‘Night solar panels’ are able to generate enough energy to charge a phone.
Scientists at the University of California Davis in the US made the panels widely known in 2020 when they modified one of these specific solar panels with a thermoelectric generator, a device that generates currents based on temperature variations.
On clear nights, they function by utilizing the heat or infrared light that the solar panel’s surface radiates into space.
“So, at night, the solar panel can actually reach a temperature that’s below the ambient air temperature, and that’s a rather unusual opportunity for power harvesting.”
To the best of our knowledge, solar panels have been negatively impacted by the shifting seasons and their inability to function at night. In essence, the solar cells used at night function in reverse of those used during the day.Infrared radiation is released from the earth every night to maintain a steady temperature on the globe.
Can you imagine that there is one thing we do everyday that gave the idea for night solar panels?
Well, people have been using similar technology to achieve nighttime cooling for hundreds of years. You apply the same idea when you open your windows and doors to let fresh air into your home after a hot day. This type of passive cooling essentially draws heat away from the planet after dark by using the night sky as a large heat sink.
Discover all our solar energy solutions here.
