There is a fundamental problem behind solar energy (and other sources as well): the lack of a stable and efficient resource to store its excess in the long term. Batteries do a pretty good job "in the moment," but it would be crazy to expect a Li-ion module to hold its charge for five or ten years. A team at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden believes it has the key to ending that situation: a thermal fluid that can store solar energy for 18 years and even enable its transport as if it were a traditional fuel.
It is said that the best commercial rechargeable batteries in terms of self-discharge are the Eneloop from Sanyo / Panasonic / FDK-Fujitsu. The latest generation loses only 15 percent of its charge after one year of storage, and to surpass those percentages, it is necessary to explore non-rechargeable options. Now, this technology is very useful on a personal level, but it is useless if we decide to scale up. For example, think of a solar farm. How do we store its excess? How do we transport it?
You can watch a related video from CNN.
What Is Liquid Solar Energy?
That's when the concept of liquid solar energy emerges. It's not exactly new, as several studies have been published on the subject over the last decade, but one of the most promising works takes us to Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. Instead of generating electricity like a traditional battery, the liquid releases its heat when activated through a compatible catalyst. Space heating is the first thing that comes to mind, but its story doesn't end there.
How It Works
From a technical point of view, the liquid goes through a conversion process. Its first phase is based on the hydrocarbon norbornadiene, whose molecules change to quadricyclane when bombarded with sunlight. In other words, it is a 'charged version' of the molecule, but the most important thing is its stability: It can last up to 18 years without major deterioration of its properties. The energy density of the reaction is at levels similar to those of a high-performance battery.
https://old.neoteo.com/ibm-bateria-libre-de-metales/How Long?
Of course, we must ask "the" question: How long? In the best case scenario... ten years. As unbelievable as it may seem, we still need to make progress in terms of adopting renewable sources, but sooner or later, transporting that energy will be a gigantic challenge, and we need to work on it now.
Source: CNN
