Decarbonization Avenue University research @ CLIMAX

New material, manufacturing process use sun's heat for cheaper renewable electricity

A Purdue University-led team developed a new material and manufacturing process that would make one way to use solar power – as heat energy – more efficient in generating electricity.

Concentrated solar power plants convert solar energy into electricity by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a lot of light onto a small area, which generates heat that is transferred to a molten salt.

Storing solar energy as heat can already be cheaper than storing energy via batteries, so the next step is reducing the cost of generating electricity from the sun's heat with the added benefit of zero greenhouse gas emissions.


Industry

  • Solar energy

Sustainability domain

  • Renewable Energy

Type of innovation

  • Core sciences & engineering

Stakeholder type

  • University researcher
  • Corporate researcher

Professions

Relevant for

  • Thermodynamics & heat sciences professional
  • Electrical engineer
  • Solar power professional
  • Production or process engineer

Innovation sector

  • Heat & thermodynamics
  • Renewable energy sciences