Scientists claim to have created a way to "store solar energy" in a liquid molecule and release that heat when needed.

Scientists claim to have created a way to “store solar energy” in a liquid molecule and release that heat when needed.

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 20/06/2026 at 18:48

Updated on 20/06/2026 at 18:49

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Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have developed a molecule that captures sunlight, stores energy in its chemical structure, and then releases heat, in an advance related to molecular solar thermal storage

A team at the University of California, Santa Barbara has developed a molecular solar battery capable of capturing energy from light and storing it within a chemical structure for later use as heat. The system, described in the journal Science, achieved a density greater than 1.6 MJ/kg and was able to boil water under environmental conditions.

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Solar battery stores energy within the molecule itself

The technology is part of the field known as molecular solar thermal storage, called MOST.

Unlike conventional solar panels, which convert light into electricity, this type of system stores energy directly in molecules.

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Molecule works like a compressed spring

Nguyen Han, the lead author of the study, compared the functioning of the molecule to a compressed spring.

The pyrimidone absorbs energy when activated by light and later releases this energy content when triggered.

The researcher highlighted that the team’s interest is in the reversibility of the process. The material can store energy, release it when necessary, and be reused multiple times, without degradation noted in the consulted material.

“This type of reversible change is what interests us. However, instead of changing color, we want to use the same idea to store energy, release it when we need it, and then reuse the material multiple times,” stated Nguyen.

Experimental setup highlighting solar energy storage and triggered heat production. Credit: Science

Inspiration came from DNA and transition lenses

To reach pyrimidone, the researchers were inspired by DNA structures and photochromic materials, such as transition lenses. These systems change shape reversibly when exposed to light.

The structure of the molecule mimics components found in DNA that respond to ultraviolet light. With computational support from KN Houk, from UCLA, the team refined the compound to ensure it remained stable and conserved energy for longer.

Nguyen stated that the design of the molecule aimed for simplicity. The team removed elements considered unnecessary to create a compact and efficient structure for solar energy storage.

Energy density surpasses typical lithium-ion batteries

The material achieved an energy density greater than 1.6 MJ/kg. This value is above typical lithium-ion batteries, which are around 0.9 MJ/kg, according to the data presented in the study.

This performance is considered relevant for MOST systems, especially because the molecule was able to provide enough energy to boil water under environmental conditions.

“Boiling water is a process that consumes a lot of energy,” stated Nguyen in a university statement. For her, achieving this result under environmental conditions represents a significant achievement.

The solubility of the molecule also paves the way for use in solar collectors. The material could circulate through the system, store energy during the day, and release heat later.

Co-author Benjamin Baker summarized the practical difference: in solar panels, an additional battery system is needed. In molecular solar thermal storage, the material itself stores the solar energy.

This article was prepared based on information from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the journal Science, with data, numbers, and statements preserved as per the consulted material.

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Scientists claim to have created a way to “store solar energy” in a liquid molecule and release that heat when needed.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have developed a molecule that captures sunlight, stores energy in its chemical structure, and then releases heat, in an advance related to molecular solar thermal storage

Solar battery stores energy within the molecule itself

Molecule works like a compressed spring

Inspiration came from DNA and transition lenses

Energy density surpasses typical lithium-ion batteries

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Scientists claim to have created a way to “store solar energy” in a liquid molecule and release that heat when needed.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have developed a molecule that captures sunlight, stores energy in its chemical structure, and then releases heat, in an advance related to molecular solar thermal storage

Solar battery stores energy within the molecule itself

Molecule works like a compressed spring

Inspiration came from DNA and transition lenses

Energy density surpasses typical lithium-ion batteries

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He transformed an abandoned plastic water tank into an underground house in the “hobbit hole” style, using only repurposed pallet wood, without heavy machinery or expensive labor.

Toyota launches “family hybrid van” with 7 or 8 seats, 1.8 hybrid engine, fuel consumption of up to 23.8 km/l, and a price equivalent to about R$ 104,000 without taxes, below the Tiggo 8 Pro Plug-in Hybrid sold in Brazil: meet the Noah Hybrid 2026 in Japan.

Chinese woman planted trees for decades while sand buried part of her house, received $5,000 from an American in 1999, and helped transform the desert into a forest of 8 million trees in China.

Almost 6,000 residents live concentrated along a single street nearly 9 km long in the interior of Poland. Houses form a continuous row, and behind them, narrow agricultural strips emerge, creating one of the most unusual rural patterns in Europe.

Described by astronauts as one of the most unlikely natural phenomena on Earth, the Okavango Delta spreads over up to 15,000 square kilometers in the middle of the desert and transforms Botswana into a living labyrinth of channels, islands, and flooded areas.

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