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UrduMaterial used in organic solar cells can also be used as light sensors in electronics. This is shown by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, who have developed a type of sensor able to detect circularly polarised red light.
Tag: Energy
Predicting the sustainability of a future hydrogen economy
As renewable energy sources like wind and solar ramp up, they can be used to sustainably generate hydrogen fuel. But implementing such a strategy on a large scale requires land and water dedicated to this purpose.
Department of Energy Announces $5.8 Million for Research on Nuclear Data Benefitting Nuclear Science and Applications
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $5.8 million in funding for five projects in nuclear data for basic nuclear science and applications.
X-ray Spectral Microscopy Reveals The Active Edges of a Water-Splitting Material
Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen is a key process for energy storage. The chemical transitions involved in splitting water require energy, so researchers are designing more efficient new electrodes with energy saving catalytic properties.
The swan song of African hydropower?
The attractiveness of new hydropower is decreasing fast, both due to the increasing economic competitiveness of solar panels and to the increasingly uncertain effects of climate change on river flows.
How to Prepare your Home for Summer Heat Waves
From covering windows and planting trees, to upgrading your air conditioning system—PNNL scientists offer tips to keep your home cool in extreme heat
ORNL, UT’s Spark Cleantech Accelerator partner to support entrepreneurs
Entrepreneur-fellows in Innovation Crossroads, a Department of Energy Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will complete the Spark Cleantech Accelerator, a 12-week program offered by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Spark Innovation Center at the UT Research Park.
Higher efficiency catalyst key to green hydrogen
The race to make the widespread use of intermittent renewable energy a reality has taken a step forward with new research by experts from the University of Adelaide who are improving the efficiency of iridium-based catalysts.
ESF Researchers Receive NSF Funding for Eco-manufacturing of Renewable Lignin-derived Products using Sustainable Energy
Researchers at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to further its research on carbon-neutral alternative sources for value-added chemicals currently sourced from petroleum and other fossil fuels.
UC Irvine scientists create long-lasting, cobalt-free, lithium-ion batteries
Irvine, Calif., June 14, 2023 – In a discovery that could reduce or even eliminate the use of cobalt – which is often mined using child labor – in the batteries that power electric cars and other products, scientists at the University of California, Irvine have developed a long-lasting alternative made with nickel. “Nickel doesn’t have child labor issues,” said Huolin Xin, the UCI professor of physics & astronomy whose team devised the method, which could usher in a new, less controversial generation of lithium-ion batteries.
Early career scientist wins prestigious Hungarian physics award
Laszlo Horvath, an early career physicist at PPPL, is the winner of the 2022 Károly Simonyi Memorial Plaque from the Hungarian Nuclear Society.
Fusion Q&A: The Path Forward
Fusion energy could address pollution, climate change, and high energy prices. Berkeley Lab’s Cameron Geddes and Reed Teyber explain how researchers are trying to make it a reality.
Chemists Unravel Reaction Mechanism for Clean Energy Catalyst
Chemists at the University of Kansas and Brookhaven National Laboratory have unraveled the entire reaction mechanism for a key class of water-splitting catalysts. Their work could help pure hydrogen be produced from renewable energy sources such as solar power.
Cooper appointed to DOE’s Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee
ORNL scientist Valentino Cooper has been appointed to the DOE Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee.
Environmental impact of AI and its sustainability
Artificial intelligence’s rapid growth has led to advancements like autonomous vehicles, virtual reality, and ChatGPT. But AI technologies and the training of AI models require a lot of energy, increasing concerns about the environmental impact of AI and its sustainability. To put AI’s energy usage into perspective: it took nine days to train one of OpenAI’s early model chatbots known as MegatronLM.
PPPL hosts workshop on fusion energy and nonproliferation
PPPL hosted a workshop on fusion energy and nuclear nonproliferation at Princeton University on Jan. 25 and 26. Participants included representatives from government, national laboratories, Princeton University, other academic institutions, and private fusion developers.
AFLW athletes off mark when it comes to diet
As footy kicks off for state women’s leagues, researchers are encouraging teams to take a closer look at athlete nutrition, as new research shows that many elite athletes are not getting enough energy to meet their needs in pre-season training or competition.
National Science Foundation awards $90.8M to Arizona State University to advance X-ray science
The National Science Foundation today announced $90.8 million in funding to Arizona State University — the largest NSF research award in the university’s history — to advance groundbreaking research in X-ray science.
Harnessing Plant Molecules to Harvest Solar Energy
ROCKVILLE, MD – Our current solar panels aren’t very efficient; they are only able to convert up to about 20 percent of the sun’s energy into electricity. As a result, to generate a lot of electricity, the panels require a lot of space—sometimes leading forests to be cut down or farms to be replaced by solar.
