There’s a new energy source … hiding in the shadows!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
A shady glade … ideal for cooling off! But when it comes to solar power, LESS sun means less energy!
As skyscrapers climb and open sunshine becomes less available, how can we AMP UP the power?
Enter Qian Zhang and colleagues from the National University of Singapore.
They created a device to harness the power of SHADE! It’s called the Shadow Effect Energy Generator. How does it work?
Solar generators create energy by combining light and silicon. The researchers added a thin layer of gold on their generator. As incoming light jumps from the silicon to gold, the metal’s voltage creates a stronger electric current.
How much stronger? The flow of energy is TWO HUNDRED PERCENT better than an ordinary solar generator current!
This technology utilizes the CONTRAST between sun and shade. In tests, it was able to power an electronic watch on almost NO sunlight!
A powerful innovation that’s literally “made in the shade!”
Reference: Zhang, Q., Liang, Q., Nandakumar, D. K., Ravi, S. K., Qu, H., Suresh, L., Zhang X., Yang, L., Wee, A. T. S., Tan, S. C. (2020). Energy harvesting from shadow-effect. Energy & Environmental Science, 13(8), 2404-2413.