MOST – Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage System

This closed energy system is based on a specially designed molecule of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, which changes its arrangement into an energy-rich isomer when hit by sunlight. This isomer can be stocked in liquid form for years for use on demand, regardless of weather, time of day, season, or geographical location. A specific catalyst is necessary to release the saved energy as heat as the molecules return to their original shape, so they can then be reused. The system is fossil-free and emissions-free.

The complete system consists of a hybrid solar collector, thermal energy storage, and a heat-releasing device or catalyst. When combined with a thermoelectric generator and a low-dimensional material-based microelectromechanical system (MEMS), this system can be applied as an ultra-thin chip, which could be integrated into small electronics, such as headphones, phones, and smartwatches, and used for charging. Potentially, as efficiency improves, this solution could be applied to windows to capture solar energy.