Researchers reveal major infrared breakthroughs can lead to solar energy at night

Parkville : Researchers have developed a device based on a technique similar to night-vision goggles that can generate electricity from heat radiation.
The findings of the research were published in the journal ‘ACS Photonics’ at ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science.
The sun’s enormous energy may soon be harnessed in the dark of night following a significant advance in thermal capture technology.
Solar radiation heats the earth’s crust significantly during daylight hours, but that energy is lost into the coldness of space when the sun goes down.
Now, researchers within the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW Sydney have successfully tested a device capable of converting infrared heat into electrical power.
The team, including members of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, used a power-generation device called a ‘thermo-radiative diode’, which is similar to the technology in night-vision goggles.