Cold solar cells.
The economic value of solar panels depends upon their lifespan and power conversion efficiency. University of New South Wales researchers have developed new and improved solar panels that improve the device lifetime by operating at lower temperatures.
Their results are reported in Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pip.3405
#sciencenews #physics #solarenergy #energy
The economic value of solar panels depends upon their lifespan and power conversion efficiency. University of New South Wales researchers have developed new and improved solar panels that improve the device lifetime by operating at lower temperatures.
Their results are reported in Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pip.3405
#sciencenews #physics #solarenergy #energy
Wiley Online Library
Singlet fission and tandem solar cells reduce thermal degradation and enhance lifespan
The operating temperature of PV modules affects the rate of degradation. We show the extent to which module operating temperature can be reduced by increasing the efficiency of the PV module via a ta...
Better batteries.
Solid-state batteries pack a lot of energy into a small space, but their electrodes are not good at keeping in touch with their electrolytes. University of Illinois researchers demonstrate how controlling the atomic alignment of solid materials can improve the electrolyte interface and stability in solid-state batteries.
The results are published in the journal Nature Materials: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-021-01016-0
#sciencenews #energy
Solid-state batteries pack a lot of energy into a small space, but their electrodes are not good at keeping in touch with their electrolytes. University of Illinois researchers demonstrate how controlling the atomic alignment of solid materials can improve the electrolyte interface and stability in solid-state batteries.
The results are published in the journal Nature Materials: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-021-01016-0
#sciencenews #energy
Nature
Revealing the role of the cathode–electrolyte interface on solid-state batteries
Nature Materials - Interfaces play crucial, but still poorly understood, roles in the performance of secondary solid-state batteries. Using crystallographically oriented and highly faceted thick...
Low power microchips.
The progress of technology demands ever-faster microchips to be developed. To maintain or improve battery lifetimes of faster devices, the microchips must also be less power-hungry. Brigham Young University researchers have built the world’s most power efficient high speed analogue-to-digital converter.
Details of their device can be found in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9360313
#sciencenews #energy
The progress of technology demands ever-faster microchips to be developed. To maintain or improve battery lifetimes of faster devices, the microchips must also be less power-hungry. Brigham Young University researchers have built the world’s most power efficient high speed analogue-to-digital converter.
Details of their device can be found in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9360313
#sciencenews #energy
ieeexplore.ieee.org
An 8-bit 10-GHz 21-mW Time-Interleaved SAR ADC With Grouped DAC Capacitors and Dual-Path Bootstrapped Switch
An 8-bit 10-GHz 8 × time-interleaved successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) incorporates an aggressively scaled digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with grouped capacitors in a symmetrical structure to afford a threefold reduction…
Building better wind farms.
A study from the Carnegie Institution for Science shows how the placement of wind turbines is hugely important to their efficiency. They looked at the wake of individual turbines and larger scale networks to understand how the power generation capabilities can be optimized.
The study is published in PNAS: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2103875118
#sciencenews #environment #energy
A study from the Carnegie Institution for Science shows how the placement of wind turbines is hugely important to their efficiency. They looked at the wake of individual turbines and larger scale networks to understand how the power generation capabilities can be optimized.
The study is published in PNAS: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2103875118
#sciencenews #environment #energy
PNAS
Spatial constraints in large-scale expansion of wind power plants
Wind comprised 6.1% of worldwide electricity generation in 2020. If this share is to substantially grow to decarbonize electricity systems, the size of future wind farms may extend far beyond that of current installations. The spatial scale of a wind farm…
Biomass to biofuel.
A Technical University of Munich team has determined the role of water molecules in the process of converting biomass to biofuels with zeolitic catalysts. Their insights should enable increased reactivity at low temperatures, improving the energy efficiency of the process.
The preliminary report has been published in Science: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6545/952
#sciencenews #environment #energy
A Technical University of Munich team has determined the role of water molecules in the process of converting biomass to biofuels with zeolitic catalysts. Their insights should enable increased reactivity at low temperatures, improving the energy efficiency of the process.
The preliminary report has been published in Science: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6545/952
#sciencenews #environment #energy
Science
Role of the ionic environment in enhancing the activity of reacting molecules in zeolite pores
Brønsted acidity is introduced into microporous zeolites through the addition of framework aluminum. Pfriem et al. show that in the presence of water, the limited volume in the microchannels of zeolite H-MFI leads to a high concentration of hydrated hydronium…
Long-life lithium batteries.
Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have increased the lifetime of lithium-metal electric vehicle batteries to a record level by using microscale structured anodes. This is an important step towards the goal of lighter, cheaper, and longer-lasting electric vehicle batteries.
Their latest results are published in Nature Energy: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41560-021-00852-3
#sciencenews #physics #chemistry #energy
Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have increased the lifetime of lithium-metal electric vehicle batteries to a record level by using microscale structured anodes. This is an important step towards the goal of lighter, cheaper, and longer-lasting electric vehicle batteries.
Their latest results are published in Nature Energy: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41560-021-00852-3
#sciencenews #physics #chemistry #energy
Nature
Balancing interfacial reactions to achieve long cycle life in high-energy lithium metal batteries
Nature Energy - The development of Li metal batteries requires understanding of cell-level electrochemical processes. Here the authors investigate the interplay between electrode thickness,...
Artificial photosynthesis.
University of Nagoya scientists have investigated the effects of doping on surface recombination in strontium titanate to enable the design of efficient catalysts for artificial photosynthetic processes. Photocatalysts with lower surface recombination could help to develop efficient energy sources.
The results can be found in the Journal of Physics D: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6463/ac073e
#sciencenews #energy
University of Nagoya scientists have investigated the effects of doping on surface recombination in strontium titanate to enable the design of efficient catalysts for artificial photosynthetic processes. Photocatalysts with lower surface recombination could help to develop efficient energy sources.
The results can be found in the Journal of Physics D: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6463/ac073e
#sciencenews #energy