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Archive for the ‘energy’ category: Page 160

Jan 7, 2022

Researchers develop carbon-air battery as a next-gen energy storage system

Posted by in category: energy

A potential alternative to hydrogen-based energy storage systems that suffer from low energy density.

Jan 6, 2022

A New Theory for Systems That Defy Newton’s Third Law

Posted by in categories: energy, mathematics, physics, singularity, transportation

Many of these systems are kept out of equilibrium because individual constituents have their own power source — ATP for cells, gas for cars. But all these extra energy sources and mismatched reactions make for a complex dynamical system beyond the reach of statistical mechanics. How can we analyze phases in such ever-changing systems?

Vitelli and his colleagues see an answer in mathematical objects called exceptional points. Generally, an exceptional point in a system is a singularity, a spot where two or more characteristic properties become indistinguishable and mathematically collapse into one. At an exceptional point, the mathematical behavior of a system differs dramatically from its behavior at nearby points, and exceptional points often describe curious phenomena in systems — like lasers — in which energy is gained and lost continuously.

Now the team has found that these exceptional points also control phase transitions in nonreciprocal systems. Exceptional points aren’t new; physicists and mathematicians have studied them for decades in a variety of settings. But they’ve never been associated so generally with this type of phase transition. “That’s what no one has thought about before, using these in the context of nonequilibrium systems,” said the physicist Cynthia Reichhardt of Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. “So you can bring all the machinery that we already have about exceptional points to study these systems.”

Jan 6, 2022

Graphene Filtration | A revolution in Desalination technology!

Posted by in categories: energy, food, sustainability

Recently, a group of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology researchers made a major breakthrough in the graphene based desalination process. They were able to remove 97% of common salts in an energy efficient way. The current reverse osmosis desalination technology is energy intensive, and desalination plants’ capital costs are high. By the year 2025, 14% of the world’s population will experience water scarcity, which makes this discovery very important. Moreover, graphene-based filtration technology could come to your kitchen very soon.

Links to their work — https://www.nature.com/articles/nnano.2017.21#:~:text=Abstract, of%20common%20salts4%2C6. 0, https://science.sciencemag.org/content/343/6172/752

Continue reading “Graphene Filtration | A revolution in Desalination technology!” »

Jan 5, 2022

This Compressed Air Grid ‘Battery’ Is an Energy Storage Game Changer

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, energy, food, sustainability

Pumped hydropower is great. This method might be even better.


Two new compressed air storage plants will soon rival the world’s largest non-hydroelectric facilities and hold up to 10 gigawatt hours of energy. But what is advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES), exactly, and why is the method about to have a moment?

Continue reading “This Compressed Air Grid ‘Battery’ Is an Energy Storage Game Changer” »

Jan 5, 2022

Regenerative Braking & Energy Storage Without Batteries? Hobbyists Are Figuring It Out

Posted by in categories: employment, energy, transportation

One of the best thing about electric and hybrid vehicles is that the energy doesn’t get completely wasted when you need to brake. By using an electric motor as a generator, you can slow a vehicle down and put some of that kinetic energy into a battery pack so you can use it again later. Sure, there are conversion losses both going into the battery and coming back out to the wheels, so you don’t get a lot more than half of the energy back, but an ICE vehicle turns all of that energy into heat, which gets dissipated into the air.

Electric bikes, scooters, and other micromobility options can do regenerative braking, too. This is great for getting better range and doing fewer brake jobs, just like in a car.

Continue reading “Regenerative Braking & Energy Storage Without Batteries? Hobbyists Are Figuring It Out” »

Jan 5, 2022

Ion Storage Systems Says Its Ceramic Electrolyte Could Be a Gamechanger for Solid-State Batteries

Posted by in category: energy

Circa 2020


A superthin electrolyte with three layers could deliver safe, fast-charging batteries.

Jan 5, 2022

Propane shortages continue to be an issue for Sierra, Foothills residents without power

Posted by in category: energy

Power is slowly being restored for people living in the Sierra and foothills, but on top of electric issues, many residents are finding themselves low on another much-needed resource.

Several viewers have called and written to the KCRA 3 newsroom about a lack of propane. One such viewer Debbie Sterling of Placer County.

Jan 5, 2022

A Company Is Taking on Tesla With Its Easy-Install Solar Roof Tiles

Posted by in categories: energy, sustainability

And it claims any roofer can install its new solar shingles.

GAF Energy, a division of roofing giant GAF, developed new solar shingles that are so easy to install no special equipment or knowledge is required, a TechCrunch report reveals.

The new accessible home renewable energy option provides serious competition for Tesla, who revealed their own new tiles with 22 percent more energy capacity last month.

Continue reading “A Company Is Taking on Tesla With Its Easy-Install Solar Roof Tiles” »

Jan 3, 2022

Nanotech Energy Unveils Fireproof Graphene Battery

Posted by in categories: energy, nanotechnology

Explosive if true. Figuratively speaking.


Explosive if true, figuratively speaking. The technology replaces the typically flammable electrolytes in batteries with graphene.

Jan 3, 2022

The 126-Rotor Windcatcher Will ‘Dramatically Slash Costs’ for Wind Energy

Posted by in categories: energy, sustainability

A Norwegian company developed a floating wind power system that provides the energy of 25 traditional wind turbines at roughly half the price.