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Simple superconducting diode can dramatically cut energy use in transistors, data centres

November 1, 2023 by Elizabeth Thomson

Some estimates say data centres could be consuming up to 20% of all power globally in ten years. That’s largely because the billions of transistors have to be cooled. Elizabeth Thomson at MIT describes breakthrough research that has made a superconducting diode that’s twice as efficient as the standard, therefore generating and wasting far less heat. What’s surprising is that some straightforward physics of materials was utilised, in contrast to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Energy efficiency, Innovations Tagged With: computing, cooling, DataCentres, diode, efficiency, innovation, physics, research, superconducting, transistors

“Flow Batteries” for grid-scale storage: modelling cheaper alternatives to Vanadium

June 7, 2023 by Nancy Stauffer

Flow batteries are a promising new technology for grid storage. Rather than the standard batteries that store charge in a solid material, they use a solution to store that charge, making large-scale long-duration electricity storage much easier. Vanadium electrolytes have been the preferred choice so far, but affordable supplies are limited and a cheaper alternative will be needed for global scale-up, explains Nancy Stauffer at MIT who describes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Innovations, Storage Tagged With: batteries, costs, degradation, electrolytes, FlowBatteries, grids, iron, LCOE, lifetime, manganese, modelling, organic, research, Vanadium

Geothermal’s full potential: 24/7 power everywhere, storage, environmental mineral extraction

March 29, 2023 by Kelly MacGregor

Geothermal is not just for generating energy. It can be used for storage and extracting minerals too. Kelly MacGregor at NREL summarises the research into taking geothermal to the next level and making it a solution to multiple challenges. Depending on how far down you dig, geothermal is available for running utility-scale power plants as well as heating and cooling individual districts, buildings and houses. And new techniques are being … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Geothermal Tagged With: batteries, electricity, geothermal, innovation, lithium, minerals, power, research, storage, sustainability, US

Direct capture of CO2 from seawater: new research cuts costs, ready for pilot in 2025

March 8, 2023 by David Chandler

Direct capture of CO2 from the air is already established in pilot phase in sites around the world, but costs are very high. So it is puzzling that capturing CO2 direct from the sea is yet to be tested properly. After all, the concentration of CO2 in seawater is more than 100 times greater than in the air, pointing at a process that should be much more efficient. David Chandler at MIT looks at research there that has uncovered cheaper and more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Carbon Capture, Energy Tagged With: CCS, CCUS, CDR, CO2, decarbonisation, innovation, research, seawater

From lab to commercialisation: what is the optimal pathway for Clean Energy Technologies?

January 11, 2023 by Madeline Geocaris and Andrea Wuorenmaa

It’s a considerable challenge to predict, decades in advance, what the world will need and get it from lab to market. Madeline Geocaris and Andrea Wuorenmaa at NREL summarise four case studies that reveal the key elements required: a good balance of technology, R&D, and public-private partnership; regulatory and market force alignment; good timing for market opportunities. The goal is the optimal pathway to the successful first … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Innovations Tagged With: blades, development, DOE, HydrogenFuelCells, innovation, JISEA, markets, NREL, refrigerators, regulations, research, solarPV, standards, wind

Geopolitics and energy security require the U.S. and its allies to lead on Nuclear

October 21, 2022 by Robert Ichord

Combine the current energy crisis with the geopolitical ambitions of Russia and China, and you have your reason for why the U.S. and its allies should prioritise nuclear, argues Robert Ichord at the Atlantic Council. All three nations have well-developed world-leading nuclear sectors. But it’s Russia that has been the largest exporter of nuclear reactors to the world market. Meanwhile, China has the most plants under construction at twenty. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: China, geopolitics, MNR, Nuclear, regulations, research, Russia, security, SMR, US

Global Wind Speeds: are they falling due to climate change?

October 14, 2022 by Jim Robbins

Last year, Europe experienced a “wind drought”, with wind speeds falling 15% in many regions, sometimes more. Deeper research shows speeds dropped gradually between 1978 and 2010, though rose again in the last decade. It’s difficult for the science to create a clear picture and predict long term trends. But the IPCC forecasts slowing winds for the coming decades, saying average annual wind speeds could drop by up to 10% by 2100. Jim Robbins at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Renewables Tagged With: Climate, electricity, EU, IPCC, power, research, speeds, temperature, US, wind

China: decades of support for innovation is now delivering results

October 4, 2022 by Daisy Chi

The evolution of China’s clean energy sector used to be based on a technology catch-up approach, which meant secondary innovation based on imported technologies. Daisy Chi at ECECP looks at the IEA’s recent report, “Tracking Clean Energy Innovation: Focus on China”, to conclude that the nation is now a major force in clean energy innovation. Decades of innovation-focussed policies, strong funding support, institutional reforms, big targets and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Innovations Tagged With: batteries, China, emissions, EVs, funding, IEA, innovation, markets, patents, policies, research, solar

