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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

CO2 Photoreduction to CH4 Performance Under Concentrating Solar Light
Published on: June 12, 2019
Effect of stratospheric aerosols on direct sunlight and implications for concentrating solar power
1Earth System Research Laboratory, Chemical Sciences Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA. daniel.m.murphy@noaa.gov
Abstract:
Light scattering calculations and data show that stratospheric aerosols reduce direct sunlight by about 4 W for every watt reflected to outer space. The balance becomes diffuse sunlight. One consequence of deliberate enhancement of the stratospheric aerosol layer would be a significant reduction in the efficiency of solar power generation systems using parabolic or other concentrating optics. There also would be a reduction in the effectiveness of passive solar design.
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