Curved molecules that absorb sunlight, store the energy, and re-release it as heat are pushing the boundaries in solar thermal storage technology. The anthracene systems, derived from a by-product of ...

The sun can provide limitless heat for buildings and industrial processes. But using that heat on demand means capturing and storing solar thermal energy for when the sun isn’t shining. Researchers ...

Solar energy has a simple but annoying weakness. It disappears when the sun does. Even the most efficient systems struggle with this basic reality—no sunlight means no power. Scientists have long ...

A pipette delivers a clear liquid to a brown solution in a vial held by a clamp. A new water-soluble pyrimidone absorbs ultraviolet light and stores energy in its chemical bonds. Adding acid to the ...

Harnessing the Sun’s energy is one of the cleanest ways to generate electricity on Earth. It does, however, come with an obvious limitation. Once darkness falls, solar panels stop generating ...