Sub's Alternative Energy Thread

[SubGod22]

Researchers make remarkable breakthrough in battery technology capable of storing more power faster than before: 'These ... mean we need to produce fewer cells'

A 3D electrode design has seemingly unlocked new potential for Battolyser researchers. Their invention is a battery-electrolyser combination spawned in labs at the Netherlands' Delft University of Technology, according to the spinoff company's website.

Battolyser has been in development since 2013 with great potential to store renewable energy from the sun and wind while also creating so-called green hydrogen through electrolysis, per Delft.

Electrolysis uses electricity, in this case generated from renewables, to split hydrogen from water. It's a cleaner method than the more common approach that uses dirty energy sources, as described by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The battery can store power for shorter-term use. Creating hydrogen provides power for longer storage. The latest improvement allows the device to store twice as much power four times faster than before, all per Delft and the company website.

"This aligns well with the needs of the green energy market in the future, as peaks in energy surplus and shortages typically occur over approximately four hours. During this time, both (dis)charging and hydrogen production must be realized," Battolyser inventor and professor Fokko Mulder, said in the lab report.

Battolyser can charge up to 82% in about 12 minutes, be discharged for up to four hours, and be toggled between functions. As a result, it can make hydrogen or electricity on demand, depending on market conditions. The versatility comes with fewer costly parts, Delft and a summary published by Cell Reports Physical Science noted.

This does seem pretty brilliant and could be a valuable tool down the road.

[SubGod22]

Scientists unveil futuristic battery material: 'Our discovery has made this concept a possible reality'

There's some positive news in advanced battery science thanks to hydrogen ions, or protons.

These positively charged particles can work inside a power pack to carry energy, similar to lithium ions but sans the expensive supply chain and invasive mining needed to gather the metal, according to a lab report from Australia's UNSW Sydney.

A linchpin to the invention is the development of an organic anode material called tetraamino-benzoquinone, or TABQ, which can store the protons.

When batteries operate, ions move between the anode and cathode through a substance called electrolyte.

"Using this material, we successfully built an all-organic proton battery that is effective at both room temperature and sub-zero freezing temperatures," professor Chuan Zhao said.

Lithium-ion batteries are effective and cleaner than dirty fuels. When powering an electric vehicle, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that the rides are cleaner during their lifespans than gas cars, even when considering the costly and dirty supply chain for the hard-to-gather power pack parts.

But alternatives, from potassium to salt, sometimes have cheaper, safer, and even better-performing potential in greater temperature ranges.

I think it's safe to say that we will transition away from lithium-ion at some point in the not too distant future. Will we use multiple types or will one of these alternatives to lithium win out?

[SubGod22]

Another push forward for hydrogen production.

Scientists make game-changing breakthrough that will speed up production of futuristic fuel source: 'A groundbreaking outcome'

Korean scientists have created a new composite catalyst of nickel and cobalt used in the production of turquoise hydrogen, leading to greater hydrogen production yields at lower energy expenses. This could help make turquoise hydrogen a viable clean energy source for the future.

Ironically, hydrogen is a colorless gas, but there is a whole color spectrum behind hydrogen production methods. Green hydrogen is the cleanest, produced through electrolysis, which splits water molecules using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, or hydropower, as National Grid explains.

Blue hydrogen is produced using natural gas through a process called steam methane reforming, which produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Blue hydrogen isn't entirely clean, as it produces carbon dioxide — a gas that, in excess, traps heat and raises the temperature of the planet to dangerous levels.

Turquoise hydrogen falls somewhere between green and blue. Like blue hydrogen, turquoise hydrogen is also produced with natural gas, but the production process involves splitting methane gas at high — but more manageable — temperatures (around 900 degrees Celsius or 1,652 degrees Fahrenheit), per Tech Xplore. The process splits methane into hydrogen and carbon, but the temperature is "low" enough to keep carbon in its solid state, as opposed to its gas form.

Traditional methods require generating high temperatures — which uses significant energy — to produce turquoise hydrogen. For this reason, turquoise hydrogen has not been sustainable to produce or commercialize.

The new nickel-cobalt composite catalyst, developed by Dr. Woohyun Kim's hydrogen research team at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, lowers the temperature (and energy) required to produce turquoise hydrogen — by 300 degrees Celsius (540 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Interesting Engineering.

