Engineers at Stanford University have developed solar panels that can continue to generate power even at night, a groundbreaking development. When compared to traditional solar panels, the new technology can convert solar energy into electrical energy all day and all night.
A research published in the journal Applied Physics Letters explains the specifics of the accomplishment.
It’s a wonder how solar energy can be harvested at night. Engineers constructed a thermoelectric generator to do this. The slight temperature differential between the solar cell and the surrounding air allows the gadget to extract power.
For mini-grid and off-grid applications, where solar systems are growing in popularity, this strategy might supply effective overnight standby illumination as well as electricity.
In 2021, renewable energy appeared to be on the upswing. Solar and wind energy generated 38% of the world’s total energy in 2021. More than half of the world’s countries now rely on solar and wind power for at least 10% of their energy needs.
It is possible to expand electrical connectivity to locations where mini-grid applications are possible thanks to the breakthrough creation of solar panels that can generate power at night. This covers minor towns and hamlets, where the population is too low to warrant the construction of a grid.
