Novel nanomaterial to replace graphite in lithium-ion batteries
Porous nanostructured microspheres made of copper, iron, and iron oxide were used by an international research team as negative anode material in lithium-ion batteries. The new technique is claimed to provide three times more capacity than batteries based on graphite anodes.
‘Nuclear power is now the most expensive form of generation, except for gas peaking plants’
The latest edition of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report indicates the stagnation of the sector continues. Just 2.4 GW of new nuclear generation capacity came online last year, compared to 98 GW of solar. The world’s operational nuclear power capacity had declined by 2.1%, to 362 GW, at the end of June.
UNSW’s grid-guru Prof. Dong nominated for global energy gong
University of New South Wales’ Professor Joe Dong, the grid-guru overseeing some of the most innovative and integral research projects determining Australia’s trajectory to a grid energised by renewables, has been nominated for the Global Energy Prize.
World’s first self-drifting solar boat
The pilotless, high-speed solar boat, now under development by Russian scientists, purportedly has unlimited power reserves. It could be used for marine patrols, search and rescue operations, and cargo delivery, they said.
New insights into lithium-ion battery structure
Scientists at Moscow’s Skoltech Center for Energy Science and Technology have developed a method of visualizing the formation of layers on battery electrodes during their initial operation. The observations reveal various mechanisms that could be optimized to improve battery performance and operational lifetime.