[SubGod22]

US firm to bury nuclear reactors 1-mile underground to power data centers

Offering a unique approach to powering data centers through nuclear energy, Deep Fission and Endeavour Energy have announced a strategic partnership. Their agreement plans to bury small modular reactors (SMRs) a mile underground.

“As part of the agreement, Endeavour and Deep Fission have committed to co-developing 2 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear energy to power Endeavour’s expanding global portfolio of Edged data centers,” said Deep Fission in a press release. Notably, the first reactors are expected to be operational by 2029.

Offering a unique approach to powering data centers through nuclear energy, Deep Fission and Endeavour Energy have announced a strategic partnership. Their agreement plans to bury small modular reactors (SMRs) a mile underground.

“As part of the agreement, Endeavour and Deep Fission have committed to co-developing 2 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear energy to power Endeavour’s expanding global portfolio of Edged data centers,” said Deep Fission in a press release. Notably, the first reactors are expected to be operational by 2029.

This method takes advantage of the natural geological properties at that depth. The earth provides robust containment and constant pressure. This eliminates the need for the massive concrete structures typically used for containment in aboveground nuclear reactors.

This approach offers several advantages. It significantly reduces the cost of construction and minimizes the environmental impact by decreasing the surface footprint of the reactor.

“Our technology not only ensures the highest levels of safety but also positions us to deliver zero-carbon continuous power at a cost of just 5-7 cents per kWh,” added Elizabeth Muller, Co-Founder and CEO of Deep Fission.

Furthermore, it enhances safety by utilizing the natural geological features as a barrier.

This is interesting. I'd like to know a little more about how it all works, but I like what I hear so far. SMRs already have a much smaller footprint than traditional nuclear sites and far less than most other green energy options. Reducing that even more I'd consider a positive, and if this can be maintained safely and effectively it has a lot of potential down the road.

[SubGod22]

I love when someone finds a way to utilize something in the positive that has been creating chaos or other negative effects.

Alien Water Hyacinth is Lethal for Lakes - But it's Being Turned into Biodegradable Plastic Bags and Pots

The most invasive species on Earth is not a mouse or boar, but the water hyacinth.

Blooming in an ornamental pond, the water hyacinth seems lovely and harmless, but look at how it can take over freshwater ecosystems like Kenya’s Lake Naivasha, and one can understand why the UN set up a program specifically to combat this aquatic plant.

Connecting environmental work with business, low-income rural villagers with jobs, and incentives with issues, Hyapak Ecotech Limited is turning this plant pest into plastic that biodegrades.

When the water hyacinth spreads across Lake Naivasha, (a phenomenon that can be seen from space) it chokes the life out of many native species. Casting a net or line into the waters beneath is a hopeless exercise for local fishermen who rely on native fish for income. CNN reports that, entering a hyacinth patch, a man became so entangled it took a government helicopter to free him.

As long as the hyacinth is destroying the livelihood of the fishermen, HyaPak offers to pay them for as much hyacinth as they want to collect. It’s then dried, processed, and turned into biodegradable alternatives to single-use disposable plastic products like wrappers, straws, tumblers, and party plates.

Thusly incentivized, locals have so far cleared around 47 acres of water hyacinth from the lake.

HyaPak founder Joseph Nguthiru embarked on his entrepreneurial journey after taking a trip on Lake Naivasha and getting moored in the hyacinth for 5 hours. At the time, the Kenyan economy was adjusting to a government decision to ban single-use plastic items. No domestic supply of alternative products was available, and plastic shopping bags became a common item of choice for smugglers.

Looks like the program is also being used in Germany and the US and will be moving to India and El Salvador as well.

[SubGod22]

More news in the area of battery storage.

Scientists Turn Industrial Waste into Batteries for Storing Renewable Energy

A team at Northwestern University has transformed an industrial waste product into a battery for storing sustainable energy.

While many iterations of these batteries are in production or being researched for grid-scale applications, using a waste molecule, in this case, triphenylphosphine oxide, (TPPO) has never been done before.

The batteries used in our phones, devices, and even cars rely on metals like lithium and cobalt, sourced through intensive and sometimes exploitative mining operations. Demand for these critical minerals is expected to skyrocket over the next few decades.

At the same time, thousands of tons of the well-known chemical byproduct TPPO are produced each year by many organic industrial synthesis processes, including the production of vitamin supplements, but it is rendered useless and must be carefully discarded following production.

