Gotta get a copy of this: Ultrabroadband Photonic Structures To Achieve High-Performance Daytime Radiative Cooling Eden Rephaeli*†, Aaswath Raman*†, and Shanhui Fan*‡ Nano Lett., Article ASAP DOI: 10.1021/nl4004283 Publication Date (Web): March 5, 2013 I think it may be of interest to PC nerds 1. It works, they say, because it re-emits thermal energy at wavelengths not absorbed by CO2. This will be seen as verification of the greenhouse effect, except by those whose philosophy requires them to reject (this aspect of) science. 2. We have no idea yet how much it might cost. At this stage, we ought not care. Let Rephaeli and friends continue, and see what they come up with. 3. Reducing energy cost of cooling buildings could take a chunk out of fossil-C burning and the large water requirements associated with thermal-energy plants. 4. They had better be able to shut it off in the winter
I cannot fathom this being economically viable. The core fabrication materials are Silicon Carbide and Quartz. That instantly tells me it would be as expensive as a solar panel if not more. The physics may be viable, but the materials used and the nano processing required prevent this from economic viability.
All you have to do to shut it off is to cover it up On tall buildings, it might be an expensive structure, on cars a sliding panel.
Traditional multiple floor buildings in Egypt have these pipes between floors that act like heat exchangers which helps keep the building cool.
Many species' of termite nests do this also. This probably didn't give Egyptians the idea, because the concept was not appreciated by science until recently. Or, maybe they were so inspired. A lot of what Egyptians knew has not been preserved. Other nest building insects (ants and wasps) make structures that do not seem to have such interesting engineering properties. It is also generally the case that ants and wasps build temporary structures and the colony moves on. Not so for termites, and that may be related.
