Related papers: Harvesting Energy from Sun, Outer Space, and Soil
First, we briefly review the solar abundance problem and its current status. We start with the description of the existing theoretical model of the Sun and its main uncertainties and proceed with the discussion of the observational evidence…
A totally new energy harvesting architecture that exploits ambient electric-field (E-field) emitting from fluorescent light fixtures is presented. A copper plate, 50 x 50 cm in size, is placed in between the ambient field to extract energy…
We present a comprehensive analysis of a dual, micro-gap thermionic-thermoelectric hybrid energy converter by developing a detailed theoretical model of the system. The Space-charge and near-field effects in thermionic conversion and the…
In this work, a metamaterial selective solar absorber made of nanostructured titanium gratings deposited on an ultrathin MgF2 spacer and a tungsten ground film is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Normal absorptance of the…
The endeavor of the scientific community to maximize the possibility to harvest Sun irradiation for energy production is mainly devoted to the improvement of the power conversion efficiency of devices and to the extension of the spectral…
This article assesses whether it is profitable to store solar PV electricity in the form of heat and convert it back to electricity on demand. The impact of a number of technical and economic parameters on the profitability of a…
An energy harvesting device based on nanohelices is presented. The energy harvesting scheme based on nanohelices involves the same rectification circuitry found in many household electronic goods, which converts alternating current (AC)…
Energy harvesting is the fundamental activity in almost all forms of space exploration known to humans. So far, in most cases, it is not feasible to bring, along with probe, spacecraft or rover suitable supply of fuel to cover all mission's…
Terrestrial radiative cooling is an intriguing way to mitigate the accelerating cooling demands in the residential and commercial sectors by offering zero-energy cooling. However, the ultra-white or mirror-like appearance of radiative…
Energy harvesting promises maintenance-free operation of wireless sensor nodes but introduces strong dependencies on stochastic and deployment-specific environmental conditions. In particular, solar-powered systems are highly sensitive to…
The Peaks of Eternal Light (PELs), that are largely unshaded regions mostly at the lunar south pole, have been suggested as a source of solar power for mining the water and other volatiles in the nearby permanently dark regions. As mining…
Solar energy is anticipated to be the most viable source of sustainable green energy. Perovskites have gained significant research attention in recent years as a solar energy harvesting material due to their desirable photovoltaic enabling…
We report generation of electrical energy from nonlinear mechanical noises available in the ambient environment using optimized piezo transduction mechanisms. Obtaining energy from an ambient vibration has been attractive for remotely…
Thermophotovotaics convert thermal radiation from local heat sources to electricity. A new breakthrough in creating highly efficient thin-film solar cells can potentially enable thermophotovoltaic systems with unprecedented high efficiency.…
Thermionic converters generate electricity from thermal energy in a power cycle based on vacuum emission of electrons. While thermodynamically efficient, practical implementations are limited by the extreme temperatures required for…
The ability to accurately forecast power generation from renewable sources is nowadays recognised as a fundamental skill to improve the operation of power systems. Despite the general interest of the power community in this topic, it is not…
Concentrating solar power, particularly parabolic trough system with solar concentrations less than 50, requires spectrally selective solar absorbers that are thermally stable at high temperatures of 400degC above to achieve high…
Dew-harvesting technology radiatively cools a condenser below the dewpoint to achieve condensation of the water vapor from the atmosphere. Due to its passive nature, this technology has attracted a broad interest, in particular in the…
Transferring energy without transferring mass is a powerful paradigm to address the challenges faced when the access to, or the deployment of, the infrastructure for energy conversion is locally impossible or impractical. Laser beaming…
We describe strategies to estimate the upper limits of the efficiency of photon energy harvesting via hot electron extraction from gapless absorbers. Gapless materials such as noble metals can be used for harvesting the whole solar…