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Category: sustainability – Page 21

Moon Dust to Power: The Solar Tech That Could Fuel Space’s Next Giant Leap

Scientists have created solar cells using simulated Moon dust, potentially solving one of space exploration’s biggest challenges: how to generate reliable energy far from Earth.

These new cells, made with perovskite and moonglass, are lighter, cheaper, and more radiation-resistant than traditional space solar panels. Even better, they can be made using lunar materials, drastically reducing launch costs and making future Moon bases more feasible. If successful in real lunar conditions, these Moon-made solar panels could power entire off-world colonies.

Powering Space with Moon Dust.

Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration

The same dirt that clings to astronauts’ boots may one day keep their lights on. In a study published in Device, researchers created solar cells made out of simulated moon dust. The cells convert sunlight into energy efficiently, withstand radiation damage, and mitigate the need for transporting heavy materials into space, offering a potential solution to one of space exploration’s biggest challenges: reliable energy sources.

“The solar cells used in space now are amazing, reaching efficiencies of 30% to even 40%, but that efficiency comes with a price,” says lead researcher Felix Lang of the University of Potsdam, Germany. “They are very expensive and are relatively heavy because they use glass or thick foil as cover. It’s hard to justify lifting all these cells into space.”

Instead of hauling solar cells from Earth, Lang’s team is looking at materials available on the moon itself. They aim to replace Earth-made glass with glass crafted from —the moon’s loose, rocky surface debris. This change alone could cut a spacecraft’s launch mass by 99.4%, slash 99% of transport costs, and make long-term lunar settlements more feasible.

New coal capacity hit 20-year low in 2024: report

The world added the smallest amount of new coal capacity in two decades last year, a report said Thursday, but use of the fossil fuel is still surging in China and India.

Coal accounts for just over a third of global electricity production and phasing it out is fundamental to meeting climate change goals.

Just 44 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity was produced globally last year, the lowest figure since 2004, according to the report by a group of energy-and environment-focused research organizations and NGOs.

Scientists unveil breakthrough method to eliminate “Forever Chemicals” from water, transforming waste into graphene

• The process uses flash joule heating to mineralize PFAS, converting them into inert fluoride salts and upcycling waste carbon into high-value graphene.

• This innovative approach offers a cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally friendly solution to a pressing global problem.

• Meanwhile, scientists in Tokyo are exploring sustainable carbon-based materials and membrane distillation to remove PFAS, showcasing promising advancements in water purification technology.

Solar breakthrough: Transparent panels generate power 1000x more efficiently

These limits have kept solar tech stuck on rooftops and in fields. But a new type of cell, almost invisible to the eye, may soon change that. Transparent solar cells could turn windows, cars, and even skin into energy-harvesting surfaces.

Unlike the old models, these next-gen cells don’t clash with their surroundings. They blend in while still capturing sunlight. Some are so clear they reach up to 79% transparency. On average, most hover above 70%, allowing them to function without being noticed.

A major reason for this leap forward lies in materials only a few atoms thick. Known as 2D materials, they’re helping reshape what solar panels can do. One group, called transition metal dichalcogenides, absorbs light well and has band gaps that can be tuned.

Scientists break down plastic using a simple, inexpensive catalyst and air

Harnessing moisture from air, Northwestern University chemists have developed a simple new method for breaking down plastic waste.

The non-toxic, environmentally friendly, solvent-free process first uses an inexpensive catalyst to break apart the bonds in polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most common plastic in the polyester family. Then, the researchers merely expose the broken pieces to ambient air. Leveraging the trace amounts of moisture in air, the broken-down PET is converted into monomers—the crucial building blocks for plastics. From there, the researchers envision the monomers could be recycled into new PET products or other, more valuable materials.

Safer, cleaner, cheaper and more sustainable than current plastic recycling methods, the new technique offers a promising path toward creating a circular economy for plastics. The study was recently published in Green Chemistry.