Optimist Daily: UC Santa Barbara scientists create liquid solar battery that stores sunlight as heat

When the sun sets, solar panels sadly become unproductive. For decades, that daily pause has underscored one of renewable energy’s biggest challenges: how to store sunlight efficiently for use after dark. In a study published in Science, Associate Professor Grace Han and her team describe a new material that captures solar energy, locks it into chemical bonds, and releases it later as heat on demand. The innovation belongs to a growing field known as molecular solar thermal (MOST) energy storage, and it may offer a lightweight, recyclable alternative to conventional batteries. “The concept is reusable and recyclable,” said Han Nguyen, a doctoral student in the Han Group and lead author of the paper. More HERE.