{"id":12322,"date":"2019-01-22T08:04:59","date_gmt":"2019-01-22T07:04:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sonnenseite.com\/energy\/researchers-develop-new-molecule-that-can-store-solar-power-for-up-to-18-years.html"},"modified":"2019-01-22T08:04:59","modified_gmt":"2019-01-22T07:04:59","slug":"researchers-develop-new-molecule-that-can-store-solar-power-for-up-to-18-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sonnenseite.com\/en\/energy\/researchers-develop-new-molecule-that-can-store-solar-power-for-up-to-18-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Researchers Develop New Molecule That Can Store Solar Power for up to 18 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

Swedish researchers have developed a new breed of molecule which could make storing solar energy all the more efficient.<\/p>\n

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Researchers at the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg have developed a new compound which they hope can help solve the many issues with storing renewable energy. <\/p>\n

The molecule, which is a compound of nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen, is designed to be used as part of the team’s Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage<\/a> (MOST) system. When placed in sunlight in its liquid form, the bonds between its atoms change, turning it into an energy-rich isomer capable of storing solar energy.<\/p>\n

How The System Works<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the researcher’s prototype system, the Sun’s energy is trapped using a satellite dish-like device which follows the motion of the sun and condenses its sunlight into a single point containing the isomer. The isomers are then stored at room temperature to better maintain the energy potential of the molecule and minimise energy loss.<\/p>\n

To release the energy, the isomer is then filtered through a special catalyst that can control the release of the pent up energy. The reaction which takes place within the catalyst heats up the isomer by 63 degrees celsius, releasing the energy and simultaneously returning the molecule to its original state to be reused.<\/p>\n

This means solar energy caught on one day can be preserved and later used during periods where generating traditional solar power is not feasible – such as at night or on overcast days.<\/p>\n

The team behind the project believe their invention could be used in domestic heating systems, which could pass the molecules from roof to heating system in a circular process. What’s more, the reaction that takes place within the MOST does not damage the molecule, allowing them to be reused indefinitely for emissions-free heating.<\/p>\n

The Chalmers team is not the only group eying a molecular solution to energy storage, with MIT developing a similar system<\/a>. However, according to research team leader, Kasper Moth-Poulsen, the MOST system is already operating better than expected:<\/p>\n

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