Image: Felice Frankel
A new solid-state device with no moving parts converts infrared radiation from heat into electricity more efficiently than steam turbines. It could lead to a lower cost, low-maintenance thermal battery system for storing renewable energy on the grid. Most electricity today is produced by burning coal or natural gas to boil water and create steam for spinning turbines with an average efficiency of around 35%. The new device’s efficiency could go up to 50%, with potentially faster response times, and ease of integration with external heat sources, and fuel flexibility.
Source: LaPotin, A., Schulte, K.L., Steiner, M.A. et al. Thermophotovoltaic efficiency of 40%. Nature, 2022.
www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2022/04/new-device-generates-electricity-from-heat-at-record-breaking-efficiency/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-device-generates-electricity-from-heat-at-record-breaking-efficiency&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-device-generates-electricity-from-heat-at-record-breaking-efficiency