New research shifts sodium batteries from risky liquid to safe solid
Researchers from Deakin University in Victoria have announced a breakthrough in the development of new polymer electrolyte chemistries that they believe could pave the way for a safer and cheaper alternative to current lithium-ion battery energy storage technologies.
Wave Swell Energy trial delivers conversion rates of up to 50%
Australian renewables company Wave Swell Energy says the time has come for wave power to sit alongside wind, solar and energy storage as part of a modern energy mix after a 12-month trial of its technology in the seas of Bass Strait produced an average rate of conversion from ocean energy to electricity of up to 50%.
World’s largest underground hydrogen storage project
Mitsubishi Power Americas and Magnum Development are set to begin construction on a 300 GWh underground storage facility in the US state of Utah. It will consist of two caverns with capacities of 150 GWh, to store hydrogen generated by an adjacent 840 MW hydrogen-capable gas turbine combined cycle power plant.
High-voltage sodium-ion batteries with up to 15% higher energy density
Researchers in Russia have developed a new sodium-vanadium phosphate fluoride powder. It has a particular crystal structure that provides superior energy storage capacity in the battery cathode.
Rechargeable silicon redox battery for renewable energy storage
Israeli researchers have developed a device that combines a reversible Si anode with halide cathodes and uses hybrid electrolytes to enable cell recharging. In the proposed system configuration, silicon is dissolved during the battery discharge process, and upon charging, elemental silicon is deposited.
Toshiba energises PV-powered hydrogen refuelling station in Japan
The system is reportedly able to refill about eight hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, each in three minutes. It is also able to supply electric power by using hydrogen produced with renewable energy within the station.
Solar is the cheapest power, and a literal light-bulb moment showed us we can cut costs and emissions even further
New research suggests we might be able to rethink the type of silicon needed to make high-efficiency solar cells, say researchers from the CSIRO, UNSW and Oxford University.
NT’s first hydrogen-fuelled generator piloted by Charles Darwin University
The Northern Territory is set to install its first hydrogen energy storage system as part of a pilot being operated by the Charles Darwin University in Darwin.
Cooling down solar modules with cotton wicks immersed in water
The novel technique consists of attaching cotton wicks immersed in the water (CWIWs) to the backside photovoltaic module. The water is supplied to cotton wicks from top to bottom by gravity which the scientists said helps the effective absorption of cotton and reduces water consumption.
Update: New tech to produce hydrogen from tap water
A Spanish scientist has developed a system that reportedly produces hydrogen on-site without expensive electrolysis. The prototype utilises a water tank that is initially filled with water, ferrosilicon, and sodium hydroxide.
