You’ve heard about solar panels that generate electricity from the Sun, but have you ever heard of solar panels that produce electricity at night?
Yes, you have heard it right. The Stanford University researchers have invented solar panels that can produce electricity at night by using a process called radiative cooling, which allows the panels to capture energy even in the absence of sunlight, as per EcoNews.
Radiative cooling is a natural process where heat moves away from a surface, especially on clear nights when the Earth releases energy into space.The temperature difference between an object and the surrounding air can then be used to produce electricity.
The researchers have attached thermoelectric generators to modified solar panels to capture the heat that is naturally released.
On clear nights, solar panels can become cooler than the surrounding air, which allows them to generate electricity, a concept that is based on old refrigeration technologies.
This setup produces a small amount of usable power, about 50 milliwatt per square meter, during the night.
While the amount of power generated at night is much lower compared to the daylight output of regular solar panels.
However, it is still sufficient to power small devices like LEDs and environmental sensors, IOT devices, and other low-power equipment.
Although, the new development shows great promise, experts warn about political challenges, including the complexity and high cost.
More research into materials and thermoelectric efficiency is needed to improve energy production and make the energy more scalable.
