Category: Technology

Imergy Power Systems developed a new, mega-sized version of their vanadium flow battery technology. The EPS250 series can deliver up to 250kW of power with a 1MWh capacity.

According to Extreme Tech, a flow battery can be thought of as a type of rechargeable fuel cell. The electrolyte fuel, in this case, is kept in large external tanks that can be pumped through a reactor.

One of the characteristics of a flow battery is that the energy storage can be decoupled from the energy output. The size of the reactor determines how much power can be released at once, while the size of the storage tanks determines how much total power can be stored.

This, in turn, makes it theoretically much easier to expand the size of a flow battery installation as compared to a lithium-ion battery. Doubling your battery life is theoretically as simple as doubling the size of the storage tank. Flow batteries can charge and discharge rapidly — refilling the tank with “charged” electrolyte can be as simple as opening a nozzle and pumping in the replacement fluid while the original electrolyte is recharged in a separate container.

There are different types of flow batteries and multiple compatible battery chemistries, but Imergy’s designs all use vanadium for both electroactive elements.

The ability to fill both ‘sides’ of the equation is an unusual property of vanadium and it simplifies certain aspects of the reactor design. Vanadium flow batteries are extremely stable — leaving the battery in a discharged state causes no damage, and the battery has an estimated lifespan of 30-50 years and supports thousands to tens of thousands of discharge cycles — far more than lithium-ion can manage.

The disadvantage of flow batteries is that the total energy density of the solution is rather low energy density and the complexity of the storage and pumping mechanisms. Research into improving vanadium’s energy density is underway, a team at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has found a way to boost the energy density of vanadium batteries by up to 70% by switching to a different electrolyte formulation.

The long-term market

Much of the debate over the long-term usefulness of battery technology in the US centers around whether or not batteries can be combined with solar and wind power while still matching the cost of existing natural gas, coal, and nuclear plants.

What’s often ignored is that these equations look very different in other parts of the world, particularly in Africa or Indonesia where import costs are high, infrastructure limited (or nonexistent) and natural deposits of fossil fuels are low.

Africa also has enormous renewable energy potential — it receives huge amounts of solar power, its hydropower generating capability is largely untapped, and its geothermal and wave power are both abundant. The East African Rift in particular has high potential as a long-term geothermal power source.

Vanadium flow batteries could potentially augment renewable power in many areas across the continent, and Imergy is focusing its efforts on both the developing and the developed world.

The company claims it can deliver power for a levelized cost as low as $300 per kWh, which would put it in competition with lithium-ion costs — including, possibly, in competition with Tesla as that company scales up its own industrial battery efforts.

Biologists from Harvard University have developed a way to make burnable liquid fuel out of sunlight, using an artificial leaf and a bucket of bacteria-infested water.

According to the Capital OTC, the research team developed an artificial leaf which can make sunlight divide water into oxygen and hydrogen. This process uses bacteria specially engineered to convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen into isopropanol, which is a type of liquid fuel.

Professor Pamela Silver, one of the researchers involved in the study and scientist specialized in biochemistry and systems biology at Harvard Medical School, explained that the new discovery proves that it’s possible to have liquid fuel by harvesting solar energy.

Professor Silver said that they are trying to develop an easy way of obtaining fuel using natural methods.

The artificial leaf was invented by Daniel Nocera, professor of energy at Harvard. According to him, this special leaf requires inexpensive materials to act as catalysts and convert solar energy into fuel.

Professor Nocera explained that the catalysts he’s invented are very adaptable and have a high level of compatibility with the conditions needed for the bacteria to thrive.

In this new system, Nocera says, once the artificial leaf succeeded in producing oxygen and hydrogen, the hydrogen is then used to feed a bacterium called Ralstonia eutropha.

After this process, the hydrogen is taken back to protons and electrons by an enzyme, combining them with carbon dioxide in order for them to replicate, which leads to the formation of more cells.

The next step is based on the discoveries made previously by Anthony Sinskey, professor of microbiology, health sciences and technology at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

This next step involves the bacterium being metabolically engineered in order to make isopropanol.

Professor Silver said that these principles could also be used to produce vitamins in a small amount.

