In a proof-of-concept study, researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have successfully demonstrated the use of solar energy to reach temperatures of 1,832 Fahrenheit , a feat usually achieved using fossil fuels.
Along with ceramics, these industries account for a quarter of all human energy consumption. However, this energy is extracted exclusively from fossil fuels, which leads to large carbon emissions. for these processes. Emiliano Casati, a Lecturer at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, and his team achieved this recently by trapping solar energy. Previous attempts at using solar energy for heating applications have been to concentrate sunlight using solar receivers.
“The solar light crosses an additional layer of such material, which is used to shield the receiver,” explained Casati in an email to“The light reaches the solar absorber, which converts it into heat and whose temperatures increase, but the re-emitted infrared radiation is partly re-absorbed by the additional layer, thus reducing losses to the environment and increasing the efficiency of the device,” he added.