If only we were better at harvesting the vast amounts of energy that our sun sends us all the time. Maybe there is a rather big step ahead on this road.

phys.org repots about developments at the University of Conneticut under Professor Challa V. Kumar. The article explains how we currently are able to harvest only parts of the light spectrum. That’s all about wave-lengths but essentially means we only use a small part at all. The organic gel they are developing there is supposed to basically convert parts of the currently unused wavelengths into thos we are harvesting.

The article mentions a potential doubling of the energy. Now that is in the text to the picture, only. And accompanied by a could. So let’s treat this with carefully. But also let’s not forget we don’t have to rely on the sun, solely. Although that always sounds so promising: all the worlds energy of a year coming down in just one day?

But look at Paraguay. They are counted to have > 99,9 % renewable electricity. And that’s without solar. They basically use a really big dam that they operate together with Brazil. Real cool project that was started decades ago btw. And here they are today, leading the world in renewable energy. Did you know that? So yeah, let’s go for 100% renewable on the world-wide scale, shall we? :)

ClearNet-Links:

  • http://phys.org/news/2015-10-boosting-efficiency-solar-panels.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_Paraguay