The team of scientists wanted to increase the ability of the artificial leaf to convert solar energy into biomass by optimizing the bacteria and the catalyst.

The scientists’ goal is to achieve an efficiency of 5%, while nature’s rate of efficiency for turning sunlight into biomass via photosynthesis is of 1%.

The new study was published in the journal PNAS.

National University of Singapore developed a tiny nanogenerator that uses your skin as a source of static electricity, and converts it to electrical energy — reportedly enough to power a small electronic device.

The invention, presented at the MEMS 2015 conference recently, can generate 90 volts of open-circuit voltage when tapped by a finger. The researchers presented the patch as a self-powered device that can track the wearer’s motion.

According to Extreme Tech, the power generates thanks to the triboelectric effect, which is when certain types of materials can become electrically charged through contact and friction with another material — in this case, the patch gains the charge through fiction with human skin.

When the two materials are pulled apart, they generate a current that can be harvested. An electrode is needed in order to harvest the current, so the research team installed a 50nm-thick gold film to get the job done. The gold film sits below a silicone rubber layer composed of thousands of tiny pillars that help create more surface area for skin contact, which in turn creates more friction.

Thanks to the triboelectric effect, creating the device is easier as well — the skin is one of the triboelectric layers that helps produce the effect, so that layer doesn’t need to be built into the device itself, saving time, money, and materials. It also removes something that can go wrong with the device — having one less layer built in means that’s one less part that can break.

In the researchers’ test, a finger-tap on the device was able to generate enough current to power 12 commercial LEDs.

Aside from the obvious benefit of being able to, in theory, indefinitely power a device so long as you keep moving, this type of generator could remove the need for batteries in certain mobile devices — your smartwatch or fitness tracker could be made even thinner and lighter.

Who knows — one day this type of generator could even generate enough energy to power your smartphone, perhaps even removing the battery entirely, which is one of the biggest constraints to smartphone development and design.

Developed by a team of San Francisco-based engineers, Skylock, world’s first solar-powered connected bike lock, can keep you and your bike safe and secure.

An app downloaded on the user’s iPhone or Android device is the connection between him and his Skylock-equipped bike. Yes, it controls the lock remotely, but it does much more than that. If someone is trying to cut the lock — a difficult and time-consuming process — the lock’s triaxial accelerometer will have notified you that your bike is being tampered with before the thief can take off.

According to the developers, “Any lock can be cut with enough time and the right tools. Since Skylock requires two cuts to break, this means you have twice the amount of time to respond to a theft alert.” Sure, it can send a false alarm if someone accidentally bumps your bike but at least you can go check to see what’s going on.

The Skylock can also be programmed so that if you are in an accident or get hit by a car it sends an automatic alert to a person or persons of your choice. The system only works if both phone and Skylock get a shock, so nothing will happen if you drop one or the other, Eco Watch writes.

What happens if both are in your backpack and you drop it? “The system will ask you if you are ok and take action if you don’t reply, so if you activate this feature, keep this in mind and don’t slam your backpack,” they advise. That’s probably good advice in general.

The Skylock isn’t just convenient and protective, it’s also eco-friendly. With its low-power design and solar-recharged battery, it needs little charging to provide power for up to months at a time. Although Skylock’s developers say you’re unlikely to run out of battery power (or your phone runs out) and find yourself locked out of your bike, they’ve got you covered.

“If you are ever running low, just plug in the USB charger and Skylock will be ready to guard you and your bike again,” they say. “Skylock also has a built-in capacitive panel. Just type in a key code combination to unlock Skylock if your phone ever runs out of battery. Never worry about getting your bike stuck outside.”

With Skylock, you can even share your bike with trusted friends. You can alert them to the bike’s location and send them access to it via phone.

Cycling enthusiasts were excited enough by the Skylock that it blew through its first Indiegogo fundraising goal in a single day and raised double its set goal in the second.

Naturally, Skylock doesn’t come cheap, but we know some serious cyclists that measure their dedication by how much money they are able to spend. Skylock can help them. While regular bike locks may run you anywhere from $10-$100, Skylock will retail for $250 but the company is taking preorders at $159. The lock should be in your hands before the summer cycling season is too far along.

Researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed a new scalable technique for solar energy storage that relies on hydrogen production through water splitting.

