“Sun in a box” could solve future energy thirst

Promoting renewable energy is essential to combat climate change. It is also a key part of planning for future energy needs.

Energy will be stored for future use with a much more advanced new technology.

As the world needs more energy, we will turn to solar as a vital solution. But even if we develop more efficient solar panels, how do we store that energy when the sun goes down?

Currently, batteries are the most efficient and widely used energy storage option, using lithium-ion technology to store energy. But even the best batteries degrade over time, lose energy due to heat, and lack the higher energy density to power the grid.

To specifically solve this problem, scientists have developed a new type of battery technology called: Thermal Energy Grid Storage (TEGS-MPV) or also known as "sun in a box".

According to researchers, the technology can store excess electricity for long periods of time as heat.

Typically, users would use solar panels to feed power into the grid, but the panels would stop generating power when the sun goes down. However, as long as there are enough panels to produce excess energy during the day, the new technology can be applied.

Excess energy will be fed into the “solar box” to heat up the silicon core. When the grid needs it at night, a multi-functional photovoltaic system inside will capture light from the light-emitting silicon and convert it into electricity.

Based on initial small-scale testing, the team estimates that one TEGS-MPV tank could store enough energy to power 100,000 homes overnight in combination with solar panels or wind farms.

This is an extremely optimal solution that helps many homes run on clean, renewable energy 24 hours a day.

Right now these are just initial tests, so it will take some time before they are put into practice in the near future.