New environmentally friendly use of solar panels

Researchers at Princeton University have designed an effective way to use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into a potential alternative fuel formic acid. The research results were published in the first issue of Carbon Dioxide Utilization. In order to curb global warming caused by an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, there are usually three aspects: the development of alternative energy sources, the capture and storage of greenhouse gases, and the reuse of excess greenhouse gas emissions. Using two of these methods, Andrew, a professor of chemistry at Princeton University, worked with Liquid Light, founded by Monksey Junction, New Jersey, to design an effective way to use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into a potential alternative fuel formic acid.
According to the Daily Science Network, the commercial solar panels on the top of the state's high-voltage poles, generously provided by the US Power and Natural Gas Public Service Company, generate energy that converts carbon dioxide and water into formic acid. This process takes place in an electrochemical battery that contains a rectangular lunch box-sized metal plate package that delivers liquid channels.
In order to make this system more efficient, Andrew said, the amount of electricity generated by the solar panel must match the amount of electricity that the electrochemical cell can handle. This optimization process is called impedance matching. By stacking three electrochemical cells together, the research team is able to achieve energy efficiency of nearly 2%, which is twice the efficiency of photosynthesis in nature, and is an energy efficiency report using artificial devices to date.
Solar panels turn CO2 into formic acid fuel Many energy companies are interested in formic acid fuel cells that store solar energy. In addition, formate made from formic acid is a dehacher for airstrips because it is less corrosive to the aircraft and safer to the environment than chlorine. As availability increases, formate can widely replace the use of more harmful salts.
The researchers say the method provides a promising renewable fuel using waste carbon dioxide and readily available processing parts.