Rapid advancements in solid-state battery technology are ushering in a new era of energy storage solutions, with the potential to revolutionize everything from electric vehicles to renewable energy systems. Advances in electrolyte engineering have played a key role in this progress, enhancing the development and performance of high-performance all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). A review paper dived […]
Metals Tech
Hydrogen from waste: Bio-electrochemical cell design cuts power loss for large-scale implementation
A research team has achieved a significant breakthrough in clean energy technology. The team has successfully enhanced a crucial component of a bio-electrochemical cell, enabling more efficient hydrogen production from microorganisms found in waste. This advancement resolves longstanding power loss challenges in conventional processes, offering a transformative pathway toward large-scale, cost-effective hydrogen production. The work […]
Engineers grow ‘high-rise’ 3D chips, enabling more efficient AI hardware
The electronics industry is approaching a limit to the number of transistors that can be packed onto the surface of a computer chip. So, chip manufacturers are looking to build up rather than out. Instead of squeezing ever-smaller transistors onto a single surface, the industry is aiming to stack multiple surfaces of transistors and semiconducting […]
Charge your phone in your pocket with new wireless technology
A groundbreaking advancement in technology is paving the way for mobile phones and other electronic devices to recharge simply by being kept in a pocket. This innovative system enables wireless charging throughout three-dimensional (3D) spaces, encompassing walls, floors, and air. On December 12, Professor Franklin Bien and his research team in the Department of Electrical […]
New technology shields wind turbines from positive polarity lightning strikes
A team has developed the world’s first technology to prevent damage caused by “positive lightning,” which frequently occurs in offshore wind farms during winter. Just as voltage has positive and negative poles, lightning also has positive and negative polarities. When clouds carry a positive charge and the ground carries a negative charge, positive polarity lightning […]
Developing AI-controlled heat pumps for increased efficiency
Artificial intelligence (AI) helps heat pumps to operate more efficiently, by avoiding incorrect device settings and optimizing system operation. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is researching a new generation of smart heat pumps that use artificial neural networks to adapt to environmental conditions and to learn as conditions change. This increases both energy […]
Harnessing spin: New electrocatalysts could transform hydrogen production efficiency
Electrocatalytic water splitting, a process that entails breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen, is a promising approach to produce clean hydrogen for fuel cells, which could in turn be used to power large electric vehicles. So far, the real-world use of this process has been limited by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution […]
Chinese firms take on EV truck challenges
Dominant in the electric car sector, Chinese companies have been quietly consolidating their position in the lesser-watched trucking scene—but foreign tariffs and a perceived quality gap could signal roadblocks ahead, experts warn. The domestic supply chain and low-price strategy that helped make China’s EV car industry world-leading are being leveraged by established automakers and start-ups […]
Battery life on gaming laptops doesn’t have to suck anymore
In the past, gaming laptops would last anywhere from two to four hours on a single charge — a woefully short duration compared to their non-gaming counterparts. Powerful hardware like heavy-duty graphics cards requires a lot of energy to run, thus draining the battery. But trends have changed in recent years thanks to advances in […]
Energy consumption in train systems: A focus on temperature management
The drive system of a rail vehicle is the largest energy consumer in operation, followed by the systems for temperature management of the passenger compartment and the drive system—regardless of the type of train propulsion. Batteries or fuel cells must be maintained at an optimal operating temperature in electrically powered trains without energy supply via […]