Energy and Resources News

November 20, 2024

Top Headlines

Turning Carbon Emissions Into Methane Fuel

Nov. 20, 2024 — Chemists have developed a novel way to capture and convert carbon dioxide into methane, suggesting that future gas emissions could be converted into an alternative fuel using electricity from renewable ...

Perovskite Research Boosts Solar Cell Efficiency and Product Life

Nov. 19, 2024 — An international team has identified a strategy to improve both the performance and stability for solar cells made out of the 'miracle material' perovskite by mitigating a previously hidden degradation ...

Battery Research With X-Ray Microscope

Nov. 19, 2024 — New cathode materials are being developed to further increase the capacity of lithium batteries. Multilayer lithium-rich transition metal oxides (LRTMOs) offer particularly high energy density. However, their capacity decreases with each charging ...

Modeling and Analysis Reveals Technological, Environmental Challenges to Increasing Water Recovery from Desalination

Nov. 18, 2024 — Using zero liquid discharge to increase water recovery from desalination is an emerging method to combat water scarcity, but is expensive, energy-intensive and comes with environmental risks. ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:07pm EST

Recycling Batteries With Citric Acid

Nov. 15, 2024 — A simple, highly efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly process could provide a viable pathway for the sustainable recycling of depleted lithium-ion batteries (LIBs): No chemicals ...

Novel Electro-Biodiesel a More Efficient, Cleaner Alternative to Existing Alternatives

Nov. 14, 2024 — Scientists create biodiesel with electrocatalysis and ...

'Game Changer' in Lithium Extraction: Researchers Develop Novel Electrochemical Reactor

Nov. 13, 2024 — Researchers have developed an innovative electrochemical reactor to extract lithium from natural brine solutions, offering a promising approach to ...

Engineers Make Converting CO2 Into Useful Products More Practical

Nov. 13, 2024 — A new electrode design developed at MIT boosts the efficiency of electrochemical reactions that turn carbon dioxide into ethylene and other ...

Research Reveals Unseen Factors Behind Lithium-Ion Battery Degradation

Nov. 13, 2024 — An international team of scientists has identified a surprising factor that accelerates the degradation of lithium-ion batteries leading to a steady loss of charge. This discovery provides a new ...

Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions Increase Again in 2024

Nov. 12, 2024 — Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have reached a record high in 2024, according to new ...

Fighting Microplastics for a Cleaner Future

Nov. 11, 2024 — Creating sustainable chemicals and developing better waste management will contribute to better sustainability. This research is part of figuring out how to make green hydrogen available for waste ...

Discovery Taps 'Hot Carriers' for on-Demand, Emissions-Free Hydrogen and Catalyst Regeneration

Nov. 11, 2024 — Researchers have developed a new photocatalyst that could render steam methane reforming entirely emissions-free and extend catalyst ...

Researchers Are Making Jet Engines Fit for the Hydrogen Age

Nov. 8, 2024 — Hydrogen-powered planes are set to take wing around the world in the future. To make this possible, engineers have to develop the jet engines that will power them. Experiments by researchers are now ...

Power Grids Supplied Largely by Renewable Sources Experience Lower Intensity Blackouts

Nov. 6, 2024 — New research into the vulnerability of power grids served by weather-dependent renewable energy sources (WD-RESs) such as solar and wind paints a ...

Transforming Anion Exchange Membranes in Water Electrolysis for Green Hydrogen Production

Nov. 14, 2024 — Researchers have implemented polyphenylene-based anion exchange membranes poised to make hydrogen production more efficient and durable. The robust hydrophobic design enables effective ion transport ...

Researchers Drive Solid-State Innovation for Renewable Energy Storage

Nov. 8, 2024 — Scientists are developing a formula for success -- by studying how a new type of battery fails. The team's goal is the design for long-term storage of wind and solar energy, which are produced ...

Researchers Drive Solid-State Innovation for Renewable Energy Storage

Nov. 7, 2024 — Scientists are developing a formula for success -- by studying how a new type of battery fails. The team's goal is the design for long-term storage of wind and solar energy, which are produced ...

