Technology has come a long way over the past decade in improving energy efficiency in homes and businesses. This has led to obvious benefits for the environment but also lower long-term costs in terms of how much we’re spending on energy. We’ve seen some interesting developments over the years but perhaps none are quite as fascinating as the recent concept a paint that generates solar energy.

The idea was conceived in Melbourne’s RMIT University by Dr. Torben Daeneke and Prof. Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh.

So how does solar paint work exactly? Let’s take a look at this breakthrough and what we can expect from it going forward.

 
 
Creates Energy From Thin Air

The key to solar paint is the fact that it contains a compound that essentially sucks the water vapour out of the air. Why is this a good thing? Well, the compound also has the effect of splitting the water molecules in the vapour it absorbs, separating the hydrogen and oxygen.

This material is made up of a compound developed by these scientists known as synthetic molybdenum-sulphide, which is combined with a white pigment found in many house paints known as titanium oxide. This combination absorbs moisture and when combined with energy from the sun, essentially produces hydrogen gas.

"The simple addition of the new material can convert a brick wall into energy harvesting and fuel production real estate," explained lead researcher Torben Daeneke.

Can Be Effective Anywhere

The commercialisation of such a technology to the point where it is a product we buy at the hardware store is still likely a few years off. But such a paint would have a range of obvious benefits, one of which is the fact that it produces a genuine fuel source no matter where your house is located.

Obviously, it may be more effective in homes in humid climates or on the coast, but the idea is that this paint will be able to provide a steady supply of fuel for next to no cost.

“Any place that has water vapour in the air, even remote areas far from water, can produce fuel,” Dr.Daeneke said.

One of the big upsides is that there are a very low maintenance cost and zero input required to produce this fuel, making it a genuine source of clean energy.

Collecting The Fuel

A potential challenge of solar paint is the collecting and storing of the hydrogen fuel that is produced. This is part of the reason the technology is still a few years away from commercialisation. The idea that is being experimented with is to have the paint incorporate membranes that are able to store and extract the fuel as gas, and then moved to another source.

During commercial production, solar paint is going to make a home 10% energy efficient.

That is much less than any kind of silicon panels. But solar paint is a cost-effective product. In term of price, this paint is relatively less expensive than conventional solar cells. The researchers are now working on improving the energy efficiency, and considering the current results, there’s a good chance of success.

When combined with solar panels, this could really help transform energy efficiency in the home. It will be interesting to see how this technology develops over the next few years and we look forward to seeing it go mainstream and hopefully contribute to getting 6 Star energy rating for more homes! For more information about energy-saving technologies or tips on how to maximise your home’s energy efficiency, start following Superior Energy Rating blog.

Data Source: Solar paint offers endless energy