According to aiche.org, the scientists are capturing solar energy and using it to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, so that the hydrogen can be stored for later use in a hydrogen fuel. Their goal was to find a more efficient and cost-effective method for splitting water.

One of the most sustainable methods of producing hydrogen is photoelectrochemical water-splitting. The water is split into its components of hydrogen and oxygen using a process called “hydrogen evolution reaction.” The reaction requires a catalyst, often platinum, which is deposited on the surface of the solar panel’s photocathode, where light is converted into electric current.

The research team at EPFL replaced platinum with a molybdenum-sulfide catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction, and a collaborating team developed copper(I) oxide as a photocathode. The researchers found that the molybdenum sulfide can be deposited on the copper(I) oxide photocathode for use in photoelectrochemical water splitting through a simple deposition process that is easily scaled.

The technique’s efficiency is comparable to using a platinum catalyst and it preserves the optical transparency for the light-harvesting surface. It also exhibits improved stability under acidic conditions, which could mean lower maintenance.
But more importantly, both the catalyst and the photocathode are made with cheap, earth-abundant materials that could greatly reduce the cost of photoelectrochemical water-splitting devices in the future.

The research team’s work was published recently in the journal Nature Communications under the title “Hydrogen evolution from a copper(I) oxide photocathode coated with an amorphous molybdenum sulphide catalyst.”

Grace Digital Inc. has just introduced two new Bluetooth speakers and a HD Solar panel for its new Ecosmart line. Ecopebble, Ecosmart 4000 speakers and Smart solar panel will be showcased at Consumer Electronics Show (CES), 2015. Grace Digital claims these products as a family of outdoor power and audio solutions for a 100% untethered al fresco experience.

Ecopebble speaker is the first product announced by Ecoxgear. This device acts like a waterproof and shockproof powerbank as it can be used to charge other gadgets such as smartphones via Bluetooth. According to crazyengineers.com, the key feature of this speaker is that it packs 10,000-mAh battery that supports seamless 50+ hours of play time.

On the other hand, in order to use renewable energy as the main power source, Ecoxgear announced another solar powered speaker called Ecosmart 4000. This one has a built-in solar panel that can support up to 18 hours of play time.

Ecoxgear has also introduced Smart Bluetooth 4.0 HD solar panel. It is used to charge Ecopebble power bank when it runs out of juice and can also be used to charge other devices such as smartphones or tablets.

“We set out to develop a family of outdoor portable products that use renewable energy as the main power source, drastically reducing energy consumption,” said Greg Fadul, Co-Founder of ECOXGEAR. “It was also important for us to provide users with a completely wire-free experience with their portable devices, not having to search for a place to plug-in while they’re enjoying the great outdoors.”

Using the same methods as electric-vehicle supercharging technology, UK hardware startup Petalite have announced the Petalite Flux, an external battery for your phone that can be charged to 100% (2,600mAh) in just 15 minutes!

Combined with their revolutionary Power Dock technology the Petalite flux can either be charged normally via USB or in just 15 minutes with 10 amps of power when using the Power Dock.

The creators said that external chargers are handy, but remembering to charge them up can be a pain. Indie project, Petalite Flux, seeks to solve that by making a battery that can charge in just 15 minutes.

According to solarthermalmagazine.com, the device weights just 95g, and with a stylish, cylindrical design and utilizing automotive grade components, the Flux is incredibly durable and reliable, whilst also being ergonomic and light enough to fit within your hand, purse or pocket as you continue your daily routine.

We all know that nowadays our wellbeing is strongly connected to fossil fuels. The fact is that they destroy our planet and affect our climate change. But new researches show that the latest hydrogen breakthrough could offer cheap renewable energy.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow found a way of hydrogen production that can be almost 30% faster than the method is being used now. In addition to this, the breakthrough also gives a way of solving some problems that often come with the green energy sources most frequently used such as wind, solar or wave.

Scientists have found a way to craft hydrogen fuel on an industrial level without the need of methane. They say that this is an important discovery in the process of making hydrogen a solution in the detriment of fossil fuels.

