Energy Technology News

December 16, 2024

Top Headlines

Electric Vehicle Transition Could Create Unwanted Air Pollution Hotspots in China and India

Dec. 16, 2024 — New research has uncovered a potential unintended consequence of the electric vehicle transition in India and China, finding that sulfur dioxide emissions could actually increase over current levels ...

It's Worth Mixing It Up: What Combination of Policies Will Lead to a Clean Energy Future?

Dec. 16, 2024 — How can we ensure that as many households as possible adopt not only solar panels, but also their own battery to store solar energy, a heat pump, and an electric car? Researchers have looked into ...

Researchers 3D Print Compact, Low-Cost Vortex Beam Generators

Dec. 12, 2024 — Researchers have developed a 3D-printed device that generates twisting light beams with orbital angular momentum (OAM), a form of rotational energy that can carry more data than regular ...

Breakthrough in Zinc-Based Rechargeable Batteries: A Safer, Sustainable Alternative

Dec. 11, 2024 — Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries power everything from electric vehicles to wearable devices. But new research suggests that a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative may lie in zinc-based ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:07pm EST

Study Urges Canada to Build Solar Power Mega-Projects

Dec. 11, 2024 — Canada should focus on building mass utility-scale solar mega-projects to kickstart its green energy transition, according to a new report. The recommendation comes from a new article which looks at ...

The Last Missing Piece of Silicon Photonics

Dec. 9, 2024 — Scientists have developed the first electrically pumped continuous-wave semiconductor laser composed exclusively of elements from the fourth group of the periodic table -- the 'silicon group'. Built ...

Existing EV Batteries May Last Up to 40% Longer Than Expected

Dec. 9, 2024 — Consumers' real-world stop-and-go driving of electric vehicles benefits batteries more than the steady use simulated in almost all laboratory tests of new battery designs, a new study ...

X-Ray Vision: Seeing Through the Mystery of an X-Ray Emissions Mechanism

Dec. 4, 2024 — Since the 1960s, scientists who study X-rays, lightning and similar phenomena have observed something curious: In lab experiments replicating these occurrences, electrons accelerated between two ...

So You Want to Build a Solar or Wind Farm? Here's How to Decide Where

Dec. 6, 2024 — A new study shows the benefits of coordinating the siting of solar farms, wind farms, and storage systems, taking into account local and temporal variations in wind, sunlight, and energy demand. This ...

How Non-Toxic and Efficient Solar Cells Can Be Produced

Dec. 4, 2024 — Large-scale production of organic solar cells with high efficiency and minimal environmental impact. In the study, the researchers studied molecule shape and interaction in organic solar ...

Controlling Matter at the Atomic Level

Dec. 3, 2024 — Physicists are getting closer to controlling single-molecule chemical reactions -- could this shape the future of pharmaceutical ...

Photonic Processor Could Enable Ultrafast AI Computations With Extreme Energy Efficiency

Dec. 2, 2024 — Researchers developed a fully integrated photonic processor that can perform all the key computations of a deep neural network on a photonic chip, ...

Scientists Produce High-Power Attosecond X-Ray Pulses at Megahertz Repetition Rates

Nov. 25, 2024 — A research team has achieved a major advance in X-ray science by generating unprecedented high-power attosecond hard X-ray pulses at megahertz ...

Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources Will Increase Price Tag to Decarbonize the Grid

Nov. 25, 2024 — A new study warns that current plans to achieve zero emissions on the grid by 2050 vastly underestimate the required investments in generation and ...

Engineered Additive Makes Low-Cost Renewable Energy Storage a Possibility

Nov. 22, 2024 — As part of an effort to overcome the long-term energy-storage challenge, engineers have invented a water-soluble chemical additive that improves the performance of a type of electrochemical storage ...

Quantum-Inspired Design Boosts Efficiency of Heat-to-Electricity Conversion

Nov. 21, 2024 — Researchers have found a new way to improve a key element of thermophotovoltaic systems, which convert heat into electricity via light. Engineers designed a thermal emitter that can deliver high ...

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 ...

Tapping Excess Heat from a Camp Stove for Charging Power

Nov. 20, 2024 — New research may make it possible to keep electronic devices powered with another piece of equipment you're likely to bring with you while exploring the great outdoors: camping stoves. The work ...

Thermochemical Tech Shows Promising Path for Building Heat

Nov. 19, 2024 — Energy stored in thermochemical materials can effectively heat indoor spaces, particularly in humid regions, according to ...

Leaner Large Language Models Could Enable Efficient Local Use on Phones and Laptops

Nov. 18, 2024 — Researchers have introduced a technique for compressing a large language model's reams of data, which could increase privacy, save energy and lower costs. The new algorithm works by trimming ...

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. ...

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 ...

Wave-Predicting Robots Could Cut Green Energy Costs

Nov. 14, 2024 — Underwater robots that can predict waves in real-time could reduce the cost of producing offshore renewable energy, a study ...

'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 address the growing demand for lithium used in ...

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 ...

In Step Forward for Quantum Computing Hardware, Physicist Uncovers Novel Behavior in Quantum-Driven Superconductors

Nov. 12, 2024 — A new study has uncovered important behavior in the flow of electric current through quantum superconductors, potentially advancing the development of future technologies like quantum ...

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 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 ...

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 hopeful picture as various countries around the globe ...

A Smart 'Insect Screen' for Sun Protection and Cool Comfort

Nov. 6, 2024 — A research team unveils a next-generation transparent cooling film using the principles of radiative ...

New Haptic Patch Transmits Complexity of Touch to the Skin

Nov. 6, 2024 — Thin, flexible device could help people with visual impairments 'feel' surroundings. Device comprises a hexagonal array of 19 actuators encapsulated in soft silicone. Device only uses ...

Breakthrough in Energy-Efficient Avalanche-Based Amorphization Could Revolutionize Data Storage

Nov. 6, 2024 — Researchers have developed a new method for disrupting the crystal structure of a semiconductor that requires as little as one billion times less power density. This advancement could unlock wider ...