If I ask you, can you produce solar energy at night? What would be your answer? If it is no then let me tell you about new technology that is under development. This technology enables us to generate electricity at night.
We will not use solar energy to produce electricity using this technology. Normally, if we see solar panels it uses sunlight and converts it into electricity. Similarly, plants use sunlight to produce their food during photosynthesis but they convert only 1% of the sunlight into energy (food) so we can say that their efficiency is very low.
On the other hand, efficiency of solar panels is almost about 21% to 23% which is very high. This is the highest efficiency that we have achieved till date. But theoretically, we can achieve 40% efficiency which is significantly high. With the help of new research and technology we are trying to decrease the size of solar panels and make them useful at night.
Development of Night Solar Panels:
To fulfill this dream, a series of experiments has been performed in the University of South Wales, Australia where scientists are trying to use infrared light to produce energy. Infrared radiation always exists around us and it is usually emitted by hot objects even a human body emits infrared radiations.
During the experiment, scientists have observed 1.8% improvement in efficiency of the solar panels and theoretically it can go up to 10%. It means, the same solar panel
Thermo-radiative Diode:
Night solar panels will be designed to use these infrared radiations. With the help of “Thermo-radiative Diode”, we can convert infrared radiation into electrical energy. Scientists have plans to use these Thermo-radiative Diodes in solar panels to produce electricity at night.
Sunlight during the day can be used to produce electricity. This sunlight is absorbed by different objects around us such as your rooftop, floor, walls etc and released during night as infrared rays. These infrared rays can be captured by these night solar panels and ultimately we will be able to generate electricity at night.
Multi layer solar panels
We use solar panels that are only effective during daylight. If we somehow use night solar panels, these solar panels will be effective at night so we need to develop a solution to use the same solar P.V cell that is able to do both jobs because using separate solar panels for separate jobs is not an effective way. To address this problem, scientists are looking towards developing multi-layer solar panels.
Multi-layer solar panels will be able to generate electricity at day as well as night. So, we won’t need separate solar panels for day and night time. A single solar panel would be enough to produce electricity during cloudy days, rain, day, evening and night time.
Effectiveness:
As I earlier said, these solar panels are theoretically capable of providing 40% efficiency which is far better than our existing solar panels. These panels can use infrared rays from heated objects and produce electricity. We can use them in the areas where heat emission is high such as in industrial areas, urban areas, volcanic areas, countries near equator, deserts etc. Because, heat radiated in these areas can be effectively used to generate electric power.
Are night solar panels available in the market?
With 50% efficiency, night solar panels seem very worthy and powerful. Yet, these solar panels are not developed yet and hence these panels are not available in the market. A lot of people are searching for night solar panel prices in Pakistan, India or Bangladesh but let me tell you something that many sellers are selling ordinary solar panels saying that these panels will work at night. It is nothing but a fraud because night solar panels are not yet publicly available.
