Thermophotovoltaics developed at U-M can recover significantly more energy stored in heat batteries.
Thermophotovoltaics developed at U-M can recover significantly more energy stored in heat batteries.
Closing in on the theoretical maximum efficiency, devices for turning heat into electricity are edging closer to being practical for use on the grid, according to University of Michigan research.
Heat batteries could store intermittent renewable energy during peak production hours, relying on a thermal version of solar cells to convert it into electricity later.
“As we include higher fractions of renewables on the grid to reach decarbonization goals, we need lower costs and longer durations of energy storage as the energy generated by solar and wind does not match when the energy is used,” Andrej Lenert, U-M associate professor of chemical engineering and corresponding author of the study recently published in Joule.
Read more at University of Michigan
Image: To measure the power produced by his photovoltaic cells, Roy-Layinde holds a heat source held over the photovoltaic cell, which emits the infrared radiation that the cell converts into electricity. Wires connected to the photovoltaic cell run the electricity to a sensor that reads the voltage and amperage. (Image credit: Brenda Ahearn, Michigan Engineering)
