Articles tagged with Alternative Energy
Scientists have developed a nanoporous magnesium borohydride structure that stores five hydrogen molecules in three-dimensional arrangement, achieving unprecedented high-density hydrogen storage. The material exhibits a capacity of 144 g/L per volume of pores, surpassing traditional methods and offering a promising alternative to large...
The review highlights how T cell metabolism influences their fate, particularly in response to pathogen infections and tumorigenesis. It explores the role of glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids in energy production and metabolic adaptation, which can contribute to T cell exhaustion.
Researchers at UNIST have introduced non-solvating electrolytes to significantly improve the performance and lifespan of organic electrode-based batteries. The study achieved remarkable improvements in capacity retention and rate performance, with over 91% capacity retention after 1000 cycles.
Researchers develop electrochemical method to release hydrogen stored in hydrogen boride sheets, achieving high Faradaic efficiency. The process is expected to contribute to the development of safe and lightweight hydrogen carriers with low energy consumption.
A study from Chalmers University of Technology found that the production and use of ammonia as a marine fuel can lead to eutrophication, acidification, and emissions of potent greenhouse gases. Researchers warn that the pursuit of low-carbon fuels may create new environmental challenges.
A study by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona finds that big oil companies are relentless in expanding their extractive operations, deploying new technologies and seeking favorable locations. This leads to significant social and environmental costs, with local communities fighting against extraction activities.
West Virginia University has been awarded a $1 million National Science Foundation grant to drive energy technology and infrastructure development in the region. The initiative aims to identify pathways for workforce development and policy development that accelerates adoption of energy technologies.
A new bifunctional water electrolysis catalyst made from ruthenium, silicon, and tungsten enables the efficient production of high-purity green hydrogen. The catalyst demonstrates exceptional durability in acidic environments, making it an attractive alternative to traditional precious metal catalysts.
Researchers have developed a new catalyst that exceeds 30% yield for the production of ethylene through oxidative coupling of methane, a more sustainable and economically viable method. The core-shell Li2CO3-coated mixed rare earth oxides catalyst enables sequential oxygen switching, replenishing its ability to provide oxygen for the r...
Engineers have discovered a method to increase the stability of perovskite solar cells using bulky additives, which could enable the production of cheaper solar panels. The study suggests that larger molecules with specific configurations are most effective at preventing defects in the cells.
Researchers from City University of Hong Kong developed a novel strategy to engineer stable and efficient ultrathin nanosheet catalysts using Turing structures. This approach effectively resolves the instability problem associated with low-dimensional materials in catalytic systems, enabling efficient and long-lasting hydrogen production.
Researchers have developed a solid electrolyte that allows for efficient hydride ion conduction at room temperature, enabling the creation of safer, more efficient hydrogen-based batteries and fuel cells. This breakthrough provides material design guidelines for the development of next-generation energy storage solutions.
A new NSF-supported collaboration aims to improve liquid organic hydrogen carriers and use AI to identify novel approaches for a global renewable energy supply chain. The team is developing a new class of molecules, chemistries, and chemical processes to better store and transport green energy across the globe.
The 2023 Geothermal Rising Conference highlights growing interest in superhot rock geothermal, with papers validating its viability for high power output and small spatial footprint. Researchers are developing new technologies to access these resources, including millimeter wave energy to drill deeper holes.
Scientists have developed a new method to create catalysts for hydrogen fuel cells, making them cheaper and more efficient. The breakthrough could lead to the widespread adoption of clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The researchers propose a hybrid organic–inorganic gas sensor design that enhances gas sensing performance while maintaining sensing speed. The proposed design outperforms conventional sensors in terms of chemical sensitivity to NO2, showcasing impressive durability and higher potential for long-term installation.
A large study of used cars and SUVs found battery electric vehicles driven almost 4,500 fewer miles than gas cars annually. This challenges current assumptions about emissions savings from EVs, highlighting the need for better understanding of driver behavior to accurately predict emissions reductions.
The study successfully enhances energy conversion efficiency by over twice that of conventional cells while reducing production costs by a factor of 3,000. This breakthrough could lead to widespread adoption in energy harvesting applications generating energy from waste heat.
Researchers will investigate high-entropy materials to create more sustainable and durable catalysts. The goal is to improve the efficiency of electrocatalysis, paving the way for a new generation of catalysts and reducing the reliance on rare and expensive materials.
Researchers at MIT and Harvard University have developed an efficient process to convert carbon dioxide into a stable, solid formate fuel that can be used in fuel cells and generate electricity. The new process achieves over 90% conversion efficiency and eliminates the need for toxic and flammable fuels.
