While solar panels dominate the renewable conversation, they solve only half the problem. Nearly 50% of global energy demand is heat, and two-thirds of that still comes from fossil fuels. Batteries store electricity — but what about warmth?

In this episode, we explore a groundbreaking study published in Science (12 Feb 2026, First Release):
“Molecular solar thermal energy storage in Dewar pyrimidone beyond 1.6 MJ/kg.”

Researchers have developed a Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) system based on engineered Dewar pyrimidone, capable of storing solar energy directly inside chemical bonds — like a rechargeable liquid fuel for heat.

✨ Record energy density: 1.65 MJ/kg
✨ Half-life up to 1,240 days (3.4 years)
✨ Boils water in one second when triggered
✨ Fully recyclable, closed-loop system

Inspired by DNA photodamage and nature’s repair enzyme photolyase, scientists transformed a biological “error” into a high-efficiency solar heat battery. Unlike lithium-ion batteries (~0.9 MJ/kg), this system stores energy in strained chemical bonds that do not leak over time.

Is this the future of decentralized heating?
Could we charge heat in summer and release it three winters later?

Let’s dive into the chemistry shaping a post-fossil-fuel future.

📚 Source Paper:
Molecular solar thermal energy storage in Dewar pyrimidone beyond 1.6 MJ/kg.
Science, 12 Feb 2026 (First Release).