New superalloy could cut carbon emissions from power plants
Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories have shown that a new 3D-printed superalloy could help power plants generate more electricity while producing less carbon.
How a Record-Breaking Copper Catalyst Converts CO2 Into Liquid Fuels
Since the 1970s, scientists have known that copper has a special ability to transform carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals and fuels. But for many years, scientists have struggled to understand how this common metal works as an electrocatalyst, a mechanism that uses energy from electrons to chemically transform molecules into different products.
Iowa State to study growing crops in solar farm’s footprint
A new Iowa State University research project will explore how to grow crops and keep bees amid solar panels. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, most of the research will be conducted a few miles south of Ames, where Alliant Energy plans to begin construction in April on a 1.35 megawatt solar farm.
The impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine on energy markets
Michael De Groot, assistant professor in the Indiana University Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, reflects on the economic impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine as the 1-year anniversary of the invasion approaches.
GW Experts on Energy Grid Resiliency After Texas Ice Storm
Thousands of people across the state of Texas were still without power early Friday after an ice storm hit the state and parts of the U.S. South this week. Local officials are attributing the outages to frozen equipment and ice-burdened…
Seawater split to produce green hydrogen
Researchers have successfully split seawater without pre-treatment to produce green hydrogen. The international team was led by the University of Adelaide’s Professor Shizhang Qiao and Associate Professor Yao Zheng from the School of Chemical Engineering. “We have split natural seawater into oxygen and hydrogen with nearly 100 per cent efficiency, to produce green hydrogen by electrolysis, using a non-precious and cheap catalyst in a commercial electrolyser,” said Professor Qiao.
UCI researchers decipher atomic-scale imperfections in lithium-ion batteries
As lithium-ion batteries have become a ubiquitous part of our lives through their use in consumer electronics, automobiles and electricity storage facilities, researchers have been working to improve their power, efficiency and longevity. As detailed in a paper published today in Nature Materials, scientists at the University of California, Irvine and Brookhaven National Laboratory conducted a detailed examination of high-nickel-content layered cathodes, considered to be components of promise in next-generation batteries.
‘Green’ energy patents more focused on ‘clean’ conventional energy instead of renewables
A new study by world leaders in patent data has revealed some unusual trends in energy tech R&D, questioning whether companies are more committed to extracting fossil fuels or in pursuing genuinely ‘green’, renewable energy technologies.
Digital Science acquires knowledge graph and decision intelligence software company metaphacts
Digital Science has completed the acquisition of metaphacts, which has become the newest member of the Digital Science family.
Press registration open for the hybrid ACS Spring 2023 meeting
Journalists who register for the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) will have access to more than 10,000 presentations on topics. ACS Spring 2023 is a hybrid meeting being held virtually and in-person in Indianapolis on March 26-30 with the theme “Crossroads of Chemistry.”
Electricity harvesting from evaporation, raindrops and moisture inspired by nature
Raindrops, evaporating water, and even moisture in the air are all potentially sources of decentralized clean electricity generation, but many of the technologies that take advantage of this ambient and vast source of energy—many of which are inspired by the electricity harvesting techniques of plants and animals—remain at the lab-bench stage.
Fusion ‘breakthrough’ is big, but more efficient methods needed
The Department of Energy has announced the first ever fusion reaction to generate more energy than used to start the reaction. Gennady Schvets is an expert on fusion and plasma physics at Cornell University who will lead Cornell’s Laboratory of…
Capsule-sized ingestible biobatteries could allow new view of digestive system
A new biobattery being developed at Binghamton University, State University of New York could power ingestible cameras in the small intestine.
GW Expert Available to Discuss Impacts of Severe Drought Conditions and Climate Change on Hydropower
Officials are continuing to sound the alarm on the severe drought conditions impacting the American Southwest and Colorado River. According to a report by The Washington Post, further receding water levels at the Glen Canyon Dam of Lake Powell could…
PPPL awarded more than $12 million to speed development of a fusion pilot plant
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded PPPL funding of more than $12 million to work with laboratories around the world to accelerate the development of a pilot plant powered by the carbon-free fusion energy that drives the sun and stars and can counter climate change.
Solar Park 2.0: Higher Yield on the Same Area
Shade, dirt, or aging considerably reduce the yield of large photovoltaic facilities. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and partners from science and industry have now launched the Solar Park 2.0 project to reduce these losses.
New approach to ‘cosmic magnet’ manufacturing could reduce reliance on rare earths in low-carbon technologies
Researchers have discovered a potential new method for making the high-performance magnets used in wind turbines and electric cars without the need for rare earth elements, which are almost exclusively sourced in China.
