An enabling composite electrolyte Lithium-air batteries have scope to compete with gasoline in terms of energy density. However, in most systems, the reaction pathways either involve one- or two-electron transfer, leading to lithium peroxide (Li2O2) or lithium superoxide (LiO2), respectively. Kondori et al. investigated a lithium-air battery that uses a ceramic-polyethylene oxide–based composite solid electrolyte and […]
US climate subsidies unsettle Europe’s green industry plans
An empty field near Heide in a corner of Germany known more for its cabbage farming is the chosen site for a huge battery factory and potential pillar of the country’s future green economy. Manufacturer Northvolt chose the location in the northern region of Schleswig-Holstein primarily for the abundance of renewable energy produced by the […]
Weekly Market Review – February 4, 2023
Stock Markets In the week just ended, the new year’s stock rally continued, driven in part by a deceleration in the rate of Federal Reserve rate hikes. Stocks rallied after the Fed announced a 25-basis point (0.25%) rate increase, marking a downshift in the pace of rate hikes, as the previous six rate increases were […]
Researchers: Energy-efficient construction materials work better in colder climates
Researchers from Lithuania and Cyprus claim that the energy payback period of using phase change materials, new technology in the construction industry, is the shortest in a colder climate. The optimal location for their usage is the interior on the northern side of the building. The study provides informed answers regarding the application of PCMs […]
Researchers use lead recycled from car batteries to make photodetectors
As lithium-ion batteries continue to decrease in price, they are quickly replacing the lead-acid batteries traditionally used in cars and other vehicles. This is creating a sudden abundance of used lead-acid batteries, which would be harmful to the environment and people if not recycled properly. To help deal with this problem, researchers developed an environmentally […]
Europe looks to geothermal energy as gas alternative
The heating plant in Munich’s southern Sendling neighborhood has been run for more than a century on gas, often imported from far away. But increasingly, it is the hot waters from deep underground the station that provide the energy. Tacked on to the side of the original 19th-century red-brick plant is a boxy new geothermal unit […]
Canada faces pressure to ban deep-sea mining
Canada is facing mounting pressure to declare a moratorium on deep-sea mining exploration and extraction as the country hosts an international marine conservation summit starting Friday in Vancouver. Leading to the the fifth International Marine Protected Area Congress (IMPAC5), international scientists and environmental organizations have called on Ottawa to ban the activity. They want Canada […]
New material makes recycling a wide range of batteries simple and economical
Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized electronics and enabled an accelerating shift toward clean energy. These batteries have become an integral part of 21st century life, but we’re at risk of running out before 2050. The main elements used in each battery—lithium, nickel, and cobalt metals as well as graphite—are increasingly scarce and expensive, and there is […]
The novel chemistry behind ultra-high power density batteries
Mohammad Asadi, assistant professor of chemical engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology, has published a paper in the journal Science describing the chemistry behind his novel lithium-air battery design. The insights will allow him to further optimize the battery design, with the potential for reaching ultra-high power densities far beyond current lithium-ion technology. The battery […]
Clean energy is cheaper than coal across the whole US, study finds
Years of analysis have made it clear that replacing most of the coal plants in the United States with a mix of solar panels, wind turbines and lithium-ion batteries can save billions of dollars and prevent air pollution while fighting climate change. Now, with Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and federal financing on the table, […]