Hydrogels Harness Sunlight: A Step Closer to Artificial Photosynthesis

Nov. 6, 2024 — Researchers designed bioinspired hydrogels capable of using sunlight to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water. Hydrogels contain polymer networks that facilitate energy conversion, offering a ...

Towards a Hydrogen-Powered Future: Highly Sensitive Hydrogen Detection System

Nov. 5, 2024 — Hydrogen, a promising fuel, has extensive applications in many sectors. However, its safe and widespread use necessitates reliable sensing methods. While tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy ...

Cobalt-Copper Tandem Converts Carbon Dioxide to Ethanol

Nov. 4, 2024 — The continuing release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is a major driver of global warming and climate change with increased extreme weather events. Researchers have now presented a method for ...

Fueling Greener Aviation With Hydrogen

Nov. 1, 2024 — Despite ongoing efforts to curb CO2 emissions with electric and hybrid vehicles, other forms of transportation remain significant contributors of greenhouse gases. To address this issue, old ...

Reactor Could Make Direct Air Capture More Energy Efficient

Oct. 29, 2024 — Researchers have developed an electrochemical reactor that has the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption and cost for direct air ...

Paving the Way for Harvesting and Storing Solar Energy Efficiently

Oct. 29, 2024 — Approximately 50 percent of global final energy consumption is dedicated to heating. Yet, the utilization of solar power in this sector remains relatively low compared to fossil energy sources. An ...

Significant Extension of Zinc Battery Lifespan

Oct. 28, 2024 — The transition to renewable energy requires efficient methods for storing large amounts of electricity. Researchers have developed a new method that could extend the lifespan of aqueous zinc-ion ...

Hydrogen: Breakthrough in Alkaline Membrane Electrolyzers

Oct. 28, 2024 — A team has developed a highly efficient alkaline membrane electrolyser that approaches the performance of established PEM electrolysers. What makes this achievement remarkable is the use of ...

Improvement of Catalytic Activity by Controlling the Surface Structure of Metal Particles

Oct. 28, 2024 — Researchers are finding new ways to make the hydrogen evolution reaction harder, better, faster, and ...

Next-Generation Solar Cells Become More Powerful With Silver (Ag) Doping Technology

Oct. 25, 2024 — Researchers have significantly improved the performance of kesterite (CZTSSe) thin-film solar cells. They developed a new method for doping silver (Ag) in solar cells to suppress defects that hinder ...

Ripples of Colonialism: Decarbonization Strategies Perpetuate Inequalities in Human Rights

Oct. 25, 2024 — A new study of a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo finds that the necessary process of decarbonization is repeating and recreating colonial ...

New AI Model Could Make Power Grids More Reliable Amid Rising Renewable Energy Use

Oct. 24, 2024 — Researchers use AI to manage the growing complexity of modern power ...

Key to Low-Cost, Long-Lasting Renewable Batteries for Electric Vehicles

Oct. 24, 2024 — Lithium-sulfur batteries have never lived up to their potential as the next generation of renewable batteries for electric vehicles and other devices. But mechanical engineers have now found a way to ...

Fire-Risk Blocking Self-Powered Hydrogen Production System

Oct. 24, 2024 — By using a water-splitting system with an aqueous electrolyte, this system is expected to block fire risks and enable stable hydrogen ...

Researchers Develop New Coatings to Boost Turbine Engine Efficiency

Oct. 23, 2024 — A multidisciplinary research group has formulated new protective coatings to allow turbine engines to run hotter -- with potential dividends for the environment and ...

Technology for Precise Diagnosis of Electric Vehicle Batteries Using Small Currents

Oct. 22, 2024 — Researchers have developed a new technology that can diagnose and monitor the state of batteries with high precision using only small amounts of current, which is expected to maximize the ...

Finding Could Help Turn Trees Into Affordable, Greener Industrial Chemicals

Oct. 18, 2024 — Specific molecular property of lignin in trees determines difficulty of using microbial fermentation to turn trees and other plants into industrial ...