Chinese scientists have simulated a new photovoltaic-thermoelectric technology, based on radiative cooling and III-V solar cells, to generate electricity at night.

Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Science have designed a hybrid power system that combines photovoltaics, spectral-splitting (SS), radiative cooling (RC), and a thermoelectric (TEG) unit.

“The proposed system can be applied to solar photovoltaic power generation, with the thermoelectric materials using the separated solar spectrum to generate electricity,” researcher Jianfeng Guo told pv magazine. “At the same time, the combination of radiation cooling technology and thermoelectric materials can realize power generation at night.”

In the proposed ideal system configuration, the photovoltaic panel is based on heterojunction cells made of III-V materials, placed at the bottom of the hot side of the TEG to generate electricity using the temperature difference between the PV panel and radiative cooling.

“Radiative cooling needs to face the sky, so it is placed on the top,” said the scientists.

Radiative cooling occurs when the surface of an object absorbs less radiation from the atmosphere […]