A startup supported by Bill Gates says it has achieved a solar breakthrough that could potentially save the planet in the future by using artificial intelligence.
Heliogen, the clean energy company, concentrated solar energy at temperatures that are above 1000 degrees Celsius. This breakthrough means that it could replace fossil fuels for industrial projects like making steel or cement.
The breakthrough was possible by using computer vision, which is a form of artificial intelligence that was used to align a number of mirrors as they reflected sunlight onto a target. This is the first time that this level of accuracy has been achieved.
Heliogen has been able to essentially create a solar oven that is roughly a quarter of the temperature of the sun. This is the first time concentrated solar energy that is carbon-free has been able to reach the extreme heat that is necessary to produce cement, steel and glass.
There is still some more development that is required before the technology can be utilized.
Heliogen also wants to keep pushing its possibilities by reaching even hotter temperatures that could be used to create hydrogen and synthetic gas to produce clean energy.
Source: CNN Business
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