[ad_1] Aluminum batteries still aren’t available outside of labs, and you shouldn’t expect this breakthrough to be available any time soon. They’re still half as energy-dense as lithium-ion cells, and the scientists are busy working on more effective electrolytes and charging systems. If aluminum does reach parity with lithium, however, it could lead to a […]
Category: renewable energy
IKEA will produce more energy than it consumes by 2020
[ad_1] The retailer expects to offer home solar panels in stores across all its markets in 2025. Ultimately, it plans to be climate-positive (reducing more emissions than it puts out) by 2030. IKEA’s timing isn’t a coincidence. Like Google, Amazon and other companies, it’s using both the Global Climate Strike and the UN’s Climate Action […]
‘World’s first’ solar-powered rail line opens in the UK
[ad_1] Several UK train stations already run on solar. Network Rail, which manages most of the railway infrastructure on the British mainland, has earmarked billions of pounds to electrify rail lines, and aims to do so with solar power if the pilot project is successful. The UK government aims to eliminate the use of diesel […]
Walmart sues Tesla after solar panels catch fire at stores
[ad_1] The big-box chain formally accused Tesla of breach of contract, gross negligence and failure to meet industry standards. It wanted Tesla to not only pay damages related to the first, but to remove its panels from over 240 Walmart stores. We’ve asked Tesla for comment. There’s a good possibility Tesla will fight back, though. […]
Rivian will repurpose used EV batteries for solar power in Puerto Rico
[ad_1] Rivian will use the 135kw packs from its development vehicles as second-life batteries in Adjuntas, a city that was severely impacted by Hurricane Maria in 2017. In the event of future power outages, the microgrid will provide electricity to core businesses. At other times, the system will offset day-to-day electricity bills. The project is […]
America’s renewable energy capacity overtakes coal for the first time
[ad_1] While these figures represent a very marginal difference, additional findings from FERC suggest that the gap is likely to widen in the coming months. The report notes that the US has been adding, on average, one percentage point to its renewable energy capacity every year, and predicts that by 2022 the technology will account […]
Michael Bloomberg will spend $500 million to close coal-fired power plants
[ad_1] Bloomberg plans to bypass Washington, where the Trump Administration is both committed to coal power and denying warnings from climate scientists. “We’re in a race against time with climate change, and yet there is virtually no hope of bold federal action on this issue for at least another two years,” Bloomberg reportedly said in […]
Researchers suggest 100 percent renewable energy isn’t very green
[ad_1] The situation is especially urgent for the EV and battery industries, according to the researchers from the Institute for Sustainable Futures. Those industries are the main drivers of demand for cobalt, with each EV requiring between five to 10 kilograms of the metal for its lithium-ion batteries. As much as 60 percent of cobalt […]
Researchers want to store excess renewable energy as methane
[ad_1] Their idea is to use microbes to convert excess renewable energy into methane, which could be burned as needed. In nature, the microorganism Methanococcus maripaludis consumes hydrogen and carbon dioxide and exudes methane. So, the researchers are using renewable energy-powered electrodes to split water and free its hydrogen atoms. Those hydrogen atoms are fed […]
Scientists can turn regular seawater into hydrogen fuel
[ad_1] Unfortunately, purified water is in itself a scarce resource. Which is why Stanford chemistry professor Hongjie Dai and her team sought out to discover a way to keep salt water from breaking down devices used for water-splitting. “We barely have enough water for our current needs in California,” said Dai in a press release. […]