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Could one imagine a material that would absorb solar spectrum and emit the preferred frequencies? Something like a polymer one could stretch over fields to get

Could one imagine a material that would absorb solar spectrum and emit the preferred frequencies? Something like a polymer one could stretch over fields to get more from the suns rays.

westurner 6y ago
>> "Actually no not really. Plants only absorb two wavelengths of light. It's currently more efficient to convert sun into solar power via panels and then to light LEDs supplying only the wavelengths that plants use. Despite the seeming inefficiency here, the fact is that plants are even more inefficient at absorbing light not at the right wavelengths than solar panels." > Could one imagine a material that would absorb solar spectrum and emit the preferred frequencies? Something like a polymer one could stretch over fields to get more from the suns rays. Would you call that a "solar transmitter"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmitter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmitter : > Generators of radio waves for heating or industrial purposes, such as microwave ovens or diathermy equipment, are not usually called transmitters, even though they often have similar circuits. Would "absorption spectroscopy" specialists have insight into whether this is possible without solar cells, energy storage, and UV LEDs? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_spectroscopy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_spectroscopy (edit) The thermal energy from sunlight (from the FREE radiation from the nuclear reaction at the center of our solar system) is also useful to and necessary for plants. There's probably a passive heat pipe / solar panel cooling solution that could harvest such heat for colder seasons and climates. Also, UV-C is useful for sanitizing (UVGI) but not really for plant growth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_germicidal_irradiation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_germicidal_irradia... : > UVGI can be coupled with a filtration system to sanitize air and water. Is that necessary or desirable for plants? https://www.lumigrow.com/learning-center/blogs/the-definitive-guide-to-grow-light-spectrum/ https://www.lumigrow.com/learning-center/blogs/the-definitiv... : > The light that plants predominately use for photosynthesis ranges from 400–700 nm. This range is referred to as Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) and includes red, blue and green wavebands. Photomorphogenesis occurs in a wider range from approximately 260–780 nm and includes UV and far-red radiation. Photomorphogenesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photomorphogenesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photomorphogenesis PAR: Photosynthetically active radiation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetically_active_radiation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetically_active_radi... Grow light: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grow_light https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grow_light Are there bioluminescent e.g. algae which emit PAR and/or UV? Algae can feed off of waste industrial gases. Bioluminescence > Light production: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence#Light_production https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence#Light_producti... Biophoton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biophoton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biophoton Chemiluminescence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemiluminescence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemiluminescence Electrochemiluminescence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrochemiluminescence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrochemiluminescence Quantum dot display / "QLED": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_dot_display https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_dot_display Could be possible? Analyzing the inputs and outputs is useful in natural systems, as well.

Could one imagine a material that would absorb solar spectrum and emit the preferred frequencies? Something like a polymer one could stretch over fields to get more from the suns rays.

westurner 6y ago

>> "Actually no not really. Plants only absorb two wavelengths of light. It's currently more efficient to convert sun into solar power via panels and then to light LEDs supplying only the wavelengths that plants use. Despite the seeming inefficiency here, the fact is that plants are even more inefficient at absorbing light not at the right wavelengths than solar panels." > Could one imagine a material that would absorb solar spectrum and emit the preferred frequencies? Something like a polymer one could stretch over fields to get more from the suns rays. Would you call that a "solar transmitter"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmitter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmitter : > Generators of radio waves for heating or industrial purposes, such as microwave ovens or diathermy equipment, are not usually called transmitters, even though they often have similar circuits. Would "absorption spectroscopy" specialists have insight into whether this is possible without solar cells, energy storage, and UV LEDs? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_spectroscopy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_spectroscopy (edit) The thermal energy from sunlight (from the FREE radiation from the nuclear reaction at the center of our solar system) is also useful to and necessary for plants. There's probably a passive heat pipe / solar panel cooling solution that could harvest such heat for colder seasons and climates. Also, UV-C is useful for sanitizing (UVGI) but not really for plant growth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_germicidal_irradiation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_germicidal_irradia... : > UVGI can be coupled with a filtration system to sanitize air and water. Is that necessary or desirable for plants? https://www.lumigrow.com/learning-center/blogs/the-definitive-guide-to-grow-light-spectrum/ https://www.lumigrow.com/learning-center/blogs/the-definitiv... : > The light that plants predominately use for photosynthesis ranges from 400–700 nm. This range is referred to as Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) and includes red, blue and green wavebands. Photomorphogenesis occurs in a wider range from approximately 260–780 nm and includes UV and far-red radiation. Photomorphogenesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photomorphogenesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photomorphogenesis PAR: Photosynthetically active radiation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetically_active_radiation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetically_active_radi... Grow light: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grow_light https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grow_light Are there bioluminescent e.g. algae which emit PAR and/or UV? Algae can feed off of waste industrial gases. Bioluminescence > Light production: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence#Light_production https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence#Light_producti... Biophoton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biophoton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biophoton Chemiluminescence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemiluminescence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemiluminescence Electrochemiluminescence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrochemiluminescence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrochemiluminescence Quantum dot display / "QLED": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_dot_display https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_dot_display Could be possible? Analyzing the inputs and outputs is useful in natural systems, as well.