WASTE heat can be turned into electricity using a type of solar cell that’s powered by heat rather than light. The system’s secret is an egg-shaped “energy concentrator” inspired by the exquisite creations of the nineteenth century jeweller Carl FabergĂ©.
Developed by engineers at Dalarna University’s Solar Energy Research Center in BorlĂ€nge, Sweden, the system is based on a technology called thermo-photovoltaics. In TPV, thermal radiation from a hot source powers a photovoltaic (solar) cell geared to work best at the wavelength of the thermal radiation.
However, although TPV was conceived by the US military some 30 years…
