Researchers make incredible breakthrough that could transform future water heaters: 'Cost-effective solution'
Since sand maintains an excellent capacity for heat storage, the team achieved promising results, as exemplified by the change in the sand's temperature: over 200 degrees Fahrenheit in a single day, per Interesting Engineering. By converting electricity from solar panels into thermal energy via a nichrome wire heating rod, they established the blueprint of their fine sand-based solar geyser, by which they could channel heat into sand for storage and later into water.
The primary goal, however, was driving down the energy costs of water heating. Published in the journal Energy Sources, the study reported an approximately 25-year lifespan for the design and an energy cost of about $0.0233 per kilowatt-hour, making the FSG a successful jumping-off point.
"The FSG system offers a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective solution for water heating by storing thermal energy in fine sand, overcoming the intermittency of solar radiation," researcher Dinesh Kumar Saini explained.
Conventional water heaters run on fuel, typically natural gas, the combustion of which releases carbon pollution that contributes to the overheating of the planet. Even electric water heaters aren't necessarily the most eco-friendly, though they can be, depending on whether the electricity is generated by fuel-based power plants or a cleaner power alternative.
Fortunately, finding other ways to heat water may be just what is needed to put a dent in the carbon pollution problem. While there is a plethora of Earth-heating emission sources, ranging from industrial to residential settings, every little swap makes a difference, helping offset the creeping reverberations of the changing climate, such as supercharged weather events and food shortages.
The FSG's reliance on solar panels rather than any fuel-based energy source makes it refreshingly pollution-free and showcases an inventive way to maximize the unsung potential of solar power, the ultimate cost-effective clean energy solution.
Though this solar geyser technology is still in the works — currently more of a draft than a final model — you can still take advantage of solar innovations by installing solar panels for your home, using EnergySage to bring your installation costs down by up to $10,000 and your long-term energy costs near zero. If you're looking for a more gradual solar investment, LightReach promotes clean energy accessibility by leasing solar panels at no cost upfront.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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