In a paper published last week in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, a ‘one-pot’ reaction allows chemists to turn TPPO into a usable product with the powerful potential to store energy, opening the door for the future viability of a long-imagined battery type called “redox flow” batteries.

“Battery research has traditionally been dominated by engineers and materials scientists,” said Northwestern chemist and lead author Christian Malapit. “Synthetic chemists can contribute to the field by molecularly engineering an organic waste product into an energy-storing molecule. Our discovery showcases the potential of transforming waste compounds into valuable resources, offering a sustainable pathway for innovation in battery technology.”

The market for redox flow batteries is expected to rise by 15% between 2023 and 2030 to reach a value of $720 million worldwide. Unlike lithium and other solid-state batteries which store energy in electrodes, redox flow batteries use a chemical reaction to pump energy back and forth between electrolytes, where their energy is stored. Though not as efficient at energy storage, redox flow batteries are thought to be much better solutions for energy storage, if not in our cell phones, at the scale of the grid itself.

Using anything and everything possible to improve usage and lower waste is a positive.

[SubGod22]

Here's a possible glimpse into the future.

Japan's Magnetic Levitation Cars Could Revolutionize The Automotive Industry

Japan, renowned for its technological innovations, is on the brink of revolutionizing the automotive industry with the development of magnetic levitation (maglev) cars. This groundbreaking technology, pioneered by researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), has the potential to eliminate traditional engines and batteries, offering a futuristic glimpse into the future of transportation.

Magnetic levitation, or maglev, is a method by which an object is suspended in the air using magnetic fields, eliminating the need for physical contact with a surface. This technology drastically reduces friction, allowing for smoother and more efficient movement. While maglev has been used in trains for years, OIST researchers have taken the concept further by applying it to personal vehicles, potentially transforming the way we think about cars.¹

The maglev cars developed by OIST differ significantly from existing maglev trains. Traditional maglev trains require continuous electrical power to maintain their magnetic fields, but the new system developed by OIST requires power only at start-up. Once the initial magnetic field is established, cars made of diamagnetic materials float above the track, moving without the need for additional energy input.

The OIST team has created a unique track system that uses magnets arranged in a continuous grid beneath the surface. These magnets interact with the specially designed cars, which are made from a mixture of pulverized graphite and wax, allowing them to levitate a few centimeters above the track. This setup eliminates the need for engines and batteries, making the vehicles lighter, more energy-efficient, and potentially more environmentally friendly.

One of the most significant advantages of this technology is the near-complete elimination of friction, a major cause of energy loss in traditional vehicles. By removing the need for engines and reducing the reliance on batteries, magnetic levitation cars could usher in a new era of sustainable transportation.²

Obviously not right around the corner, but interesting nonetheless.

[SubGod22]

This has a lot of future possibility.

Researchers design mind-blowing construction material to replace steel: 'This technology holds a lot of promise'

Researchers at the University of Maine have managed to 3D print an organic building material with the strength of steel.

The SM2ART Nfloor is printed as a single piece in about 30 hours, which is a third faster than building something comparable by hand according to TechXplore.

The nice thing about this set-up is that these panels can be printed in bulk off-site and get shipped to the construction area. Since there are already channels in the floor for electrical and plumbing, the only other thing that needs to be applied by hand is soundproofing and floor covering.

The Nfloor's material is a bioplastic made of roughly 20% bamboo and 80% polylactic acid (PLA). PLA is a common material in 3D printing and fully biodegradable as it is made of corn residue and wood flour from lumber processing. PLA can also be effectively recycled to be used again when needed.

The Nfloor has the dual benefits of a graceful end of life and highly scalable production. When affordable housing is a real challenge across the world, it's important to be able to provide solutions that speed up construction. Work on the Nfloor is ongoing, including fire retardant improvements.

"The next steps will be to make the manufacturing process faster, more efficient and cost-effective with additional functionality," said Scott Tomlinson, structural engineer with the University of Maine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center, per TechXplore. "This technology holds a lot of promise for the future of sustainable buildings."

[Shockm]

This has a lot of future possibility.

Researchers design mind-blowing construction material to replace steel: 'This technology holds a lot of promise'

Future possibility? Maybe. Impossible to predict. But we can always hope.