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How to cut energy bills is the question on many people's lips, but never in a million years did we imagine the answer would come in a can. There are certain things you expect to come in a can, like baked beans or hairspray. But, if the guys at the University of Nottingham have anything to do with it, in two years' time we'll be able to buy ourselves a can of radiator. Sounds crazy and slightly impossible, yet it looks like this wacky idea is about to pay off, with spray-on radiators set to reduce household energy bills by around 35 per cent. The spray-on radiator is certainly no gimmick and there is a hefty amount of science behind the idea to ensure that not only does it function well, but that it's as eco-friendly as possible. The radiator works by initially being sprayed onto a surface in the room you want to heat up - this can be straight onto the wallpaper, paint or even on bare bricks. Once sprayed on, the new layer of material will start soaking up heat throughout the day after the temperature exceeds a certain figure. Later, the particles within the material melt and re-solidify, releasing the stored-up heat in the process. The fact that this sounds like something from a science fiction film is a testament to the brilliance of the science behind it. That said, nit-pickers may be tempted to raise their eyebrows at the current name of the product: "non-deformed energy storage phase change material". It's a bit of a mouthful and probably won't actually fit on the can – so expect a rather cuddlier and more marketable name at some point. The acronym PCM will have to do for the time being. The spray-on radiator isn't just about keeping us warm during the winter months. By cleverly making use of excess heat, the spray will radically reduce the need to source extra heat for rooms around the home, at work and in various commercial buildings. Thus, the use of the environmentally friendly spray (especially if it's adopted by the majority of new-builds, as well as being incorporated into a large proportion of current buildings) will help to drastically cut the amount of carbon emissions caused by conventional heating systems, as well as save a good amount of money into the bargain. Of course, it'll also save the worry of having to hang a radiator straight or remembering to turn it off (unless you’ve got an energy monitor appliance at home). It's not just radiators that they have in their sights either – the students and lecturers behind the invention are keen to see their product utilised in LED lighting systems as well as become incorporated into solar panels to make them even more efficient and more sustainable. So, make some room in the pantry: you might just be stocking up on a whole new type of canned product someday soon.
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