Many of these alternative energy systems we pursue had one big failing. What happens when…
(a) the sun doesn’t shine
or, (b) the wind doesn’t blow.
I’ve reported on a few concepts to overcome this problem. Here are but two: this and this.
But, now, there’s a new idea. A solar thermal fuel- and this may be able to store energy for more than a decade!
Dr. Kasper Moth-Poulsen, along with his co-researchers Drs. Zhihang Wang, Anna Roffey, Anders Lennartson, Martyn Jevric, Anne U. Petersen, Maria Quant, Ambra Dreos, and Xin Wen of Chalmers University (Gothenburg, Sweden), plus Raul Losantos and Diego Sampedro of Centro de Investigación en Síntesis Química (CISQ) [Spain], and Karl Börjesson of the University of Gothenburg announced their results in the Journal of Energy and Environmental Science.
They have developed a system using an organic molecule (norbornadiene, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen) which gets energized when it is subjected to sunlight. This allows the molecule to rearrange itself into a new isomer. (An isomer is when a compound has the same formula as another compound, but the atoms get rearranged and the compound possesses different properties.)
I’m sure you remember that glucose and fructose are isomers- they just don’t store and release energy that would be released as they switch from one form to the other.
But, once subjected to sunlight, this isomer (quadricyclane) is stored at room temperature, where it can be maintained. When energy is needed, one arranges for it to traverse to a catalyst (composed of cobalt phthalocyanine on a carbon support) housed in a fixed-bed catalytic reactor. This allows the isomer to transform itself back to its original version (norbornadiene)- and, in so doing, energy (as heat) is released. (The temperature rises by 63.4 C [113 F].) But, it’s not just an isomeric transformation, one needs the whole system for the energy storage and release.
The researchers chose the moniker of ‘molecular solar thermal energy storage’ concept (MOST). It includes a concave reflector (with a transparent tube in its center), where the reflector tracks the sun (kind of like how a satellite dish can be moved to view different TV stations).
The goal is to employ this in heating systems or to power water heaters, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and then have the fluid returned to the roof for repeat cycles. As of now, they’ve been cycled the compound 125 times.
The compound retains some 250 watt-hours per kilogram. That’s darned good- about 2X that retained by Powerwall batteries (the ones upon which Tesla relies). But, the research team believes they can further optimize their product- getting a temperature rise of some 110 C.
The team is seeking investors to commercialize the product and system- which they think may take 10 years.
Yet, many an obstacle lies between prototype and commerciality…(Tesla again comes to mind.)
Just 45 days are left before the end of the year. Which means your tax planning options are disappearing quickly. Make sure you get a copy of my book to ensure you know how the new tax law has changed your personal and business situation!
