Researchers at the University of Rochester have created a ‘perfect’ solar energy absorber. They used lasers to modified the surface of a tungsten plate so it absorbs all wavelengths of light that the Sun produces. One use would be a solar-thermal generator. I assume this is to use the thermoelectric effect to produce electricity.
In terms of power generation, how is this likely to compare with typical PV panels? As I understand it, thermoelectric generators are very inefficient compared with most other ways to generate power. Is this super efficient absorber likely to change that significantly?
The system we had for the Space Station was a Thermal Dynamics system. The sun heated an array of phase change salts that stored the heat for the dark portions of an orbit. The working fluid drove a turbine. he system was more efficient than the solar panels. I got cut from the design, though.
No, when they talk about PV panels being 15% efficient (or whatever the number is), that’s 15% of all energy in sunlight, including infrared (which I think is what you are referring to as “heat”).