Coupling radiative cooling with thermoelectric effect in smart buildings for continuous energy output

With the rapidly growing demand for sustainable energy solutions, there has been increasing interest in harnessing ambient energy sources for power generation. In this work, we developed a dual-mode radiative cooling power generation (DRCPG) system for building-integrated energy harvesting. This system coupled the radiative cooling of engineered marble coating with the thermoelectric effect, further enhanced by a low-emission high-absorption coating applied to a concrete substrate. With the inclusion of a greenhouse effect, the daytime voltage increased to 305 mV, while the maximum power output reached 391 mW/m². Importantly, the system maintains operation around the clock and demonstrates long-term stability in energy generation. Finite element simulations predicted an annual power density of 926 Wh/m² for the DRCPG system, indicating that it could power 50–700 smart building microsensors per square meter. The system holds significant potential for energy harvesting applications, contributing to the advancement of sustainable smart buildings.