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 […]
Metals Tech
Static electricity could help run air conditioners
An invention made from waste polystyrene that generates static electricity from motion and wind could lower power usage by recycling waste energy in air conditioners and other applications. More than 25 million tonnes of single-use, polystyrene packaging materials are made globally each year, but only a tiny fraction is recycled—most of it goes to landfill […]
Hyperspectral image sensors help characterize polymers in electronic waste to improve recycling
Plastics make up around a quarter of the materials contained in electronic waste (e-waste). The proportion that is recycled is comparatively low—the majority is simply incinerated. The first step to improve recycling is the identification of polymer materials, so that they can be selectively sorted and processed in a way that preserves their function. Researchers […]
Could seaweed farms become the next generation of mines?
Blue Evolution, a California-based regenerative ocean farming company, announced Thursday it has merged with Blu3, a company specializing in regenerative ocean technologies. The move, Blue Evolution said, creates a combined entity that will leverage enhanced R&D capabilities to drive innovation and commercialize new seaweed-based products across multiple sectors – agriculture, biomaterials – and critical minerals. […]
Miniature soft lithium-ion battery offers new possibilities for bio-integrated devices and robotics
University of Oxford researchers have made a significant step towards realizing miniature, soft batteries for use in a variety of biomedical applications, including the defibrillation and pacing of heart tissues. The work has been published in the journal Nature Chemical Engineering. The development of tiny smart devices, smaller than a few cubic millimeters, demands equally […]
Salt batteries: The fireproof battery
In 1997, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class famously tipped out of a bend during the elk test. One of the causes of the infamous incident: The car was originally designed to be electric. Switching to a combustion engine eliminated the heavy battery, resulting in the center of gravity shifting too far upwards. The battery that should have […]
Iron-air battery developer Form Energy raises $405M, announces collaboration with GE Vernova
Form Energy aims to commercialize an iron-air battery system that can “store electricity for 100 hours at system costs competitive with legacy power plants,” the company says. The technology uses atmospheric oxygen to deoxidize (charge) and oxidize (discharge) small iron pellets housed in a water-based electrolyte. Form CEO and co-founder Mateo Jaramillo told Utility Dive in 2021 that the […]
Double-skin building façade that contains microalgae and uses machine learning to generate energy
Operating a building is often costly given the price of heating and energy usage, accounting for 37% of global CO2 emissions. As more commercial and mixed-use buildings are constructed across Canada, using sustainable energy measures to manage their environmental impact is vital to the health of our planet. University of Waterloo researchers have now developed […]
Flow battery maker Redflow out of business with administrators unable to find buyer
Australian zinc-bromide flow battery manufacturer Redflow has ceased operations with administrators unable to find a buyer. Administrators Richard Hughes and David Orr from Deloitte had been appointed in late August at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed technology company after Redflow failed to raise enough equity to fund a strategic plan. The flow battery company, […]
These new EV batteries can go 186 miles on a 5-minute charge
In a significant leap forward for electric vehicle (EV) technology, Taiwanese battery tech company ProLogium has revealed its latest breakthrough—a 100% silicon composite anode battery. The company announced the fast-charging battery at the Paris Motor Show, and it could completely revolutionize the state of EV batteries with its energy density and charging rate. As for […]