New Lithium Tech Wins Techcrunch Disrupt
Minerva Lithium has produced Nano Mosaic, a coordinated polymer framework that looks a bit like black gravel and extracts lithium from brine in just three days.
Technology
These mini wind turbines are designed for rooftops
from Fast Company Because they sit on the edge of roofs, they pair well with solar panels. If a building also has batteries to store the energy, it could be totally self-sufficient. BY ADELE PETERS…
Renewables provided over 25% of total US electrical generation in first half of 2022
Renewables provided more than 25% of electrical generation in the United States during the first half of 2022, according to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
MIT announces major battery breakthrough
“The battery cells could endure hundreds of cycles at exceptionally high charging rates, with a projected cost per cell of about one-sixth that of comparable lithium-ion cells.”
“The ingredients are cheap, and the thing is safe — it cannot burn.”
Contra-rotating floating turbines promise unprecedented scale and power
[Poised to take off faster if CF&D makes economics better?]
These floating, vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) feature two sets of blades, tuned to contra-rotate – and they promise more than double the output of today’s biggest turbines.
Geothermal in Iceland
In this 5-min video from TED-Ed, Iceland shows how they extract low-GHG geothermal energy from the Earth. Harnessing geothermal energy with heat pumps is something that can be done around the world.
Breakthrough, Climate-Friendly ACs: Winners of the Global Cooling Prize Announced
Air-conditioning contributes a lot of CO2 and other GHGs, and as the earth heats, there will be more AC used. Tom Steyer, founder of NexGen America, endowed a $1m price for 5x more efficient AC, won by 3 companies this year. “These technology breakthroughs exemplify incredible progress made when innovators and the right incentives are mobilized.”
In a world-first, scientists create eco-friendly algae cement
Editor’s Note: Cement is a difficult-to-abate sector because the chemical process to make cement from limestone itself releases CO2. This new technology reverses the process … but at what cost? Can that cost come down…
These Solar Panels Help Grow Crops in the Desert
Using a unique hydrogel, scientists in Saudi Arabia have successfully drawn water out of the dry air for growing spinach—while producing electricity from the solar panels that power it all.
Recycled lithium-Ion batteries outperform new ones
A novel method of recycling such batteries could help meet skyrocketing demand.
2021, the year clean energy faced its mining problem
A clean energy revolution will hinge on getting mining right. Northern Nevada is epicenter of the US issue.
Tech and Markets — how an analyst sees it
Here are a few slides of interest from a market analyst’s presentation to a conference. Slides show how economics drives the transition to clean energy.