Renewable Energy News - SciTechDaily

Harnessing Blue Energy: The Sustainable Power Source of Tomorrow

Osaka University — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 05:04:01 +0000

Researchers at Osaka University have demonstrated how to control the flow of ions through a nanopore membrane by applying voltage to a gate electrode, potentially advancing the harvesting of sustainable blue energy. Blue energy offers a promising sustainable alternative to fossil fuels by harnessing the energy generated when ions in a salt solution move from [...]

Revolutionary Tech Extracts Liters of Water From Thin Air Without Maintenance

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 11:13:06 +0000

A new solar-powered water harvester developed by KAUST uses a self-sustaining cycle inspired by natural plant processes to efficiently extract water from the air, requiring no manual maintenance and promising affordable water solutions for arid regions. Even in the world’s arid regions, there is usually some moisture in the air. This moisture has the potential [...]

Scientists Have Discovered the New Most Efficient Solar Energy System in the World – and It Wasn’t Created by Humans

Yale University — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 21:13:22 +0000

A recent study by Yale researcher Alison Sweeney suggests that giant clams in the Western Pacific could be the most efficient solar energy system in the world. According to a new Yale-led study, designers of solar panels and biorefineries could gain valuable insights from the iridescent giant clams found near tropical coral reefs. This is [...]

Scientists Develop Extraordinary Material That Can Transform Sunlight and Water Into Clean Energy

Oregon State University — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 21:41:34 +0000

Oregon State University researchers have developed a new photocatalyst that efficiently produces hydrogen from sunlight and water, offering a sustainable and potentially cost-effective alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based hydrogen production methods. Researchers at Oregon State University have created a material with the extraordinary ability to transform sunlight and water into clean energy. A collaboration led [...]

Game-Changing Discovery: Chinese Scientists Have Discovered a “Secret” Hidden Structure in Perovskite Solar Cells

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 05:11:03 +0000

A research team from HKUST has enhanced perovskite solar cell performance by discovering and eliminating surface concavities on the crystal grains of the films, paving the way for greater commercial viability of this promising technology. A research team from the School of Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has discovered [...]

“This Had Never Been Done Before” – New Dual-Use Catalyst Overcomes the Thermodynamic Canyon

Ruhr-University Bochum — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:23:19 +0000

German researchers have created a catalyst that converts ammonia into hydrogen and nitrite, potentially combining hydrogen production and fertilizer creation in one process. A research team from the University Alliance Ruhr in Germany has discovered a catalyst capable of converting ammonia into both hydrogen, an energy carrier, and nitrite, a precursor for fertilizer. Traditionally, the [...]

Breaking the Efficiency Bottleneck: The Power of Doping in Photocatalytic Water Splitting

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy Sciences — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:52:00 +0000

Photocatalytic water splitting, employing strategies like doping and defect control, has seen efficiency improvements, notably through recent advancements in doping methods that optimize energy conversion under visible light. In photocatalytic water splitting, a photocatalyst, usually a semiconductor, absorbs light energy to drive the water splitting reaction. Upon absorbing light, the photocatalyst generates electron-hole pairs. The [...]

Revolutionizing H2O2 Production: Ultrathin Nanosheets Show Immense Promise

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy Sciences — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 23:42:19 +0000

Recent research has demonstrated the effectiveness of ultrathin Bi4O5Br2 nanosheets with controlled oxygen vacancies in enhancing the piezocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), presenting a viable, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional methods. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) serves as a crucial chemical raw material with extensive applications in numerous industrial and everyday contexts. However, the industrial anthraquinone [...]

New Bioethanol Monitoring Method Could Boost Revenue by $1.6 Billion and Cut CO2 Emissions by 2 Million Tons

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 05:04:34 +0000

A new method for monitoring contamination in bioethanol production could boost industry revenue by over $1.6 billion USD and cut CO2 emissions by 2 million tons. For the first time ever, researchers at The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (DTU Biosustain) have investigated the contaminant population from the sugarcane bioethanol production process at strain-level [...]

Stanford Unveils Game-Changing Liquid Fuel Technology for Grid Energy Storage

Stanford University — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:24:54 +0000

Stanford scientists are enhancing liquid fuel storage methods by developing new catalytic systems for isopropanol production to optimize energy retention and release. As California transitions rapidly to renewable fuels, it needs new technologies that can store power for the electric grid. Solar power drops at night and declines in winter. Wind power ebbs and flows. [...]

1200V and Rising: Scientists Push the Limits of High-Performance GaN Semiconductors

Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 18:58:04 +0000

Scientists have developed GaN semiconductors to boost efficiency and reduce costs in electric vehicles and renewable energy, aiding the energy transition. Key technologies crucial for the energy transition—including electric vehicles, charging infrastructure converters, energy storage systems, as well as solar and wind power plants—depend heavily on electronic components that deliver both high performance and efficiency. [...]

Harnessing the Power of the Ocean: The Promising Future of Sodium-Ion Batteries

Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 19:09:21 +0000

Researchers have improved the performance of hard-carbon electrodes in sodium-ion batteries using a new high-functional density polyfumaric acid binder. Lithium-ion batteries are a leading technology in energy storage, yet lithium’s limited availability poses challenges. As the demand for energy-storage systems increases, there is a push toward finding affordable and readily available materials for rechargeable batteries. [...]

