title: Harvesting renewable energy from Earth's mid-infrared emissions.
abstract: It is possible to harvest energy from Earth's thermal infrared emission into outer space. We calculate the thermodynamic limit for the amount of power available, and as a case study, we plot how this limit varies daily and seasonally in a location in Oklahoma. We discuss two possible ways to make such an emissive energy harvester (EEH): A thermal EEH (analogous to solar thermal power generation) and an optoelectronic EEH (analogous to photovoltaic power generation). For the latter, we propose using an infrared-frequency rectifying antenna, and we discuss its operating principles, efficiency limits, system design considerations, and possible technological implementations.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Byrnes
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capasso
mesh_terms: D018534:Earth, Planet; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009825:Oklahoma; D059205:Renewable Energy; D013816:Thermodynamics
keywords: long-wave infrared; rectenna