Scientists Say They’ve Found a Way to “Store Sunlight” in a Liquid, And Release It Anytime
The Daily Galaxy • • technology
Key Points:
- Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have developed a molecule called pyrimidone that captures and stores solar energy as heat, functioning like a rechargeable solar battery by storing energy within its chemical structure.
- This molecular solar thermal (MOST) system absorbs sunlight, shifts to a high-energy state, and can release stored heat on demand, enabling repeated energy storage and release cycles without degradation.
- Inspired by DNA and photochromic materials, the team designed pyrimidone to be stable and efficient, achieving an energy density of over 1.6 MJ/kg, surpassing typical lithium-ion batteries.
- The molecule's high energy density is sufficient to boil water under ambient conditions, demonstrating its potential for practical heating applications and efficient energy storage beyond daylight hours.
- Its solubility allows it to be used in solar collectors, enabling energy capture during the day and heat release later, addressing a key challenge in renewable energy storage for heating.