Kyushu University researchers have developed a new material that can store hydrogen energy for up to three months at room temperature, using an inexpensive element like nickel. This innovation could potentially reduce the cost of future compounds and contribute to the transition to alternative energy sources.
The MIT team designed a train-like system of reactors that harnesses the sun's heat to produce clean hydrogen fuel with up to 40% efficiency. This could drive down costs and make solar thermochemical hydrogen (STCH) a scalable option for decarbonizing transportation.
A new report from PNNL shows that floating offshore wind farms could potentially triple the Pacific Northwest's wind power capacity while offsetting millions of dollars in costs. This could lead to a significant increase in renewable energy production and help reduce carbon emissions, with the potential to power tens of million of homes.
Researchers at the University of Seville have developed a more efficient configuration for proton-exchange membrane fuel cell batteries, increasing their performance by up to 10%. The new design outperforms other options and reduces energy consumption, making it suitable for use in electric vehicles.
The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory has been awarded $5 million to lead an Energy Earthshot Research Center focused on producing clean hydrogen. The center aims to reduce the cost of hydrogen by 80% and could lead to a paradigm shift in clean hydrogen production.
Researchers propose analysis protocol to evaluate feasibility of silicon-containing batteries with reduced particle size and uniform dispersion. The study finds promising results from innovative synthesis technology and initial efficiencies exceeding 90% with improved lifespan characteristics.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered a method to produce clean hydrogen gas from waste plastics using low-emissions technology. By utilizing rapid flash Joule heating, they can convert plastic waste into high-yield hydrogen and valuable graphene, which could offset the production costs of clean hydrogen.
A research team at City University of Hong Kong has developed a highly efficient electrocatalyst that enhances hydrogen generation through electrochemical water splitting. The catalyst, composed of transition-metal dichalcogenide nanosheets with unconventional crystal phases, exhibits superior activity and stability in acidic media.
Researchers have devised an efficient method of recovering high-purity silicon from expired solar panels, which can help meet the increasing global demand for electric vehicles. The new extraction method using phosphoric acid achieved a recovery rate of 98.9% and purity of 99.2%, comparable to existing methods.
Wogrin aims to improve data aggregation and create more meaningful models with the same computing power, resulting in suboptimal investment decisions and costly restructuring of energy systems. Her research approach takes into account different supply situations, enabling compressed and differentiated model data.
The study provides a condensed overview of recent advances and challenges in atmospheric and pressurized PVSRs, highlighting potential for improving performance through geometrical parameter optimization and spectrally selective absorption. Standardized evaluation methods remain essential to unlock the full potential of PVSRs.
A new MIT study reveals that soft technology features, such as permitting practices and supply chain management, contribute less than 15% to total cost declines in solar energy systems. Improving these processes could accelerate cost savings in the clean energy transition.
A joint research team from City University of Hong Kong and collaborators developed a stable artificial photocatalytic system that mimics natural chloroplasts to convert carbon dioxide into methane, a valuable fuel, very efficiently using light. The new system achieved a highly efficient solar-to-fuel efficiency rate of 15%, surpassing...
Scientists have synthesized proton-conductive membranes based on partially fluorinated aromatic ionomers, which exhibit high durability and ion conductivity. These membranes outperform existing ones in fuel-cell operation, chemical stability, and mechanical properties, paving the way for more powerful and affordable electric vehicles.
Researchers developed a free-standing LiPON film that promotes uniformly dense lithium metal electrochemical deposition under zero external pressure, opening the door to lithium metal solid-state batteries. The new approach yields fresh insights into LiPON's properties and interfaces.
Stanford researchers developed a technique to boost PeLEDs' brightness and efficiency, but it comes at the cost of reduced lifespan. The additive doubles efficiency and triples brightness, extending lifespans from under 1 minute to 37 minutes.
Researchers develop a highly active, precious metal-free catalyst for ammonia decomposition. The new Ni-based catalyst outperforms conventional alternatives at lower temperatures, offering a promising solution for hydrogen production from ammonia.
The UK Research and Innovation has awarded £53 million in funding to six research centers to boost knowledge, create innovative green technologies, and reduce energy demand. The focus is on developing game-changing ideas to improve domestic, industrial, and transport energy systems.
The team's breakthrough enables the production of bright visible-wavelength pulses in the femtosecond range directly with fiber lasers. This advance has significant implications for various fields, including high-precision ablation of biological tissues, two-photon excitation microscopy, and material processing.
