storage during the day and electricity supply at night. Electricity can dramatically change the lives of locals, help people build more connections, keep clinics open, and improve health care.
In addition, if solar flow batteries can be easily expanded, developed countries such as the United States with sufficient power infrastructure can also reduce the dependence on environmentally harmful energy types.