Aluminium, sulphur and salt batteries. Cheaper than lithium-ion, for homes and EV charging stations

September 7, 2022 by David Chandler

The high and escalating demand for the lithium-ion batteries that dominate the market is driving the search for alternatives. Ideally, they will be made from inexpensive, abundant materials. David Chandler at MIT describes research there into a design that uses aluminium and sulphur as its two electrode materials, with a molten salt electrolyte in-between. The results point at batteries that have a projected cost per cell of about one-sixth that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Storage Tagged With: aluminium, batteries, charging, costs, electrolyte, EVs, innovation, lithium, research, residential, salt, storage, sulphur

Getting Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) down to $0.05 per kWh

March 2, 2022 by NREL

The U.S. Department of Energy is funding research to get the cost of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) down to $0.05 per kWh. One key element of that research is the materials used to absorb and store the heat energy. Three categories of materials are being looked at: liquid (i.e. molten salt), particle (like sand), and gaseous. NREL is leading the molten salt research, and there are multiple challenges. The salts can corrode the storage tanks and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Renewables Tagged With: chloride, costs, CSP, fuelcells, heat, MoltenSalt, nitrate, Nuclear, research, solar, storage, USDoE

Clean Hydrogen from water electrolysis: research into catalysts to meet global targets

May 27, 2021 by Glennda Chui

The full potential of the new hydrogen economy will depend on producing enough clean hydrogen from water electrolysis which uses precious metals. But, as Glennda Chui at SLAC (Stanford University & DoE) explains, there aren’t enough precious metals in the world to get to the scale we need. And their cost is so high the clean hydrogen they generate could never compete with hydrogen derived from fossil fuels. Over 95% of hydrogen produced today … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Hydrogen, Innovations Tagged With: batteries, catalysts, CCS, electrolysis, fuelcells, gas, hydrogen, innovation, research

Can the U.S. switch on a Nuclear Fusion plant by 2035?

March 8, 2021 by Peter Dunn

Momentum is building in the U.S. for the switching on of a nuclear fusion pilot plant by 2035. A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine lays out for the first time the required technical, economic, and regulatory standards. It comes soon after the prospects for fusion were boosted in January by a government bill that funds fusion activities. Peter Dunn at MIT reviews the report and speaks to the experts. The main … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: electricity, fission, innovation, Nuclear, power, research, US

What effect will blending Hydrogen into the Natural Gas network have?

December 9, 2020 by NREL

What are the technical barriers to blending hydrogen into the natural gas network? How well will the pipelines cope? How will the blend affect equipment and appliances? What are the costs and environmental impacts? The answers to these key questions are being sought by a collaboration of laboratories, industry and academia led by NREL, called HyBlend. The long-term impact of hydrogen on materials and equipment is still not understood. The effect … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Alternative fuels, Energy, Grids, Hydrogen Tagged With: costs, emissions, gas, GasGrid, hydrogen, pipelines, research, SyntheticFuels, SyntheticNaturalGas

EU Recovery Package mustn’t sideline Green R&D

May 27, 2020 by Eleonora Moro and Léa Pilsner

Today (Wednesday 27 May) the EC releases its COVID-19 Recovery package and Multiannual Financial Framework. The Green Deal and net-zero ambitions are expected to be a substantial part of it. Eleonora Moro and LĂ©a Pilsner at E3G draw attention to Research & Innovation (R&I, or R&D), often in danger of being seen as a luxury in times of crisis because the big wins are not immediate. Already, the EU could do much better. Looking at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Innovations Tagged With: Covid, EU, GreenDeal, innovation, MMF, research, stimulus

Nuclear fusion: public-private pitch for pilot power plant in U.S.

April 8, 2020 by Peter Dunn

A working nuclear fusion plant has long been a dream of scientists. The “Sun in a box” would generate abundant low carbon energy with little waste and more safely than traditional existing nuclear (fission) plants. But the scientific, engineering and materials challenges are admittedly enormous. Meanwhile, other electricity generating technologies are getting cheaper, so will we ever need it? Nevertheless, a public-private collaboration in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: electricity, France, fusion, innovation, Nuclear, research, US

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  • Italy: 71 GWh of additional Grid Storage required by 2030 says Terna by Sara Stefanini | posted on November 28, 2023
  • Middle East & Africa to export Hydrogen to Europe? Better to make green Iron & Steel and export that by Soroush Basirat | posted on November 23, 2023
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      Recent Posts

      What does cutting-edge Smart Metering look like as Grids become increasingly complex?

      How to manage price risk as the EU shifts from Russian Gas to Renewables

      Carbon Footprints for every product: the need for sector-specific, comprehensive granular data and accounting

      Improved “Solar Thermochemical” process captures 40% of the sun’s heat to produce Green Hydrogen

      Italy: 71 GWh of additional Grid Storage required by 2030 says Terna

      Investing billions in new cross-border Electricity Transmission capacity can cover its costs within a few years

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