Running Out of Copper: A New Crisis for Renewable Energy?

University of Michigan — Wed, 22 May 2024 16:54:41 +0000

The University of Michigan study highlights a significant shortfall in copper production necessary to meet U.S. renewable energy targets, suggesting a shift towards manufacturing hybrid vehicles and a reevaluation of copper allocation to balance both domestic and global needs. According to a study from the University of Michigan, the mining of copper is not progressing [...]

Breaking the Oil Habit: How Synthetic Bacteria Could Revolutionize Chemical Production

ETH Zurich — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 00:35:08 +0000

The chemical industry primarily depends on fossil resources like crude oil to manufacture a range of chemicals, including plastics, dyes, and synthetic flavors. “Globally, it consumes 500 million tons per year, or more than one million tons per day,” says Julia Vorholt, Professor at the Institute of Microbiology at ETH Zurich. “Since these chemical conversions [...]

Organic Catalyst Discovery Could Reduce the Cost of Fuel Cells

University of Virginia College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:59:25 +0000

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have reached unprecedented heights, intensifying the need for clean energy solutions as alternatives to fossil fuels. One obstacle that researchers face is that current fuel-cell technology relies on the use of expensive metal catalysts like platinum to convert hydrogen into energy; however, a team from the University of Virginia’s College and [...]

Soaring Into the Future: DOE Researchers Develop Game-Changing Batteries for Air Taxis

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:07:17 +0000

Analysis of eVTOL batteries reveals unique operating demands. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are advancing clean transportation by developing and testing new battery technologies for electric vehicles capable of vertical takeoff and landing. These aircraft, commonly called eVTOLs, range from delivery drones to urban air taxis. They are designed to [...]

More Than Just Fool’s Gold: Scientists Uncover Hidden Treasure in Pyrite

European Geosciences Union — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:29:15 +0000

There’s a reason airlines won’t let you put your laptop in your checked luggage; the lithium-ion battery poses a serious fire hazard. But why? Lithium is incredibly reactive. For instance, pure lithium violently interacts with seemingly innocuous water, releasing heat and forming highly flammable hydrogen. This reactivity, however, is exactly why lithium makes a great [...]

Powering the Future: Unbiased PEC Cells Achieve Unprecedented Efficiency

Science China Press — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 17:54:07 +0000

Over the last decade, the photoelectrochemical (PEC) process for overall water-splitting (OWS) has seen comprehensive development, particularly in the areas of new catalysts, methods of characterization,, and reaction mechanisms. When comparing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the latter is considered the more challenging aspect of OWS, primarily due to [...]

Unleashing Earth’s Fury: How Next-Gen Geothermal Could Redefine Renewable Energy

Quaise Energy — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:44:18 +0000

Tapping into the heat below our feet as a form of renewable, clean energy has been attracting greater attention as the world moves toward alternatives to fossil fuels in the battle against climate change. A 58-page report released on March 18 by the U.S. Department of Energy focuses on “the potential of next-generation geothermal power [...]

The Dangers Lurking in Our Electric Grid – Scientists Propose Smarter Protection Method

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 15:04:35 +0000

The proliferation of programmable devices creates additional entry points for cyberattacks. There’s a down side to “smart” devices: They can be hacked. That makes the electric grid, increasingly chock full of devices that interact with one another and make critical decisions, vulnerable to bad actors who might try to turn off the power, damage the [...]

Impressive Capacity and Extended Lifespan – Scientists Have Invented Recyclable “Water Batteries” That Won’t Catch Fire

RMIT University — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 07:02:47 +0000

A global team of researchers and industry collaborators led by RMIT University has developed recyclable ‘water batteries’ that won’t catch fire or explode. Lithium-ion energy storage dominates the market due to its technological maturity, but its suitability for large-scale grid energy storage is limited by safety concerns with the volatile materials inside. Lead researcher Distinguished [...]

Scientists Demonstrate Effective Fusion “Spark Plug” in Groundbreaking Experiments

University of Rochester — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 21:12:35 +0000

Methods pioneered using the Laboratory for Laser Energetics’ OMEGA laser system show potential for sparking fusion on a larger scale. Researchers at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) have led experiments showcasing an efficient “spark plug” for direct-drive approaches to inertial confinement fusion (ICF). In a pair of studies featured in Nature [...]

Princeton Study Uncovers Unseen Pitfalls of Popular Clean Energy Procurement Methods

Princeton University — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 14:29:21 +0000

In the pursuit of attaining a climate-neutral impact, numerous businesses are opting to purchase extra electricity from renewable energy sources. This strategy aims to counteract the emissions produced by relying on the current grid, which is currently predominantly powered by fossil fuels. Yet some of the most common strategies for purchasing clean energy have little [...]

Reimagining Fuel Cells and Batteries: MIT Chemists Unveil Proton Transfer Secrets

Anne Trafton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 18:44:51 +0000

A key chemical reaction — in which the movement of protons between the surface of an electrode and an electrolyte drives an electric current — is a critical step in many energy technologies, including fuel cells and the electrolyzers used to produce hydrogen gas. For the first time, MIT chemists have mapped out in detail [...]