Major breakthrough as new technology generates solar energy at night
Summary
TLDRScientists at the University of New South Wales have developed a groundbreaking technology that generates electricity from the heat emitted by warm surfaces, even at night. This innovation can transform how we harness solar power, extending its use beyond daylight hours. Currently, it can produce enough power to run a wristwatch, and while it's still in the experimental phase, the potential to power Wi-Fi at night or charge satellites in space is being explored. The team was recently recognized as a finalist at the Eureka science Awards.
Takeaways
- 🌞 Solar power technology is evolving to generate electricity even at night.
- 🏫 The University of New South Wales is pioneering this new technology.
- 🔬 Scientists have developed a device that harnesses the power of radiation from warm surfaces.
- 🌡️ The device can generate power from any surface that glows in an infrared camera.
- 🌑 The technology can currently power a wrist watch using body heat.
- 🔋 The current efficiency is about 100,000 times less than a solar panel.
- 🔭 The technology is in its early stages and has room for optimization.
- 🏠 Future applications could include powering Wi-Fi at night from rooftop installations.
- 🌌 The next phase of development aims to charge satellites in space using nighttime solar.
- 🏆 The team at UNSW was recognized as a finalist at the Eureka science Awards.
- 🚀 Plans are underway to have this technology on spacecraft and satellites in the next few years.
Q & A
What is the new technology mentioned in the transcript that can produce electricity at night?
-The new technology is a device that can harness the power of radiation off warm surfaces to generate electricity even after the sun has set.
Where is this technology currently located?
-The technology is located at the University of New South Wales.
How does the device work?
-The device uses a semiconductor to generate power from the infrared radiation emitted by warm surfaces.
What is an example of a small-scale application of this technology mentioned in the script?
-The technology could be used to power a wrist watch from the user's own body heat.
How efficient is this technology compared to solar panels?
-At the moment, the technology can generate around 100,000 times less power than a solar panel.
What was the purpose of the initial experimental demonstration of the technology?
-The purpose was to prove the concept and possibility of generating electricity from thermal radiation at night, rather than to reach maximum efficiency.
What is a potential future application for this technology mentioned in the script?
-One potential future application is to power Wi-Fi at night using the thermal radiation from rooftops.
Is there a plan to use this technology in space?
-Yes, the next phase of development is looking at how nighttime solar will charge satellites in space.
What recognition did the team at the University of New South Wales receive?
-The team was recognized as one of 55 finalists at the Eureka science Awards.
What are the next steps for the development of this technology?
-The next steps include optimizing the technology for use on spacecraft and satellites in the next couple of years.
What is the current limitation of the technology that needs to be addressed before it can be used terrestrially?
-The technology is still in its infancy and requires more optimizing to be useful for terrestrial applications.
Outlines
🌟 Nighttime Solar Power Breakthrough
Scientists at the University of New South Wales have developed a revolutionary technology that can generate electricity from the heat radiated by warm surfaces, even after the sun has set. This breakthrough allows for the harnessing of thermal radiation to produce power, which was previously thought impossible. The device is in its early stages and currently produces about 100,000 times less electricity than a traditional solar panel. The technology has the potential to power small devices like a wrist watch using body heat. The researchers are optimistic about its future applications, including powering Wi-Fi at night and even charging satellites in space. The team's work has been recognized at the Eureka Science Awards, highlighting the significance of their discovery.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Solar Power
💡University of New South Wales
💡Infrared Camera
💡Semiconductor Device
💡Thermal Radiation
💡Wrist Watch
💡Eureka Science Awards
💡Satellites
💡Optimizing
💡Spacecraft
💡Terrestrial
Highlights
Solar power technology is evolving to generate electricity beyond daytime hours.
A new device at the University of New South Wales can produce electricity even after the sun has set.
Scientists have harnessed the power of radiation off warm surfaces.
Infrared cameras can detect glowing surfaces that can be used to generate power.
The technology can power devices such as a wrist watch using body heat.
The technology is in its early stages, generating significantly less power than solar panels.
The experimental demonstration aimed to prove the concept rather than achieve maximum efficiency.
The technology could potentially power Wi-Fi at night from thermal radiation.
Thermal imaging cameras reveal the amount of radiation available at night.
The next phase of development focuses on charging satellites in space with nighttime solar.
Optimization is needed before the technology can be useful for terrestrial applications.
The team aims to have the technology on a spacecraft or satellite within the next few years.
The University of New South Wales team was recognized as one of the finalists at the Eureka Science Awards.
The technology marks the first time anyone has proven the possibility of generating power from thermal radiation.
The device uses semiconductor technology to convert thermal radiation into electricity.
The potential applications of this technology extend beyond powering small devices to larger-scale uses like satellites.
The efficiency of the technology is expected to improve as it moves from experimental to practical applications.
Transcripts
solar power as we know it is about to
change from daytime to nighttime all
thanks to a new piece of technology this
device can produce electricity even
after the sun has set we're super
fortunate to have this sitting here at
the University of New South Wales
scientists are now able to harness the
power of radiation off warm surfaces so
any time you point an infrared camera at
something and you see oh that is glowing
we can put our semiconductor device onto
that surface we can generate power from
it it's the first time anyone in the
world has proven it's possible what
we've done at the moment could power a
wrist watch from your own body heat
still in its infancy the technology can
only generate around 100,000 times less
than that supplied by a solar panel
because this was really like the first
experimental experimental demonstration
it wasn't that we you know were trying
to reach the maximum possible efficiency
if you wanted to put this on your roof
and power meaningful appliances then
you'd be able to maybe power your Wi-Fi
at night from this thermal imaging
cameras show how much radiation there is
at night the next phase of development
looks at how nighttime solar will charge
satellites in space there's a little
more optimizing to do before maybe it's
uh useful terrestrially um but we are
working for for to get these on uh a
spacecraft a satellite in in the next
couple of years earlier this month the
team at the University of New South
Wales was recognized as one of 55
finalists at the Eureka science Awards
Digby worth M ABC News Sydney
Ver Más Videos Relacionados
Is This Accidental Discovery The Future Of Energy?
Science Max | FULL EPISODE | Generating Electricity | Season 2
[자막뉴스] 엔비디아 능가한 '초저전력 AI 반도체'...한국 세계 최초로 개발 / YTN
Solar power plant case study
The Weird Science Behind Living Solar Panels
How The Liam F1 Wind Turbine Will Destroy Every Home Renewable Energy Source
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)