Liquid that can store solar energy for decades.

A team of researches from Sweden have developed a liquid substance that can store solar energy for 18 – 20 years in an enclosed system.

The technology is expected to be commercially viable and could be available in a decade.

The substance has been named MOST (Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage), and is capable of storing energy for later use and can be used, for example, at night to power a house.

The energy in this isomer can now be stored for up to 18 years. And when we come to extract the energy and use it, we get a warmth increase which is greater than we dared hope for.

Kasper Moth-Poulsen, Lead Researcher, Nano Material Chemisty at Chalmers.

The research group from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, had developed the first prototype capable of storing energy a year ago and since then has improved its capabilities.

A circular system

The improvements made means that MOST now works in a circular manner, as it converts the solar energy and stores it in a isomer at room temperature, a catalyst is then used to release the energy that can warm the house, the generated heat can then be reused by the solar thermal collector. All completely free of emissions and without damaging the molecule.