'Night-time solar' technology can now deliver power in the dark
May 2022, phys.org
A semiconductor device called a thermoradiative diode, composed of materials found in night-vision goggles, was used to generate power from the emission of infrared light.
via University of New South Wales School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering: Michael P. Nielsen et al, Thermoradiative Power Conversion from HgCdtTe Photodiodes and Their Current–Voltage Characteristics, ACS Photonics (2022). DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.2c00223
Unrelated image credit: Disconnection Event - Gerald Rhemann - 2022
The image shows a piece of Comet Leonard's tail breaking off and being carried away by the solar wind; said to be one of the best comet photographs in history by astronomer Dr Ed Bloomer, one of the competition judges.
A thermal management material that responds to heat or cold by folding or unfolding without need for a power source
Sep 2022, phys.org
Made with polymer subunits each designed to behave differently depending on ambient temperature: the material would lay flat under normal conditions until the ambient temperature reached a certain point. At that point, the top layer would roll itself up into a tube, exposing the dark substrate below. They suggest it could be a thermal management device that requires zero energy to run.
via Nankai University: Quan Zhang et al, Bioinspired zero-energy thermal-management device based on visible and infrared thermochromism for all-season energy saving, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207353119
Inexpensive device that can harvest energy from a light breeze and store it as electricity
Oct 2022, phys.org
When exposed to winds with a velocity as low as 2 meters per second (about 5 mph), the device can produce a voltage of three volts and generate electricity power of up to 290 microwatts, which is sufficient to power a commercial sensor device and for it to also send the data to a mobile phone or a computer. The device can easily be mounted on the sides of buildings.
via Nanyang Technological University, Singapore: Chaoyang Zhao et al, A cantilever-type vibro-impact triboelectric energy harvester for wind energy harvesting, Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.ymssp.2022.109185
Dancers' moves help to power Glasgow music venue
Oct 2022, BBC News
Glasgow arts venue SWG3 has switched on a system that creates renewable energy from the body heat on its dancefloor.Dancers' heat is piped via a carrier fluid to 200m (650ft) bore holes that can be charged like a thermal battery.The energy then travels back to the heat pumps, is upgraded to a suitable temperature and emitted back into SWG3.The owners say this will enable them to completely disconnect the venue's gas boilers, reducing its carbon emissions by about 70 tonnes of CO2 a year."When you start dancing, medium pace, to the Rolling Stones or something, you might be generating 250W."But if you've got a big DJ, absolutely slamming basslines and making everyone jump up and down, you could be generating 500-600W of thermal energy."
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