14 DAY TRIAL // Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) have recently created a new solar energy-storage system, which they say will completely revolutionize the way this type of power is used. This video sees the technology's inventor explain how it works.
One of the primary issues related to using solar energy is that you cannot produce it during the night. This is very detrimental to power grids, which need to handle large amounts of electricity during shiny days, but have to make do with less during the nights, or during storms.
Massive capacitors and batteries are needed to store solar energy, so that it can be released during times when no sunlight is available to produce electricity. These devices would ensure that a steady outflow of current comes from solar power plants.
Keeping energy flow constant is a main condition for enabling the wide-scale use of solar energy, and the new devices created at MIT could be used precisely for this end.