The IMO's current climate targets are insufficient to address the industry's growing CO2 emissions, which now account for 3% of global emissions. The organization lacks the political instruments and resources needed to implement more ambitious goals.
A new study analyzed coverage of BECCS in 166 newspaper articles to understand public opinion on the energy technology. The research identified eight key storylines, including Pro-BECCS narratives that emphasized its necessity and Revolutionary technology, alongside Anti-BECCS lines that highlighted environmental concerns.
Researchers at KIT have developed highly efficient photoreactor panels that can be inserted into inexpensive modules for mass production of hydrogen or fuels. The technology could make the use of fossil energy carriers superfluous and provide a climate-neutral alternative, with costs estimated to be around $22 per square meter.
A team of researchers from China and the UK has developed new ways to optimise the production of solar fuels by creating novel photocatalysts. These photocatalysts, such as titanium dioxide with boron nitride, can absorb more wavelengths of light and produce more hydrogen compared to traditional methods.
Perovskite photovoltaics are promising for generating solar energy due to their ability to be printed like newspapers and require less material than traditional technologies. However, these materials exhibit instabilities that can cause them to degrade quickly, hindering their commercial viability.
Researchers at Brookhaven Lab used pulse radiolysis to study a key class of water-splitting catalysts, revealing the direct involvement of ligands in the reaction mechanism. The team discovered that a hydride group jumped onto the Cp* ligand, proving its active role in the process.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have developed a multifunctional additive that improves the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells by modulating film growth. The additive reduces defects, leading to higher power conversion efficiency and lower energy loss.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new catalyst that converts captured carbon dioxide into acetic acid with high efficiency. The innovation uses electrochemistry to convert CO2 into products with established markets, offering new pathways for improving the economics of carbon capture and storage.
A team of researchers found that prosumers, who produce their own electricity, can lower transmission charges when generating less energy. However, when producing a large amount of renewable energy, transmission charges increase. The study suggests levying a per-MWh tax on prosumer consumption to reduce the likelihood of death spirals.
A new paper proposes solidifying air as a medium to reduce energy consumption and costs in transporting hydrogen by sea. The process, called Solid Air Hydrogen Liquefaction (SAHL), has the potential to lower energy consumption for liquefying hydrogen by 25-50%.
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have discovered a new approach to improve the performance of thermoelectric materials by substituting hydrogen for oxygen. This substitution reduces thermal conductivity while maintaining high electronic conductivity, leading to improved thermoelectric conversion efficiency.
Researchers highlight gaps in tritium studies, focusing on species uptake and human health risks through the food chain. A global assessment is needed to minimize tritium's impact on individual species and the environment.
The project, STEAM TANKS, aims to measure methane and other volatile organic compounds emitted from liquid storage tanks in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The researchers will use mobile laboratories, machine learning methods, and partner with industry leaders to develop solutions to mitigate methane emissions.
Researchers at the University of Adelaide have found that more predictable solar or wind energy generation can save millions of dollars in operating costs and prevent clean energy spillage. By analyzing six existing solar farms, they discovered that optimal locations changed when predictability was considered, leading to significant in...
A new method to regulate singlet fission (SF) in chromophores enables the design of SF-based materials with enhanced energy conversion. Pressure-based control strategy opens doors to novel, tunable SF materials.
Advances in drilling technology are unlocking geothermal energy's full potential, with supercritical water offering an efficient energy source. Improved drilling methods aim to overcome the financial barrier of deep geothermal exploration, enabling a step-change in power output.
Researchers have been awarded a three-year grant to develop a microalgae-based system to capture carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The system will use algae to sequester carbon from flue gases, generating valuable bioproducts like nutraceuticals and biofuels.
A University of Queensland-led research team is using an unusual caesium atom to search for dark matter particles. The team's work may also improve atomic theory calculations and technology, such as navigation systems.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have developed a new technique that captures real-time movies of copper nanoparticles as they convert carbon dioxide into renewable fuels and chemicals. The study reveals that metallic copper nanograins serve as active sites for CO2 reduction, paving the way for advanced solar fuel technology.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have developed a lead-free perovskite photocatalyst for highly efficient solar energy-to-hydrogen conversion. The study uncovers the interfacial dynamics between halide perovskite molecules and electrolytes, enabling better photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation.
A team at City University of Hong Kong has developed a novel approach to converting environmental temperature fluctuations into clean chemical energy using pyroelectric catalysis. By combining pyroelectric materials with localized plasmonic heat sources, the researchers achieved significantly faster and more efficient pyro-catalytic re...