Sub's Alternative Energy Thread

[SubGod22]

More possible advancement towards making hydrogen production cheaper and more efficient.

Clean hydrogen in minutes: Microwaves deliver clean energy faster

An interdisciplinary team at POSTECH has developed a technology that addresses key limitations in clean hydrogen production using microwaves. They have also successfully elucidated the underlying mechanism of this innovative process. Their findings, published as the inside front cover of Journal of Materials Chemistry A, mark a transformative step in the pursuit of sustainable energy.

As the world shifts away from fossil fuels, clean hydrogen has emerged as a leading candidate for next-generation energy due to its zero carbon emissions. However, existing hydrogen production technologies face significant barriers. Conventional thermochemical methods, which rely on the oxidation-reduction of metal oxides, require extremely high temperatures of up to 1,500°C. These methods are not only energy-intensive and costly but also challenging to scale, limiting their practical application.

To address these challenges, the POSTECH team turned to a familiar yet underutilized energy source: "microwaves" energy, the same source used in household microwave ovens. While microwaves are commonly associated with heating food, they can also drive chemical reactions efficiently.

The researchers demonstrated that microwave energy could lower the reduction temperature of Gd-doped ceria (CeO₂)—a benchmark material for hydrogen production—to below 600℃, cutting the temperature requirement by over 60%. Remarkably, microwave energy was found to replace 75% of the thermal energy needed for the reaction, a breakthrough for sustainable hydrogen production.

[SubGod22]

Potential new source to build with could be very beneficial if it plays out as early research indicates.

Researchers develop cutting-edge method to build homes for the future: 'We hope to develop one of these paths'

Researchers have come up with another way to mix biology and construction, and it's changing how we design and build sustainable structures. Scientists at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology developed a material made from sand and bacteria that can repair small cracks on its own, extend the lifespan of buildings, and reduce maintenance needs. This process also cuts waste and lowers the environmental impact of construction.

According to SciTechDaily, the key is cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, which use photosynthesis to produce the common mineral calcium carbonate. When added to sand-based mixtures, they create a curable material that strengthens itself while absorbing carbon dioxide.

Featured in a Cambridge University Press journal, Research Directions: Biotechnology Design, this method uses "additive co-fabrication," a process wherein the bacteria and sand are layered and built up using advanced tools such as robots to create structures.

The new bio-material could change the construction industry, which is responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon pollution. Traditional materials such as concrete rely on resource-intensive production, but this new technique reduces pollution and captures and stores carbon dioxide. Because cyanobacteria thrive in diverse environments, this process is scalable and adaptable to different climates.

The innovation is part of the new wave of bio-based construction materials. Researchers are using fungi-based materials including mycelium as lightweight, biodegradable alternatives to concrete and steel. These materials work with nature, making buildings stronger, longer-lasting, and even capable of growing over time via biological processes that repair damage or adapt to environmental changes. They could transform how we think about building, creating greener, smarter cities and infrastructure aligned with ecological systems.

These materials retain their strength over time, demonstrating long-term durability. If this technology is successfully scaled, the method could cut costs and lower the environmental impact of repairing and replacing infrastructure, especially in regions vulnerable to extreme weather.

[SubGod22]

Eco-friendly aluminum battery lasts 10,000 cycles with minimal loss

Large batteries for long-term storage of solar and wind power are key to integrating abundant and renewable energy sources into the U.S. power grid. However, there is a lack of safe and reliable battery technologies to support the push toward sustainable, clean energy. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have designed a cost-effective and environment-friendly aluminum-ion (Al-ion) battery that could fit the bill.

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are in many common consumer electronics, including power tools and electric vehicles. These batteries are ubiquitous because of their high energy density. But lithium is cost prohibitive for the large battery systems needed for utility-scale energy storage, and Li-ion battery flammability poses a considerable safety risk.

Potential substitutes for reliable long-term energy storage systems include rechargeable Al-ion batteries. However, their most common electrolyte, liquid aluminum chloride, corrodes the aluminum anode and is highly sensitive to moisture, which exacerbates the corrosion. Both factors contribute to poor stability and a decline in electrical performance over time. So, Wei Wang, Shuqiang Jiao and colleagues wanted to design an improved Al-ion battery without these limitations.

The team added an inert aluminum fluoride salt to an Al-ion-containing electrolyte, turning it into a solid-state electrolyte. The aluminum fluoride salt has a 3D porous structure, allowing aluminum ions to easily hop across the electrolyte and increase conductivity. Additionally, when the researchers constructed their Al-ion battery, they used fluoroethylene carbonate as an interface additive to create a thin solid coating on the electrodes to prevent the formation of aluminum crystals that degrade battery health.

One way or another, lithium will be replaced in the not too distant future when it comes to batteries. And one of the big complaints with a lot of the renewable energies has been storage, and things like this could really help make some of those renewables be more worthwhile.

