Masdar’s new device to make solar thermal tech more efficient

Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business

The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology announced the development of a high-performance solar absorber that could make solar thermal technologies significantly more efficient. Masdar Institute is part of the Khalifa University of Science and Technology.
The solar absorber, developed with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), features an ultrathin nanocomposite film made of silver and silica, topped with silver nanoparticles. It absorbs nearly 100% of the sunlight’s energy from the ultraviolet and visible portions of the solar spectrum. This technological breakthrough could be a boon to the efficiency and affordability of solar thermal applications, such as utility-scale solar thermal power generation.
“The technology developed through this collaborative research effort demonstrates our commitment to generating innovations that will enable the UAE to achieve its diversified energy goals through sustainable solutions specifically targeted at advancing the energy sector. This research is also a testament to the Institute’s commitment to scientific rigor and excellence, which produces the intellectual and human capital critical to the country’s knowledge-economy transformation,” said Dr Steve Griffiths, Interim Executive Vice President for Research at Khalifa University of Science and Technology.
A paper describing the team’s solar absorber was published in the journal Advanced Optical Materials this month. The research team that developed the absorber includes Prof. TieJun Zhang, from the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department, postdoctoral researchers Dr Jin You Lu and Dr Aikifa Raza, and UAE National MSc students Afra S. Alketbi and Sumaya Noorulla, and from MIT, Prof. Gang Chen and Prof. Nicholas X. Fang, from the Mechanical Engineering Department. UAE is keen on implementing a range of solar technologies, including solar thermal, to help meet sustainability goals that include generating 44% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050.
“The technology we have demonstrated is particularly attractive for hot-arid region, such as Abu Dhabi, with potential applications in waste water treatment, seawater desalination, and power generation,” Dr
Chen shared. CSP is a type of solar power technology that generates electricity by concentrating sunlight to heat a working fluid, like oil or water, to produce steam for electrical power generation.