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| Photo by Aaswath Raman |
Introduction
Solar panels are used to convert solar energy to electrical energy or other forms of energy. Solar panels produce cheap and environmental-friendly energy, but the problem with solar panels is that it only works during daytime in the presence of sunlight.
A Professor from Stanford University, California developed an "anti-solar" cell that would work in the opposite way from a typical solar panel. It will produce electrical energy from the darkness.
Working Principle:
This device would be warmer than the air and give off infrared light, instead of being cooler than the air and absorbing sunlight.
Working:
The solar panel uses the difference of heat between the Earth and Sun with Earth being cooler side, this device will use heat difference between the coolness of night atmosphere and Earth with Earth being the hotter side.
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| Photo by Aaswath Raman |
Theory is similar to when someone open door and windows of his house at night to cool down the house, heat energy from the house transferred to atmosphere considering it a large heat sink until temperature reaches equilibrium.
This device governs the variance in temperature between Earth and outer space by using “a passive cooling mechanism known as radiative sky cooling to maintain the cold side of a thermoelectric generator several degrees below ambient.”
In these devices, light is emitted and current and voltage go in the opposite direction but still generates power. Solar cells can only work during the day, but this device could run during the night time as well as day time, which means it can run 24/7. It can produce a quarter of the energy, a traditional solar panel produces during day time that is up to 50 watts of power per square meter.
Future Prospects
Only a small prototype of this device is tested by researchers. The prototype is able to power a single small LED light bulb, which is a very low amount of energy. For now, this device is in the research phase and development phase and does not come close to traditional solar panels. Researchers have already planned improvements that can enhance its energy production but this is just a beginning. Once Scientists are able to refine the system and to generate as much energy as a traditional solar panel produces, even then it can revolutionize the energy sector. A greater version of this device will someday light rooms, charge phones or power electronics in remote or low-resource areas that require electricity at night when solar panels don’t work.
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