One watt per square meter. Not very useful.
You’re getting downvoted for pointing out that this technology, at optimal efficiency on Earth, generates about 1/100,000 the power of a solar panel. “Not very useful” is an understatement (it’s currently fucking useless). Even worse: the title saying “at night” implies a terrestrial usage and misdirects from this technology’s only potential useful application in the future once and if it becomes much better – namely on deep-space missions.
This research is interesting. I hope it yields something useful. Your comment is still 100% correct for the foreseeable future.
Edit: I was conflating the optimal efficiency of 1 W/m2 and the actual efficiency of 1/100,000 the solar panel. Sorry for introducing that confusion.
even if it only helped eek out 1% returns, on missions depending on an RTEG that could be years added.
worth keeping an eye on.
I guess we’re calling geothermal energy “reverse solar” now. This is silly marketing.
The thing about deep space is confusing. Where is it dark for long periods in deep space?
