Scientists turn CO2 ‘back into coal’ in breakthrough carbon capture experiment

The research team led by RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, developed a new technique using a liquid metal electrolysis method which efficiently converts CO2 from a gas into solid particles of carbon. Published in the journal Nature Communications, the authors say their technology offers an alternative pathway for “safely and permanently” removing CO2 from the Read more about Scientists turn CO2 ‘back into coal’ in breakthrough carbon capture experiment[…]

Ethereum Plans To Cut Its Absurd Energy Consumption By 99 Percent

Ethereum mining consumes a quarter to half of what Bitcoin mining does, but that still means that for most of 2018 it was using roughly as much electricity as Iceland. Indeed, the typical Ethereum transaction gobbles more power than an average U.S. household uses in a day. “That’s just a huge waste of resources, even Read more about Ethereum Plans To Cut Its Absurd Energy Consumption By 99 Percent[…]

This AI Just Mapped Every Solar Panel in the United States

n some states, solar energy accounts for upwards of 10 percent of total electricity generation. It’s definitely a source of power that’s on the rise, whether it be to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels, nuclear power, or the energy grid, or simply to take advantage of the low costs. This form of energy, however, Read more about This AI Just Mapped Every Solar Panel in the United States[…]

A Chinese startup may have cracked solid-state batteries

According to Chinese media, Qing Tao Energy Development Co, a startup out of the technical Tsinghua University, has deployed a solid-state battery production line in Kunshan, East China. Reports claim the line has a capacity of 100MWh per year — which is planned to increase to 700MWh by 2020 — and that the company has Read more about A Chinese startup may have cracked solid-state batteries[…]

Let’s store solar and wind energy – by using compressed air

Energy is already stored, of course, in batteries or various other technologies. Even reservoirs can act as huge stores of energy. However nothing that exists or is in development can store energy as well, and as cheaply, as compressed air. The concept seems simple: you just suck in some air from the atmosphere, compress it Read more about Let’s store solar and wind energy – by using compressed air[…]

China produces nano fibre that can lift 160 elephants – and a space elevator, better batteries?

A research team from Tsinghua University in Beijing has developed a fibre they say is so strong it could even be used to build an elevator to space. They say just 1 cubic centimetre of the fibre – made from carbon nanotube – would not break under the weight of 160 elephants, or more than Read more about China produces nano fibre that can lift 160 elephants – and a space elevator, better batteries?[…]

NantEnergy Announces Largest Global Deployment of Novel Air Breathing Zinc Rechargeable Battery System and Breakthrough in Cost Barrier

New York – Sept. 26, 2018 – NantEnergy today announced a breakthrough in its six-year mission to develop the world’s first scalable air breathing, zinc rechargeable battery system at a manufacturing cost below $100 kWh and to operate this intelligent digitally controlled system on a global scale. This green rechargeable battery, an air-breathing cell, uses just zinc and air, integrated with digitally controlled intelligence. The energy system is monitored in real time in the cloud and has been Read more about NantEnergy Announces Largest Global Deployment of Novel Air Breathing Zinc Rechargeable Battery System and Breakthrough in Cost Barrier[…]

Solid-state battery startup secures backing from several automakers as it claims 2- 3x higher energy capacity, better safety through solid-state

Solid Power is a Colorado-based startup that spun out of a battery research program at the University of Colorado Boulder. The company claims to have achieved a breakthrough by incorporating a high-capacity lithium metal anode in lithium batteries – creating a solid-state cell with an energy capacity “2-3X higher” than conventional lithium-ion. They have already attracted Read more about Solid-state battery startup secures backing from several automakers as it claims 2- 3x higher energy capacity, better safety through solid-state[…]

Bitcoin mining now apparently accounts for almost one percent of the world’s energy consumption

According to testimony provided by Princeton computer scientist Arvind Narayanan to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, no matter what you do to make cryptocurrency mining harware greener, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the overall network’s flabbergasting energy consumption. Instead, Narayanan told the committee, the only thing that really determines Read more about Bitcoin mining now apparently accounts for almost one percent of the world’s energy consumption[…]

With the “Forever Battery,” Ossia’s Cota AA system Promises True Wireless Charging

The Forever Battery comes in a AA form factor, and houses electronics (including an antenna) within its shell. Ossia’s Cota system uses a transmitter that beams electricity along direct paths through the air to the antenna in the battery, charging it from distances of up to 30 feet, with nary a wire to be seen Read more about With the “Forever Battery,” Ossia’s Cota AA system Promises True Wireless Charging[…]

Another view: bitcoin isn’t likely to consume all the world’s electricity in 2020 (anyone reminded of climate change discussions?)

