India Advances Solar Energy Storage with Molecular Photo-Switches
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have developed molecular photo-switches to store solar energy efficiently. This innovation could enhance the utility of solar panels in India, which currently has a rooftop solar capacity of 23 GW.
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India's current rooftop solar capacity stands at 23 GW, with land-based solar panels generating a total of 150 GW. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, led by Prof. Grace Han, have engineered molecular photo-switches that can store solar thermal energy in molecular form.
The selected molecule, 2-pyrimidone, transforms into Dewar pyrimidone upon solar light absorption, releasing heat energy for practical applications. This advancement could optimize energy storage from solar panels, especially during non-sunny hours, thus enhancing the efficiency of India's growing solar infrastructure. The potential for synthesizing additional MOST molecules could further support the country's renewable energy goals.
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