Thermoradiative Photovoltaics
As the world works to reduce carbon emissions, solar power is becoming a larger fraction of global electricity production. In California, 20% of electricity is generated from solar. However, once the sun goes down, we are left in the dark in the absence of energy storage or other forms of power.
But what if a photovoltaic device were able to produce power even after the sun set? Welcome to the world of thermoradiative photovoltaics.
Written by Jeremy Munday, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Tristan Deppe, Ph.D. candidate, this article — published on the cover of the November 2024 issue of Optics & Photonics News — explores how these devices can operate like solar cells "in reverse" to create power at night, scavenge waste heat or power spacecraft through a combination of novel optics, thermodynamics and semiconductor physics.
Media Resources
Optics & Photonics News (OPN) is the monthly news and feature magazine published by Optica. It provides in-depth coverage of recent developments in the field of optics and offers busy professionals the tools they need to succeed in the optics industry, as well as informative pieces on a variety of topics such as science and society, education, technology and business.
