Recently, Southeast University has made new progress in the field of energy, which can obtain energy from both the sun and the outer space. The research achievement titled “Simultaneously and Synergistically Harvest Energy from the Sun and Outer Space” was published in Joule online on November 8. Professor Chen Zhen from the School of Mechanical Engineering of Southeast University is the first author and Professor Fan Shanhui from Stanford University is the corresponding author.
The traditional solar energy devices can convert solar energy to electric energy or thermal energy. The latest research achievement made by Professor Chen Zhen and Professor Fan Shanhui is expected to add a new function to this traditional solar technology, enabling the solar cells laid on the roof of buildings to cool the buildings without consumption of the electric energy while supplying electric or thermal energy to the buildings. This latest research achievement was obtained on the basis of the research achievement published in Nature Communications by the two in 2016 (Chen et al., Nature Communications 7, 13729 (2016), when the technology can realize continuous radiant cooling of the devices around the clock until 40-degree Celsius below the ambient temperature. The latest research achievement as published in Joule has realized the integration of solar energy technology and radiant cooling technology. In this sense, these two technologies would not only have no mutual interference, but can enhance each other's work efficiency. This research achievement has been highly valued by Joule Magazine and Stanford University, which then publicized such technology simultaneously in the worldwide area with high praise obtained from the academic arena.
Joule, as the flagship journal in energy established by Cell in 2017, one of the world's most prestigious academic journals, mainly publishes the latest research findings and scientific research progresses in the field of energy.
