David L. Chandler, of the MIT News Office writes "storing thermal energy in chemical form has the potential to make it indefinitely storable and transportable." Previously, the two main approaches to using solar energy have been either photovoltaics, or thermal concentrators. Photovoltaics directly convert the energy in the photons into electricity. "Solar-thermal systems ... concentrate the sun's heat and use it to boil water to turn a turbine, or use the heat directly for hot water or home heating."
In this article, MIT explains how a molecule named fulvalene diruthenium can store and release energy from sunlight, and how it could be used to build thermal batteries for heating your homes, and producing local electricity.
Catching the Sun's Heat
David Chandler, MIT News Office
This is the thermo-chemical approach, in which solar energy is captured in the configuration of certain molecules which can then release the energy on demand to produce usable heat. And unlike conventional solar-thermal systems, which require very effective insulation and even then gradually let the heat leak away, the heat-storing chemicals can remain stable for years.
Essentially, the molecule undergoes a structural transformation when it absorbs sunlight, putting the molecule into a higher-energy state where it can remain stable indefinitely. Then, triggered by a small addition of heat or a catalyst, it snaps back to its original shape, releasing heat in the process.
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David Chandler, of MIT News, continues:
Jeffrey Grossman, the Carl Richard Soderberg Associate Professor of Power Engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering says ... the molecule forms a semistable configuration partway between the two previously known states."That was unexpected," he said. The two-step process helps explain why the molecule is so stable, why the process is easily reversible and also why substituting other elements for ruthenium has not worked so far..
In effect, explained Grossman, this makes it possible to produce a 'rechargeable heat battery" that can repeatedly store and release heat gathered from sunlight or other sources. In principle, Grossman said, a fuel made from fulvalene diruthenium, when its stored heat is released, "can get as hot as 200 degrees C, plenty hot enough to heat your home, or even to run an engine to produce electricity."
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Fulvalene diruthenium, is derived from ruthenium, which is still way to expensive for commercial applications. Grossman anticipates that now that they understand the molecular dynamics involved, researchers will soon be able to find less expensive molecules that can accomplish the same purpose.
To watch a cool video of Professor Jeffrey Grossman explaining how fulvalene diruthenium stores and releases solar enery by switching between two states click here:
http://web.mit.edu/...
Needless to say, this discovery has the potential to revolutionize heating and electrical generation needs, although, much more work needs to occur to bring down the cost, and engineer commericial applications. I thought you would still like to hear about it.
Science marches on.
5:29 PM PT: A Siegel, aka Adam has asked me to caution readers that this encouraging progress in basic science reported completely accurately here, and even with the precaution of my last paragraph, does not mean the energy crisis is over.
It was not my intention to cause excessive exuberance, wild anti-conservation hysteria, or a lack of sufficient somberness when contemplating our truly said, even disastrous energy situation.
The latest MIT report on climate change, indicates our current inadequate efforts will not be enough to limit atmospheric warming to 2% by 2050, which is going to be really bad folks. Tragically sad. Beyond, what most can probably even imagine.
So don't go out and start wasting energy Kossacks. We still have a long uphill battle to go for at least another 50 to 100 years. It will be many years, if not decades before this science breakthrough makes its' way into any commercial applications.
My intent here was simple to report news relevant to improving our understanding of the science, chemistry, and everything else of our energy situation, which is quite dire.
Just as an example, and to acknowledge one of the valid parts of Adam's point, one scenario predicts we will have over 350 million environmental refugees, by 2050, just from the rise of sea level, and greater climate variance.
Other scenarios warn us of the possibility of billions of deaths from starvation over the 100 years as our current global population of 7 billion, exceeds 9 billion or higher, at the same time as large increases in the global variance in weather, soil erosion, and other factors reduce the carrying capacity of planet earth.
I'm sorry if I caused anyone to feel inappropriately, or unduly optimistic or cheerful about our future, based on this one report.
I hope folks know that A Siegel, aka Adam, is one of my favorite writers on solar energy, and after much work to get him to agree to come over to join Kosowatt, and help us bring high quality writing on renewable energy, conservation, and technologically based efficiencies, I elevated him to a fellow Blog Administrator - - Editor, and still look forward to Adam taking a much stronger leadership role at Kosowatt.
Yes, I was taken aback for a moment, when I woke up a few hours ago, and he seemed to be accusing me of being a public relations hack from MIT, so I made a few remarks I regret now, about jumping my tip chair, But, this is just the kind of "exuberant and zany fun" we have at Kosowatt and even all across Daily Kos as we try to struggle through the day-to-day tragic realities we face in so many dimensions.
We have exchanged friendly emails and both of us are going to be pulling all the stops, and even continue to collaborate in every way we can as we are both deeply passionate about accelerating our conversion to renewable and sustainable energy as fast as we can.
And, given how important and dire our situation is, and as a gesture of good will, I will retract any criticism of Adam I made in a few places about posting his comment directly in the tip jar. He's made a number of constructive. In retrospect it was perfectly appropriate for a fellow Blog Admin at Kosowatt to raise this concern as visibly as possible, and the subsequent discussion seems to have advance several useful points.
So, any of you out there having invalid, and non-scientifically based overly optimistic sentiments, or wild eyed and irrational exuberance out there based on this one report, out of context, just knock it out right now, or we will have to track you down, and make you read all the technical footnotes of Al Gores latest report, as punishment.
The only thing I ask in return for these magnanimous gestures on my part, is that folks, including hopefully Adam, admit that it was a pretty funny and witty moment of repartee when I asked plaintively if I should have to go but a warning on my recent report of binary black holes gobbling up nearby star systems just 400 million light years away, doesn't mean you should stop investing in your pensions, and go out and party.
So my best advice to you at this point, fellow Kossacks, is neither wallow in excess despair, or give into irrational and wild eyed exuberance but, try to walk the narrow path of somber, and realistically based reactions to this whole affair.
Cheers.