Can Anti Solar Panels Light up Cities during the Night?
The anti solar panels are the revolution in the solar industry because it can generate electricity even at night with the help of thermoradiative cells. Many people have questions regarding these panels’ effectiveness and future growth. It is true that the concept of anti-solar panels is still in theory, and it does not have many practical experiments or use cases. Indeed, it has the potential to revolutionize the solar industry at work as an alternative to traditional solar panels. However, could it light up an entire city? Let’s discuss this today.
First, let me tell you about the concept of anti-solar panels so that you can understand the limitations and advantages of this system.
What are Anti Solar Panels?
The anti-solar panel uses the thermal radiative principle to generate electricity using the thermal temperature of surrounding objects. It uses a thermoelectric generator to produce electricity with an aluminum plate.
The concept is not so simple, but I am trying to explain it in a simple way. On one side of the system, the aluminum plate remains colder than the normal temperature and, on the other side, maintains regular air temperature. At night the aluminum plate radiates infrared rays into the air. At that time, the transparent panel isolated the aluminum plate to use the infrared ray to generate electricity.
It works in the opposite concept of regular solar panels, which was first published in the journal ACS Photonics; Jeremy Munday, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Davis, explained the system of ‘anti-solar panel. It is a new type of panel that works in the opposite way of traditional solar panels.
“A regular solar cell generates power by absorbing sunlight, which causes a voltage to appear across the device and for current to flow. In these new devices, light is instead emitted and the current and voltage go in the opposite direction, but you still generate power,” Munday said. “You have to use different materials, but the physics is the same.”
Difference between Solar Panels and Anti Solar Panels
I hope you know the concept of a solar panel that uses silicone-based photovoltaic cells to generate electricity with the help of sunlight. Many customers realize that solar panels may not work in an optimum state in the absence of sunlight, or they need to use solar batteries to save energy. For this, customers need a huge upfront cost. The anti-solar panel comes with the solution because it does not need solar batteries, but it produces energy even at night using mercury alloy-based thermoradiative cells.
Here is a table that provides a difference between these two concepts. Please note that solar panels are a traditional method of generating electricity in solar industries, but the anti-solar panel is a concept that has the potential to generate electricity, but it has not been realized yet.
Key Features of Solar Panels
- Uses photovoltaic cells
- Uses sunlight to generate electricity
- More effective in the daytime
- Solar cells are made of silicone
- Only a 20% efficiency rate
- Need huge upfront cost
- It can be portable
- It needs solar rechargeable batteries
Key Features of ANTI Solar Panels
- Uses thermoraditaive cell
- Uses heat to generate power.
- More effective at night
- Solar cells are made of mercury alloy
- More than 20% efficiency rate (exact percentage has not been published yet)
- It can be a more affordable alternative
- It may not be portable (still in the R&D stage)
- It does not need a solar battery
Does It Have the Potential to Light up Cities during the Night?
In research published in Applied Research in Physics, Stanford University researchers said their anti-solar panel is more effective than radiative cooling. It can produce enough electricity at night, but the output is less compared to a traditional output of an electric system.
Another limitation is the thermoelectric generator is costly, and manufacturers need to supply it at a lower cost.
It has the potential to light up cities during the night, but it can produce power up to 50 watts per square meter, said Munday. Research researchers are working on giving it a new direction so that it can produce more electricity and as an alternative to regular solar panels.
Future of (Anti) Solar Panels
In the future, we may observe a system with both solar panels and anti-solar panels facilities so that it becomes the best renewable off-grid alternative to traditional coal energy.
I am always keeping updated on the anti-solar panel system, and I’ll publish blogs when I get another update regarding the concept. Please read my other blogs to dive deep into the concept of anti-solar panels.
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Meet Rohan, a writer who loves to inspire and motivate others. He’s all about those feel-good quotes that can light up your day! When he’s not crafting words of encouragement, Rohan dives into the world of the latest technologies, exploring what’s new and exciting. But that’s not all—his heart beats for solar products, the kind that harness the power of the sun for a greener future. And guess what? He’s a total pet lover too! When he’s not busy writing, you’ll find Rohan surrounded by his furry friends, spreading joy and cuddles all around. Follow Rohan on Twitter and Facebook