“Around 95 percent of the world’s hydrogen supply is currently obtained from fossil fuels, a finite resource which we know harms the environment and speeds climate change,” lead researcher Lee Cronin from the university’s School of Chemistry, said in a statement.

“The potential for reliable hydrogen production from renewable sources is huge.”

Hydrogen is not hard to produce, especially when using electrolysis, a process that involves using electricity to break the connections between water’s hydrogen and oxygen components and releasing them as gas. In opposition to other gases, hydrogen can be used with no harm for the environment.

“The process uses a liquid that allows the hydrogen to be locked up in a liquid-based inorganic fuel. By using a liquid sponge known as a redox mediator that can soak up electrons and acid we’ve been able to create a system where hydrogen can be produced in a separate chamber without any additional energy input after the electrolysis of water takes place,” Cronin added.

This allows “hydrogen to be released from the water 30 times faster than the leading PEME process on a per-milligram-of-catalyst basis,” he concludes.

A cheap Solar-Powered Oven could take wood’s or coal fuel’s place all over the world.

Nowadays, even with all the technology in our hands, people still cook with the help of wood and coal. Well that has got to change. These fuels are often expensive, produce carbon and lead to health issues. Moreover, they are not sustainable at all as they use wood and we all know we are not planting as many trees as we should.

The newly discovered solar over, developed by four British students, plans to change all this. It is made of 16 foot parabolic dish that harvests solar energy and conduscts it to a cooking box. “It’s a like a greenhouse,” as a student, Keno Mario-Ghae, says. “We have glass around the outside, then a box in the center. That allows us to get the heat in and get it nice and hot, but not let the heat leave.”

The good part of it is the fact that the dish is fixed on a wooden platform that permits it to fallow the sun rays. There are two tubes of water on both sides. One with the counterbalance role and the other leaks at a uniform rate, allowing the dish tilt at about 15 degrees per hour.

When tested, the oven went up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit in 45 minutes, as Mario-Ghae reports. Just enough to bake some bread rolls in not more than an hour.

The purpose of the whole project is to lower the costs and use materials from the area such as old oil-drums. The costs of the device would reach no more than $350 dollars. So a lot cheaper than the existing solar-ovens. The letter reach thousands of dollars when imported to developing countries.” There are a lot of costs you don’t have to deal with if you’re building it in the country where it’s needed,” the student says.

The developers of the project just finished the third year of a manufacturing engineering degree at Cambridge University. They wish to invest in more prototypes and maybe contribute to private projects for people in need. Their project also entered the 2014 Dyson Awards, due in the 7th of August.

If we collect the sun’s rays we have a way through which we can freely power electronic devices. Nothing new so far. Sill, a student discovered a extraordinary use of the sun’s energy. Markus Kayser claims he can use the sun to develop a super-printer that can build glassware.

The student discovered this while working at his graduate project for which he worked in the the Sahara in Egypt. It was there where his ingenious idea, ‘Solar Sinter’, caught life. This is an object designed to transform the sand into unbelievably beautiful glass bowls and sculptures uing only sun rays.

The new invention is working with the help of : a photovoltaic panel, the focal point for drawing the sun’s rays, a sun tracker, fresnel lens (for magnifying the rays), a battery, controlling electronics, and lst but not least, a silver tent dubbed the “office”, a place that Kayser can use to protect himself from the hot sun and, at the same time, monitor the whole process. Taking the mini-station in a deserted location the student uses only natural free power.

This new Solar Sinter’ is capable of conceiving any form starting from bowls, sculptures and and, why not, furniture. This machinery can also transform a desert into a a high-tech production facility for high-end design.

The interior of the new solar based 3D printer the sands from the desert substitutes traditional resin in the production process. The sands are disintegrated ad transformed into different shapes using the 3D printer. The whole procedure process is as wonderful as the objects themselves, delightfully glittering and turning as the sands melt together, recalling footage of the birth of stars in space.

Keyser devotes himself to develop strategies that search for ways to confirm that there is a probability that with the help desert sands we can discover an endless supply of a pure solar power. His former program, Sun Cutter, also involved the sun’s rays, but this time he utilized them to make gently cut the wood, an object similar to a fine laser.

Markus Kayser – Solar Sinter Project from Markus Kayser on Vimeo.