[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.

[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."

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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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]

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.

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Virginia Sets Date for First Nuclear Fusion Plant in the U.S. to Produce Emission-Free Electricity

In a bold step towards the future of energy, a location and date have been decided for the first commercial nuclear fusion power plant in America.

Secured by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin with help from eastern seaboard utility company Dominion Energy, Chesterfield County will welcome Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ experimental ARC plant on the site of a decommissioned coal power plant.

Founded on the campus of MIT in Boston, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is one of the world’s leaders in advancing the quest for commercial nuclear fusion energy—the ultimate energy source for humanity which replicates the process that forged our Sun to create emission-free, pollution-free energy.

Work will begin on the ARC plant next year, even before a smaller, prototype reactor is finished in Fort Devons, Massachusetts.

“Dominion will provide us with development and technical expertise while we’ll provide them with knowledge about how to build and operate fusion power plants,” said CFS chief executive officer Bob Mumgaard.

Governor Youngkin said Virginia managed to attract CFS over 100 other global locations. Receiving $2 billion in funding from an estimated 60 private investors that include Google and the Italian oil and gas giant Eni, CFS hasn’t suggested a price for the ARC plant, but Engineering News Record quoted outlets putting the figure around $3 billion; significantly less than the ITER fusion reactor in Europe.

CFS said the development of Northern Virginia as an artificial intelligence and data center hub of the East Coast attracted them to the Chesterfield site. The first component of the ARC plant will be the fusion complex, and is slated to be finished in 2026.

Nuclear is the way.

[SubGod22]

Pretty cool and painless way of helping dry forests thrive.

'Milking' the Air for Water: Zero-Energy Technique Doubles Survival Rate for Young Trees to Reforest After Fires

In the Canary Islands, in Barcelona, and in Chile, a unique fog catcher design is sustaining dry forests with water without emissions, or even infrastructure.

Replicating how pine needles catch water, the structure need only be brought on-site and set up, without roads, powerlines, or irrigation channels.

Fog catching is an ancient practice—renamed “cloud milking” by an EU-funded ecology project on the Canary Islands known as LIFE Nieblas (nieblas means fog).

“In recent years, the Canaries have undergone a severe process of desertification and we’ve lost a lot of forest through agriculture. And then in 2007 and 2009, as a result of climate change, there were major fires in forested areas that are normally wet,” said Gustavo Viera, the technical director of the publicly-funded project in the Canaries.

The Canaries routinely experience blankets of fog that cloak the islands’ slopes and forests, but strong winds made fog-catching nets an unfeasible solution. In regions such as the Atacama Desert in Chile or the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, erecting nets that capture moisture particles out of passing currents of fog is a traditional practice.

LIFE Nieblas needed a solution that could resist powerful winds, and to that end designed wind chime-like rows of artificial pine needles, which are also great at plucking moisture from the air. However, unlike nets or palms, they efficiently let the wind pass through them.

The water is discharged without any electricity. There are no irrigation channels, and no machinery is needed to transport the structures. The natural course of streams and creeks need not be altered, nor is there a need to drill down to create wells. The solution is completely carbon-free.

[SubGod22]

I've wondered how this would end up working. Apparently it's working better than I would have expected.

Another Study Shows Incredible Results of Pairing Solar Panels With Agriculture: 'Getting more from the land'

Another study has shown that combining solar panels with agriculture can significantly boost crop yields, while conserving water and generating renewable energy for areas vulnerable to climate change, a new study has shown.

Research led by the University of Sheffield reveals that ‘agrivoltaics’—the practice of using the same land for farming and producing solar electricity—leads to greater crop yields with less water, compared to crops grown in open fields.

The international team, which included the University of Arizona, along with the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), found certain crops, such as maize, Swiss chard and beans, thrived under the partial shade provided by solar panels.

The shade helped to reduce water loss through evaporation, while additionally using the rainwater harvested from the panels to supplement irrigation needs.

“Imagine a future where farms are powered by clean energy and crops are more resilient to climate change,” said senior author of the study, Professor Sue Hartley from the University of Sheffield’s School of Biosciences and Vice-President for Research and Innovation.

“Agrivoltaics can make this vision a reality by offering a sustainable solution to the pressing challenges of food insecurity, water scarcity, and energy.”

“By shading crops with solar panels, we created a microclimate that helped certain crops produce more, but they were also better able to survive heat waves—and the shade helped conserve water, which is crucial in a region severely threatened by climate change.”

Beyond increased crop yields and water conservation, the study showed agrivoltaics can also provide a reliable source of clean energy for rural communities. Off-grid solar power systems can power homes, businesses, and agricultural equipment, improving the quality of life for many.

Additionally, vegetation growing underneath a solar panel has been shown in multiple studies to keep the panel cooler, thereby allowing it to generate electricity more efficiently.