A new energy frontier
The University of Delaware has launched the new Center for Clean Hydrogen to accelerate the transition to clean energy by reducing the cost of hydrogen and hydrogen-related technologies. The center will be fueled by an initial $10 million in funding from the Department of Defense.
Power Supply: Understanding Unstable Grids
A sustainable energy supply requires the expansion of power grids. However, new transmission lines can also lead to grids becoming more unstable rather than more stable, as would be expected. This phenomenon is referred to as the Braess paradox. For the first time, an international team, including researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), has now simulated this phenomenon in detail for power grids, demonstrated it on a larger scale, and developed a prediction tool, which is to support grid operators in decision-making. The researchers report in the journal Nature Communications. (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32917-6)
Europe can rapidly eliminate imports of Russian natural gas
Using a new power sector model, a team of researchers, including faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York, have proposed a method for Europe to eliminate natural gas imports from Russia.
On the Way Towards CO2-neutral Aviation
Within the KEROGREEN Project, Researchers Developed an Innovative Production Process for Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Built a Research Facility
Game Changers in Fighting Climate Change: Refuels Are Suitable for Everyday Use
Synthetic fuels produced from renewable sources, so-called refuels, are deemed potential game changers in fighting climate change. Refuels promise to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional fuels and they allow for the continued use of existing vehicle fleets with combustion engines and of the refueling infrastructure, from fuel production to transport to sales. Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) carried out extensive fleet tests in a large-scale project with industry partners and proved that refuels can be used in all vehicles and produced in large quantities in the foreseeable future. The results of the research project “reFuels – Rethinking Fuels” were presented on Monday, September 19, in Karlsruhe.
European energy standoff amid reports of damage to the Nord Stream pipelines. UNLV professor Christian Jensen specializes in the politics of the European Union.
With reports of heightened energy tensions following the escalation of the war in Ukraine, UNLV professor Christian Jensen is a perfect source for answers. He specializes in the politics of the European Union and its neighbors, and his work has…
Report reveals inequity in electricity pricing, calls for rate reform to help fight climate change
In a report released today, UC Berkeley researchers analyze the impact of a hidden electricity “tax” on Californians. They recommend two significant policy reforms to ease the burden on low-income households and spur consumer interest in the adoption of electric vehicles, heat pumps, and other electric technology.
UCI and national lab researchers develop a cobalt-free cathode for lithium-ion batteries
Irvine, Calif., Sept. 21, 2022 – Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and four national laboratories have devised a way to make lithium-ion battery cathodes without using cobalt, a mineral plagued by price volatility and geopolitical complications. In a paper published today in Nature, the scientists describe how they overcame thermal and chemical-mechanical instabilities of cathodes composed substantially of nickel – a common substitute for cobalt – by mixing in several other metallic elements.
Recycling Materials: Turning Old Batteries into New Ones
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is largely involved in a new battery recycling project. LiBinfinity focuses on a holistic concept for recycling materials of lithium-ion batteries. A mechanico-hydrometallurgical process without energy-intensive process steps will be transferred from the lab to an industry-relevant scale. KIT will then check whether the recycled materials are suited for the manufacture of new batteries. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) funds LiBinfinity with nearly EUR 17 million. Of these, about 1.2 million euros go to KIT.
HK Tech Forum on Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Environment
Energy transition to clean and renewable energy is an urgent task for all of us to tackle both the climate and environmental crises that loom before us.
UNC Hires First-Ever Energy and Sustainability Manager to Continue Environmental Action
After advocacy from UNC students, Chris Bowers, who previously worked in Facilities Management at UNC, was hired as the newly created energy and sustainability manager.
The Race is On: Nevada is in the Driver’s Seat for Burgeoning Lithium Industry. UNLV economic geologist talks lithium battery supply chain, green energy, and self-sustainability
The ‘Lithium-Ion Battery State’ may not have the same ring to it as ‘Battle-Born’ or ‘Silver State,’ but the reality is that Nevada could soon be a leader in the lithium battery supply chain – potentially giving the U.S. an edge in the arms race for the in-demand metal that’s the key to powering everything from your cell phone to electric vehicles.
Study Sheds Light on Residential Energy Use
Now that the U.S. Senate has passed the Inflation Reduction Act—expected to provide homeowners with access to thousands of dollars in cash incentives for new hot water heaters, HVAC, insulation, and other enhancements—a spotlight has been cast on the residential energy…
PPPL in the spotlight: national CBS news program focuses on fusion energy
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and Steve Cowley, PPPL’s director, were featured on the July 23 “CBS Saturday Morning.”