Despite the continuously falling costs of solar and wind power, renewable energy continues to grapple with the issue of storing energy produced from sun and wind when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow. Lithium batteries store energy from the sun to provide it when needed, even if the sun doesn’t shine. But what if there were a solar power system coupled with a thermal battery capable of producing electricity at night by powering a turbine with stored heat? Researchers from Curtin University in Australia are developing a prototype of a thermal battery capable of producing electricity overnight. This innovative approach to thermal battery development could be a viable source of 24/7 power for energy-intensive industries, including mining operations, potentially rivaling fossil fuel-generated power from coal, oil, or natural gas, Curtin University said in a statement this week.
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