Solar Device Reaches 1000°C, Offering Fossil Fuel Alternative
Engineers at ETH Zurich have made a significant breakthrough in solar energy technology, creating a device that can harness sunlight to achieve temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit). This innovation leverages the heat-trapping properties of synthetic quartz, which, when combined with a silicon disk to absorb energy, has demonstrated the potential to generate extreme heat. The method has been tested with an energy input equivalent to 136 times that of the sun's light on Earth, with the absorber plate reaching temperatures up to 1,922 degrees Fahrenheit, while the quartz rod's temperature increased to about 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit.
The research, published in the journal Device, showcases a promising direction for supplying clean energy to carbon-intensive industries such as steel, glass, cement, and ceramics. These sectors account for approximately a quarter of global energy consumption, and the new technology could offer a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, which are currently used to achieve the high temperatures required in these manufacturing processes. The researchers are continuing their work by exploring other materials that can function as thermal traps, potentially expanding the applications of this clean energy method.
