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Dec 22, 2023

Scientists find new way to desalinate seawater using solar power, study says

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, nuclear energy, solar power

Scientists may have found a more efficient water to desalinate water using solar power, according to new research, offering a solution for global water scarcity through the use of renewable energy.

Researchers at Nankai University in Tianjin, China, developed the concept of a solar-powered desalination system that produces fresh water by using smart DNA hydrogels that does not consume additional energy, compared to conventional desalination strategies currently in use, such as reverse osmosis, which use copious amounts of energy, according to a paper published in the journal Science Advances on Thursday.

The same process can be used simultaneously to extract uranium from seawater or treat uranyl containing nuclear wastewater, the researchers said.

Dec 19, 2023

New technique could make modeling molecules much easier

Posted by in categories: chemistry, computing, quantum physics, solar power, sustainability

Much like the humans that created them, computers find physics hard, but quantum mechanics even harder. But a new technique created by three University of Chicago scientists allows computers to simulate certain challenging quantum mechanical effects in complex electronic materials with far less effort.

By making these simulations more accurate and efficient, the scientists hope the technique could help discover new molecules and materials, such as new types of solar cells or quantum computers.

“This advance holds immense potential for furthering our understanding of molecular phenomena, with significant implications for chemistry, , and related fields,” said scientist Daniel Gibney, a University of Chicago Ph.D. student in chemistry and first author on the paper, published Dec. 14 in Physical Review Letters.

Dec 18, 2023

White-hot thermal grid battery aims to decimate lithium on price

Posted by in categories: solar power, sustainability

Fourth Power says its ultra-high temperature “sun in a box” energy storage tech is more than 10X cheaper than lithium-ion batteries, and vastly more powerful and efficient than any other thermal battery. It’s hoping to prove it with a 1-MWh prototype.

As a grid-level energy storage solution, Fourth aims to compete with big lithium battery arrays in the short-duration 5–10 hour range – basically storing excess solar energy during the heat of the day for use in the evening and at night when generation drops off. But the company says it’s also relevant up to the 100-hour stage, which would cover the “several days of bad weather and poor renewable generation” case.

This is one of a number of thermal energy storage companies coming up out of Massachusetts and backed by Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund. You might remember Antora Energy from a few months ago, with its ultra-hot carbon block batteries and high-efficiency thermophotovoltaic energy converters, for example.

Dec 17, 2023

Solar Panel Costs Predicted to Plummet, Revolutionizing Energy Industry

Posted by in categories: solar power, sustainability

Tony Seba just made this insane solar prediction that is blowing my mind.

Dec 17, 2023

24/7 Solar Towers Could Double Energy Output

Posted by in categories: solar power, sustainability

If you want to improve the output of solar energy systems, why not also run them at night? That’s the question researchers in Qatar and Jordan addressed as they successfully devised a system that promises to more than double energy output of current solar power stations.

By combining two concepts—a solar updraft system and a cooling downdraft structure—researchers designed a model that could generate 753 MWh of energy annually. That’s enough to power roughly 753 homes for about five weeks or 1,500 60-watt light bulbs nonstop for a year.

The origins of the system, referred to as Solar Tower Power Plant, go back to 1982 when Spanish engineers constructed a chimney-like tower with a mechanical turbine at its base. Air within the tower was warmed by absorbing solar radiation, similar to a greenhouse. As the air heated, it created an updraft that rose and activated wind turbines that in turn generated electricity.

Dec 17, 2023

NASA gives Blue Origin $35 million to turn moon dust into solar cells

Posted by in categories: solar power, space travel, sustainability

NASA has awarded Blue Origin a $35 million contract to further develop a technology that creates solar cells out of lunar regolith — the dust and crushed rock blanketing the moon’s surface.

“[W]e’re inspired and humbled to receive this investment from NASA to advance our innovation,” said Pat Remias, VP of Blue Origin’s Capabilities Directorate. “First we return humans to the moon, then we start to ‘live off the land.’”

Moon or bust: NASA plans to send astronauts to the moon again as soon as 2025, with the goal of establishing a long-term presence on the lunar surface soon after. For that to work, it’s going to need a way to provide astronauts with a steady supply of everything they need to survive and thrive, from food and water to oxygen and electricity.

Dec 13, 2023

Newly created ultra-hard material rivals diamond

Posted by in categories: solar power, space travel, sustainability

Potentially very useful discovery.


Scientists have solved a decades-long puzzle and unveiled a near unbreakable substance that could rival diamond as the hardest material on Earth. The research is published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Researchers found that when carbon and nitrogen precursors were subjected to and pressure, the resulting materials—known as carbon nitrides—were tougher than cubic boron nitride, the second hardest material after diamond.

Continue reading “Newly created ultra-hard material rivals diamond” »

Dec 11, 2023

Researchers Use Molecular Engineering To Improve Organic Solar Cell Efficiency

Posted by in categories: engineering, health, solar power, sustainability, wearables

Polymer solar cells, known for their light weight and flexibility, are ideal for wearable devices. Yet, their broader use is hindered by the toxic halogenated solvents required in their production. These solvents pose environmental and health risks, limiting the appeal of these solar cells. Alternative solvents, which are less toxic, unfortunately, lack the same solubility, necessitating higher temperatures and prolonged processing times.

This inefficiency further impedes the adoption of polymer solar cells. Developing a method to eliminate the need for halogenated solvents could significantly enhance the efficiency of organic solar cells, making them more suitable for wearable technology.

In a recently published paper, researchers outline how improving molecular interactions between the polymer donors and the small molecule acceptors using side-chain engineering can reduce the need for halogenated processing solvents.

Dec 6, 2023

Researchers use wood materials to create reliable organic solar cells

Posted by in categories: chemistry, solar power, sustainability

One of nature’s most common organic materials—lignin—can be used to create stable and environmentally friendly organic solar cells. Researchers at Linköping University and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) have now shown that untreated kraft lignin can be used to make solar cells even more environmentally friendly and reliable. The study has been published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Sunlight currently seems to be one of the main sustainable energy sources. Traditional made from silicon are efficient but have an energy-demanding and complicated manufacturing process that may lead to hazardous chemical spills. Organic solar cells have therefore become a hot research area thanks to their low production cost, light weight and flexibility, and hence have many applications, such as indoor use or attached to clothing to power personal electronic devices.

But one problem is that are made of plastic, or polymers derived from oil. So, although organic, they are not as environmentally friendly as they could be.

Dec 4, 2023

Harvesting more solar energy with two-dimensional supercrystals

Posted by in categories: chemistry, particle physics, solar power, sustainability

When Emiliano Cortés goes hunting for sunlight, he doesn’t use gigantic mirrors or sprawling solar farms. Quite the contrary, the professor of experimental physics and energy conversion at LMU dives into the nanocosmos.

“Where the high-energy particles of , the photons, meet atomic structures is where our research begins,” Cortés says. “We are working on material solutions to capture and use solar energy more efficiently.”

His findings have great potential as they enable novel solar cells and photocatalysts. The industry has high hopes for the latter because they can make accessible for chemical reactions—bypassing the need to generate electricity. But there is one major challenge to using sunlight, which solar cells also have to contend with, Cortés knows: “Sunlight arrives on Earth ‘diluted,’ so the energy per area is comparatively low.” Solar panels compensate for this by covering large areas.

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