Scientists "bottle the sun" with a liquid battery that stores solar energy
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have developed a new type of liquid battery that stores solar energy in molecules. This innovative system captures sunlight and releases it as heat, even after sunset, providing a solution for energy storage without relying on traditional batteries. The new material, inspired by DNA, demonstrates a high energy density and can effectively boil water using stored sunlight.
- ▪The rechargeable sun battery stores sunlight in molecules and releases it as heat.
- ▪The material can hold energy for years and packs more energy per kilogram than lithium-ion batteries.
- ▪The system avoids the need for bulky batteries or reliance on the electrical grid.
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Science News from research organizations Scientists “bottle the sun” with a liquid battery that stores solar energy Researchers created a “rechargeable sun battery” that stores sunlight in molecules and later releases enough heat to boil water. Date: May 14, 2026 Source: University of California - Santa Barbara Summary: Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have created a remarkable new material that works like a “rechargeable solar battery,” storing sunlight inside tiny molecules and releasing it later as heat — even long after the sun goes down. Inspired by reversible changes found in DNA and photochromic sunglasses, the system captures solar energy without relying on bulky batteries or the electrical grid.
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