Energy News - SciTechDaily

Cryptocurrency’s Thirst: A Single Bitcoin Transaction Consumes a Pool’s Worth of Water

Cell Press — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 22:03:22 +0000

Bitcoin mining’s extensive water use is worsening the global water crisis, especially in drought-prone regions, according to Alex de Vries. He suggests potential solutions, including...

Innovative Method to Efficiently Harvest Low-Grade Heat for Energy

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:09:33 +0000

A groundbreaking TREC system developed by a team of researchers efficiently converts low-grade heat into energy, leveraging structural vibration modes. This advancement could transform energy...

Harnessing the Sea’s Hidden Energy: New Nano-Device Turns Seawater Into Electricity

University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 20:16:32 +0000

The world’s coastlines harbor a largely untapped energy source: the salinity difference between seawater and freshwater. A new nanodevice can harness this difference to generate...

Eco-Friendly Breakthrough: Single Atom Catalyst Transforms CO2 Into Ethanol

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy Sciences — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:31:36 +0000

A recent breakthrough in CO2 reduction research involves a newly developed Sn-based catalyst that efficiently produces ethanol, representing a significant step forward in renewable energy...

Revolutionary One-Atom-Thick Ribbons Set To Transform Batteries and Solar Cells

University College London — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 18:35:39 +0000

Researchers at University College London have developed one-atom-thick ribbons composed of a phosphorus and arsenic alloy. This breakthrough material holds the potential to significantly enhance...

The Next Leap in Battery Tech: Lithium-Ion Batteries Are No Longer the Gold Standard

Tsinghua University Press — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 10:29:33 +0000

Lithium metal, chosen for battery anodes due to its superior energy density compared to other materials, is a smart choice. Yet, challenges arise at the...

Green Genius: MIT and Harvard Engineers Transform CO2 Into Formate Fuel

David L. Chandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 04:50:33 +0000

The approach directly converts the greenhouse gas into formate, a solid fuel that can be stored indefinitely and could be used to heat homes or...

New Solid-State Electrolyte Designs Could Revolutionize the Battery Industry

Institute for Basic Science — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 07:22:15 +0000

Researchers make significant advancements in lithium-metal-chloride solid-state electrolytes. Researchers, led by Professor Kang Kisuk of the Center for Nanoparticle Research within the Institute for Basic Science...

New MIT Design Would Harness 40% of the Sun’s Heat To Produce Clean Hydrogen Fuel

Jennifer Chu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 21:58:54 +0000

MIT engineers aim to produce totally green, carbon-free hydrogen fuel with a new, train-like system of reactors that is driven solely by the sun. In...

Lithium Goldmine: Sustainable Geothermal Extraction for Many Decades

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 07:50:25 +0000

Researchers see long-term perspective for lithium extraction at geothermal plants. Geothermal wells existing in the Upper Rhine Valley would allow for the reliable extraction of...

Stable and Efficient: Scientists Develop New Method To Create Next-Gen Solar Cells

Penn State University — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:29:36 +0000

Next-generation solar materials offer a more affordable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional silicon solar cells, yet challenges persist in making the devices durable enough to...

Ultramicro Supercapacitor: A Game-Changing Energy Storage Marvel

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 09:32:17 +0000

A novel ultramicro supercapacitor showcases superior energy storage and a potential revolution in device power sources. Researchers at the Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics...

Molecular Motion: Powering the Next Wave in Electricity Generation

American Institute of Physics — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 00:37:12 +0000

There is power in numbers when generating electricity from the movement of molecules. Wave energy technology is a proven source of power generation, but there...

The Future of Nuclear Reactors: Deciphering Electron Behavior in Molten Salts

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 22:17:27 +0000

Scientists reveal three unique electron states in molten salts, a crucial discovery for future salt-fueled nuclear reactors’ radiation impacts. In a finding that helps elucidate...

New Research: The World May Have Crossed a Solar “Tipping Point”

University of Exeter — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 12:28:52 +0000

The world may have crossed a “tipping point” that will inevitably make solar power our main source of energy, new research suggests. The study, based on...

EUI Surge Alert: U.S. Urban Buildings Face 110% Jump in Electricity Use

University of Oklahoma — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:45:25 +0000

Researchers find that the energy use needed to cool buildings in U.S. cities may increase by 13.8% for each degree of climate warming on average....

Revolutionizing Wireless Power: Scientists Achieve Breakthrough in Long-Distance Charging Efficiency

Aalto University — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 19:49:51 +0000

Factoring in radiation loss is essential for efficient long-distance wireless power transmission. Engineers at Aalto University have developed an improved method for long-distance wireless charging....

Green Energy Breakthrough: Scientists Develop Catalyst With 7.9x Higher Activity for Hydrogen Production

Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 17:23:03 +0000

According to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport of Korea, there were approximately 30,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles registered by 2022, representing a threefold...

Jevons’ Paradox: AI Could Use As Much Electricity As Entire Countries

Cell Press — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 06:53:09 +0000

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers the potential to enhance coding speed for programmers, improve safety for drivers, and expedite everyday tasks. However, in a commentary recently...

Harnessing the Power of Stars: EPFL’s 30-Year Odyssey in Fusion Energy Research

EPFL — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 02:55:32 +0000

EPFL started up a variable-configuration tokamak reactor in 1992. Today, EPFL is a leading research institute in nuclear fusion, with the goal of replicating on...

“Unusual” Findings Overturn Current Battery Wisdom

University of Birmingham — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 22:25:53 +0000

Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in understanding and overcoming the challenges associated with Ni-rich cathode materials used in lithium-ion batteries. While these materials can...

Pivotal Discovery Signals a Huge Leap Forward in Fusion Energy Reactor Progress

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:40:16 +0000

Researchers have utilized Alfvén waves to mitigate runaway electrons in tokamak fusion devices, offering significant implications for future fusion energy projects, including the ITER in...

Solar’s Slim Solution: The Rise of High-Efficiency Thin Silicon Cells

SPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 08:30:18 +0000

Scientists developed an innovative multilayered design to significantly boost the performance of next-generation solar cells. Solar power has become indispensable in our global pursuit of...

Chi-Nu Experiment’s Final Insights: Pioneering Data for Nuclear Security & Reactor Design

Los Alamos National Laboratory — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 07:17:05 +0000

Experiment measures the energy spectrum of neutrons emitted from neutron-induced fission. The results of the Chi-Nu physics experiment at the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos...