How to store large amounts of solar energy in the molecule

Researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, have developed a molecule that absorbs energy from sunlight and stores it in chemical bonds. A possible long-term use of the molecule is to capture solar energy efficiently and store it for later consumption. The current results have been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, JACS. The Earth receives Read more about How to store large amounts of solar energy in the molecule[…]

Biosolar cells to produce more energy

By combining light-collecting and photosynthesis proteins of different types, more energy can be produced. Potential sources of renewable energy include protein complexes that are responsible for photosynthesis. However, their efficiency in technical applications still leaves much to be desired. For example, they cannot convert green light into energy. A research team from Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) Read more about Biosolar cells to produce more energy[…]

Renewable fuel from carbon dioxide with the aid of solar energy

Researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, are attempting to convert carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, to fuel using energy from sunlight. Recent results have shown that it is possible to use their technique to selectively produce methane, carbon monoxide or formic acid from carbon dioxide and water. The study has been published in ACS Nano. Plants convert Read more about Renewable fuel from carbon dioxide with the aid of solar energy[…]

Imagine a truck tarp that can harvest the energy of sunlight!

With the help of new textile-based solar cells developed by Fraunhofer researchers, semitrailers could soon be producing the electricity needed to power cooling systems or other onboard equipment. In short, textile-based solar cells could soon be adding a whole new dimension to photovoltaics, complementing the use of conventional silicon-based solar cells. Solar panels on building Read more about Imagine a truck tarp that can harvest the energy of sunlight![…]

Researchers uncover secret of nanomaterial that makes harvesting sunlight easier

Using sunlight to drive chemical reactions, such as artificial photosynthesis, could soon become much more efficient thanks to nanomaterials. This is the conclusion of a study published led by researchers in the Department of Physics at Imperial College London, which could ultimately help improve solar energy technologies and be used for new applications, such as Read more about Researchers uncover secret of nanomaterial that makes harvesting sunlight easier[…]