The computer process that generates each coin is said to be on pace to require more electricity than the United States consumes in a year. This bitcoin “mining” allegedly consumes more power than most countries use each year, and its electricity usage is roughly equivalent to Bulgaria’s consumption. But here’s another thing you might want Read more about Another view: bitcoin isn’t likely to consume all the world’s electricity in 2020 (anyone reminded of climate change discussions?)[…]

China Has Launched the World’s First All-Electric Cargo Ship

Constructed by Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Ltd, it can travel 80 kilometers (approximately 50 miles) after being charged for 2 hours. As noted by Clean Technica, 2 hours is roughly the amount of time it would take to unload the ship’s cargo while docked.Other stats for China’s cargo ship include being 70.5 meters (230 feet) Read more about China Has Launched the World’s First All-Electric Cargo Ship[…]

New battery boffinry could ‘triple range’ of electric vehicles • The Register

A new battery designed at the University of Waterloo in Ontario could triple the range of electric vehicles, a new paper has claimed. The development, described by the article An In Vivo Formed Solid Electrolyte Surface Layer Enables Stable Plating of Li Metal (PDF) in energy journal Joule, is due to an improvement in the Read more about New battery boffinry could ‘triple range’ of electric vehicles • The Register[…]

Using LED lighting has resulted in more light, no energy savings

Using satellite-based sensors, an international team of scientists sought to understand if our planet’s surface is getting brighter or darker at night, and to determine if LEDs are saving energy at the global scale. With the introduction of solid-state lighting—such as LEDs, OLEDs, and PLEDs—it was thought (and hoped) that the transition to it from Read more about Using LED lighting has resulted in more light, no energy savings[…]

One Bitcoin Transaction Now Uses as Much Energy as Your House in a Week

Bitcoin’s incredible price run to break over $7,000 this year has sent its overall electricity consumption soaring, as people worldwide bring more energy-hungry computers online to mine the digital currency.An index from cryptocurrency analyst Alex de Vries, aka Digiconomist, estimates that with prices the way they are now, it would be profitable for Bitcoin miners Read more about One Bitcoin Transaction Now Uses as Much Energy as Your House in a Week[…]

rechargable safe battery

Through Ionic Materials’ invention of a novel solid polymer electrolyte material that conducts ions at room temperature, we are on the verge of revolutionizing battery technology. A truly solid state battery is now possible. Significant improvements in battery safety, performance and cost are achievable with ionic conductivities that exceed those of traditional liquid systems over Read more about rechargable safe battery[…]

California generates 1/2 the US solar energy, has to pay neighbouring states to take the energy

California is the poster child for solar energy: in 2016, 13% of the state’s power came from solar sources. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, California is in the lead for the cumulative amount of solar electric capacity installed in 2016. In fact, the California is generating so much solar energy that it is Read more about California generates 1/2 the US solar energy, has to pay neighbouring states to take the energy[…]

World Energy Hits a Turning Point: Solar That’s Cheaper Than Wind – Bloomberg

A transformation is happening in global energy markets that’s worth noting as 2016 comes to an end: Solar power, for the first time, is becoming the cheapest form of new electricity. This has happened in isolated projects in the past: an especially competitive auction in the Middle East, for example, resulting in record-cheap solar costs. Read more about World Energy Hits a Turning Point: Solar That’s Cheaper Than Wind – Bloomberg[…]

Battery breakthrough will let phones charge in seconds and last for a week

charge has been created by researchers at the University of Central Florida. The high-powered battery is packed with supercapacitors that can store a large amount of energy. It looks like a thin piece of flexible metal that is about the size of a finger nail and could be used in phones, electric vehicles and wearables, Read more about Battery breakthrough will let phones charge in seconds and last for a week[…]

Mimicking nature turns sewage into biocrude oil in minutes

the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has found a way to potentially produce 30 million barrels of biocrude oil per year from the 34 billion gal (128 billion liters) of raw sewage that Americans create every day. According to PNNL, the problem with using sewage as a source material for biocrude Read more about Mimicking nature turns sewage into biocrude oil in minutes[…]

These ultra-thin solar cells can be bent around a pencil

The cells are fabricated onto a flexible substrate that is just a micrometer thick — one-half to one-quarter the thickness of other “thin” solar cells and hundreds of times thinner than conventional cells. A human hair, by comparison, is about 100 micrometers. The team at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea Read more about These ultra-thin solar cells can be bent around a pencil[…]