A bright idea for storing solar energy

Solar energy has been showcased in a variety of ways, from the pedestrian to the epic to the bizarre. Underlying all its uses, however, is a fundamental problem — solar power depends on the sun, which isn’t always available.

But a recent announcement by MIT could herald a new era for solar power, with a new storage system capable of capturing the sun’s elusive rays for rainy, powerless days. Whereas storing power currently relies on relatively inefficient batteries containing toxic materials, MIT researchers have discovered a system that uses “abundant, non-toxic materials” to harness the most renewable source of energy on the planet.

Based on the natural process of photosynthesis, the technology is able to split water into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen molecules, storing the gases for later use. Then, when the sun is no longer shining, the hydrogen and oxygen are recombined inside a fuel cell to create electricity.

The process could mean that connections to a city’s power grid might one day become a thing of the past, with each home’s solar panels providing enough energy to power everything from household appliances to an electric car being charged in the garage.

Perhaps the most exciting prospect of the technology involves the sheer scope of the energy available. In one hour, the report notes, enough sunlight hits the Earth to provide a year’s worth of electric power. With improvements constantly being made in solar panel technology, improving the amount of energy that can be gathered, more efficient storage technology is an exciting first step toward a world where artificial photosynthesis can permanently provide all the power we need.