Thermoradiative Solar Cells

According to researchers at Stanford University, thermoradiative solar cells are a new and promising technology that could help produce renewable energy at night. These devices act like “solar cells in reverse.” Instead of absorbing sunlight like normal solar panels, they release infrared radiation into the cold night sky to create electricity. Current experiments only produce a small amount of power, but the Renewable Energy Institute reports that future versions could become much more efficient, possibly reaching up to 45% efficiency when paired with regular solar panels.

To help solve the problem of solar energy only being available during the day, researchers at the International Photonics Laboratory are working on hybrid systems that combine thermoradiative cells with normal photovoltaic cells. These combinations could increase how much energy a solar panel produces in a full day. NASA researchers also point out that this technology could be used to capture waste heat from factories or even provide power in space, where the deep cold is perfect for radiative cooling. Scientists believe that improving materials, device designs, and optical structures will be important for turning this idea into a real technology that can create nighttime power.