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Solar windows made with rotten veg—how food waste can power homes

5 min read

Good Stuff
Source: jamesdysonaward.org

Filipino student wins Dyson Award for a substance made from crop waste which converts UV light into renewable energy.

AUREUS: AURORA RENEWABLE ENERGY & UV SEQUESTRATION

Invented by 27-year-old Carvey Ehren Maigue, a student at Mapúa University in the Philippines, the AuREUS system is an evolution for walls/windows, which utilises technology synthesised from upcycled crop waste to absorb stray UV light from sunlight and convert it to clean renewable electricity. 

The system champions the issues of UV sequestration, better access to solar energy for climate change mitigation and supporting the local agriculture industry hit by calamities by upcycling crops that would otherwise be considered wastes, thereby mitigating farmers’ loss. From a record 1,800 entries – and despite the challenges of a lockdown– the 2020 James Dyson Award for sustainability was given to Maigue for his AuREUS system, which uses the natural scientific principles behind the Aurora Borealis—or Northern Lights—hence the name.

Filipino student wins international design award for invention made from crop waste

AuREUS is made from crop waste and can be attached in panels to windows and walls. It allows high energy photons to be absorbed by luminescent particles derived from fruit and vegetables, which re-emit them as visible light. Unlike solar panels, the system is effective even when not directly facing the sun because it can pick up UV through clouds and bouncing from walls, pavements and other buildings.

“AuREUS is actually a material, or a technology, that allows other devices to harvest ultraviolet light and convert it into electricity. AuREUS is based on a plastic material, so it can be formed into different shapes,” Maigue was quoted by Dyson as saying.

AeREUS, which was inspired by the science behind the northern lights, could replace typical window glasses “so that a whole building could become vertical solar energy farms,” he added.

The engineering student said one of the most important components of his invention could be sourced from rotting crops as these have “organic luminescent compounds” that “turn high energy violet waves into visible light.” He then uses solar panels and solar films to convert this visible light into electricity.

The technology could help farmers mitigate losses after getting hit by calamities by upcycling damaged crops, Maigue said.

According to CNN, Maigue said he intends to make his product available in the market soon, by dedicating more time for research and development.

Source: CNN.ph

High energy particles are absorbed by luminescent particles that re-emit them as visible light. Similar type of luminescent particles (derivable from certain fruits and vegetables) were suspended in a resin substrate and is used as the core technology on both devices. When hit by UV light, the particles absorb and re-emit visible light along the edges due to internal reflectance. PV cells are placed along the edges to capture the visible light emitted. The captured visible light are then converted to DC electricity. Regulating circuits will process the voltage output to allow battery charging, storage, or direct utilisation of electricity.
Miniaturised Borealis Solar Window can power a small DC motor High energy particles are absorbed by luminescent particles that re-emit them as visible light. Similar type of luminescent particles (derivable from certain fruits and vegetables) were suspended in a resin substrate and is used as the core technology on both devices. When hit by UV light, the particles absorb and re-emit visible light along the edges due to internal reflectance. PV cells are placed along the edges to capture the visible light emitted. The captured visible light are then converted to DC electricity. Regulating circuits will process the voltage output to allow battery charging, storage, or direct utilisation of electricity. Source: jamesdysonaward.org
It could replace typical window glasses “so that a whole building could become vertical solar energy farms,”
AeREUS was inspired by the science behind the northern lights. It could replace typical window glasses “so that a whole building could become vertical solar energy farms,” Source: dyson.co.uk
The idea evolved from continuous pivots and iteration from the simple idea of wanting to capture UV light to better the solar technology industry and contribute to creating a sustainable and regenerative environment. Conventional PV cells lack the capability to capture high energy UV light.
AuREUS is based on a plastic material, so it can be formed into different shapes. The idea evolved from continuous pivots and iteration from the simple idea of wanting to capture UV light to better the solar technology industry and contribute to creating a sustainable and regenerative environment. Conventional PV cells lack the capability to capture high energy UV light. Source: dyson.co.uk
AuREUS is a technology that allows other devices to harvest ultraviolet light and convert it into electricity. Source: Dyson/CNN.ph
Solar Farms are built horizontally and never vertically, until now. Since AuREUS captures UV, it can produce electricity even when not facing the sun. Buildings clad on all sides with AuREUS become vertical solar farms.
The advantage in power density against solar farms. Solar Farms are built horizontally and never vertically, until now. Since AuREUS captures UV, it can produce electricity even when not facing the sun. Buildings clad on all sides with AuREUS become vertical solar farms. Source: jamesdysonaward.org

The inspiration behind Aureus and how it works

The driving forces of inspiration behind the project are threefold:

  1. Excess UV exposure in urban areas are being induced by glass buildings. The inspiration for the solution came from how Auroras were made. High energy(gamma, UV) are degraded to low energy state (visible light) by luminescent particles in the atmosphere. The tech is based on this concept and used similar functioning particles. 
  2. Solar Farms are built horizontally and never vertically, until now. Since AuREUS captures UV, it can produce electricity even when not facing the sun. Buildings clad on all sides with AuREUS become vertical solar farms. 
  3. Crops easily spoil and cause losses to farmers. With this tech, wastes can now be upcycled.

Both AuREUS devices (Borealis Solar Window and Astralis Solar Wall) uses the same technology derived from the phenomena that governs the beautiful Northern and Southern lights. 

  • High energy particles are absorbed by luminescent particles that re-emit them as visible light. 
  • Similar type of luminescent particles (derivable from certain fruits and vegetables) were suspended in a resin substrate and is used as the core technology on both devices. 
  • When hit by UV light, the particles absorb and re-emit visible light along the edges due to internal reflectance. 
  • PV cells are placed along the edges to capture the visible light emitted. 
  • The captured visible light are then converted to DC electricity. Regulating circuits will process the voltage output to allow battery charging, storage, or direct utilisation of electricity.

Advantage in UV Sequestration and creating a better environment for people outdoors. Source: jamesdysonaward.org
Carvey Ehren Maigue, the first global Sustainability Award Winner of James Dyson Award Mapúa University’s Carvey Ehren Maigue is the first global Sustainability Award Winner announced in this year’s James Dyson Award for his remarkable invention, AuREUS: Aurora Renewable Energy and UV Sequestration, a system that uses technology synthesised from upcycled crop waste to absorb stray UV light from sunlight and convert it to clean renewable electricity. Source: Facebook/MapuaUniversity
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RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS

Human activity and fossil fired power is overloading our atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other harmful emission which trap heat, steadily drive up the planet’s temperature, and create significant and harmful impact on our health, our environment, and our climate. So make some renewable energy that have a much lower environmental impact than conventional energy. In this Instructables collection are included different DIY renewable power generation projects like Wind, Solar, Hydro, Bio gas etc.