Early-stage research from Stanford University envisions solar panels capable of generating power around the clock — even when the sun’s not shining.
So called “night solar panels” draw power from a phenomenon known as radiative cooling.
Solar installers in Wyoming say the state’s overnight temperature swings make it a good place to deploy night solar technology, if and when it becomes commercially available.
Radiative cooling occurs naturally when heat moves away from the surface of solar panels, particularly on clear nights.
That’s when solar panel units hold temperatures several degrees below the surrounding ambient air, “Thereby creating the conditions for electricity generation,” according to the recent findings from Stanford.
“This principle, based on ancient refrigeration technologies, shows how traditional physics can inform modern energy solutions,” according to a Stanford press release.
Stanford researchers attached thermoelectric generators to modified commercial solar panels and collected dissipating heat to produce small amounts of usable power. The altered panels yielded 50 milliwatts per square meter at night, added the release.
Fifty milliwatts is far less than the 200 watts per square meter generated by typical solar panels, but night solar could become “an excellent complement to regular solar energy,” according to the Stanford researchers.
Practically Speaking
The Solar Guys, a residential installer with an office in Casper, told Cowboy State Daily Monday that night solar technology is fascinating, but not a huge breakthrough for consumers at this stage.
“I wouldn't say they're useful for serious energy production,” said Devon Brown with The Solar Guys. But for powering small devices, “like those lights for speed limits on the side of the road” and other types of overnight emergency lighting, night solar could be a great fit.
“It’s in an experimental phase right now, but definitely Wyoming would be a good place for testing for sure,” said Brown, whose company has completed more than 70 residential installations since 2022.
Stanford researchers touted the potential for night solar to, “Bridge the gap during night hours or the shaded periods when sunshine is otherwise unavailable. Thanks to this, solar energy could be adopted much better in areas that have variable cloud cover or cannot enjoy direct sunlight all the time.”
Brown agreed, pointing to night solar’s capacity for generating power in the dark, and storing that power in a battery bank.
For equipment that doesn’t require a lot of wattage, night solar could also reduce the need for batteries, according to a 2024 report from EcoNews.
The report noted ways night solar could, “Power environmental sensors and other low-power equipment without batteries, giving rise to a reduced ecological footprint from battery manufacture and disposal.”
Next Gen Batteries?
Brown with The Solar Guys said in addition to night solar, a new generation of cheaper, safer batteries is also on the horizon.
Lithium-ion batteries are currently the type of battery widely used to store and distribute solar power. Now, with the rise of sodium ion batteries, Brown said his customers in Wyoming could benefit from this new technology because sodium ion batteries are cheaper to make and work well in the cold.
“The one thing that's better for our climate is those things can go down to -40 degrees and still discharge,” said Brown, who said he can custom order sodium ion batteries made in China.
Brown said he wasn’t sure how the Trump Administration’s tariffs might affect the future supply of sodium ion batteries, but he was hopeful about a future with, “More manufacturing jobs for the American economy as far as the renewable sector goes.”
24-Hour Cyber Solar
If the future brings around-the-clock electricity generation from solar arrays, the entire system could be managed by AI software programmed to monitor atmospheric conditions and maximize efficiency, no matter how much sunlight there is.
“There could be a storm guard feature,” said Brown. “It uses AI and satellite weather systems to go ahead and predict weather around your area. And if it has any sort of storm brewing, the batteries are going to detect how long that weather is going to last.
“And it'll actually override your setup for what you have programmed to make sure you can get through that weather that's brewing.”
Such AI systems ensure batteries remain charged, sometimes pulling from the grid if night solar or the sunshine are not providing enough power.
Along with night solar, improved batteries and AI management systems, the solar industry is also welcoming the arrival of building materials with the power to generate electricity built in.
“Tesla was bringing out their Tesla shingles,” said Travis Spears, CEO of the Solar and Electric Specialist in Cheyenne.
Sharpe told Cowboy State Daily that along with photovoltaic roofing shingles, panes of solar-producing window glass are also coming onto the market.
“They can put the windows on the east, south and west facing sides of skyscrapers to help produce power and for the building,” said Spears.
So far, these new bells and whistles in the solar industry haven’t generated a bump in solar sales for Spears’ company. But Spears said he has seen demand for backup generators remain strong.
As for solar, “A lot of people are kind of hanging on to the money because they don't know what's going to happen with the cost of goods and tariffs and stuff like that. I think the spending right now has slowed down a little bit.”
“I mean, those of us who already have panels on hand, you won't see the tariff increase until our stock that we currently have is gone,” added Spears. “So, prices could very well go up and make it a little bit harder to see what your return on investment is. But if it pencils out and makes sense, then it's not a bad deal.”
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
