Researchers develop better cooling for EV batteries with new mixture

A new coolant for electric vehicle batteries which absorbs three times more heat than water has been developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute, seen as the future in battery overheating prevention. Named CryoSolplus, the coolant is a chemical dispersion that mixes water and paraffin along with a dash of the anti-freeze agent glycol, enabling the heat absorption capabilities.

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New biofuel process increases energy recovery 20 times

A new biofuel production platform which can improve energy recovery 20 times compared with conventional methods has been discovered by researchers at Michigan State University. The microbial electrolysis cell or M.E.C. is a bioelectrochemical system that uses microbes to generate biofuel and hydrogen from agro-wastes.

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Piezoelectricity: Georgia Tech harnesses friction for energy

Researchers the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a device that can harness the friction between surfaces to produce electricity using the piezoelectric effect. The piezoelectric effect is a change that accumulates in certain materials when placed under pressure. Materials displaying the piezoelectric effect can harvest the energy of motion – such as the tread of walking people or the rolling motion of a car.

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Deep-sea photosynthetic organism holds clues for next-generation solar devices

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are studying highly-efficient systems devised by nature over millions of years in the hope of making better man-made solar collecting systems with higher energy outputs, the MIT News Office wrote.

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Pre-industrial emissions still having big impact in climate picture - Carnegie

Carbon emissions from the pre-industrial age are still in the post-industrial atmosphere, painting a grim picture of just how long it will take before atmospheric carbon will stop having detrimental effects to the world’s climate.

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‘Spent’ fuel cell still works for three extra minutes

Material scientists at Harvard have developed a solid-oxide fuel cell that uses hydrogen to provide power, while also storing energy like a battery. The fuel cell can continue to produce power for a short time after its fuel has run out, giving its operations a little extra boost to prevent abrupt energy supply interruptions.

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Technology that turns landfill plastic into fuel developed in the Philippines

A new technology that its developers say can convert plastic polymers not just into any recyclable form but into fuel was developed in the Philippines, ABS-CBNNews.com reported. “The invention was accidental. It was originally intended to restore the plastics’ original composition. Surprisingly, it turned out diesel,” said Filipino inventor Jaime Navarro.

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Battery developed in 1900’s could power future low-carbon technology

Stanford University scientists are looking to the past to answer the present’s need for energy storage technologies, by upgradinga rechargeable battery technology developed a century ago by Thomas Edison – nickel-iron. Nickel-iron batteries were used to power the electric cars of the era and were also used as backup power for railroads and mines.

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Carbon-based solar cell can absorb near-infrared light

A carbon-based solar cell developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology could be paired with conventional solar cell technology for a device that could convert even more of the sun’s light into energy by absorbing both near-infrared and visible light.

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Nanorod catalyst could replace platinum in microbial fuel cells

A new fuel cell catalyst based on iron-carbon nanorods could replace platinum in fuel cell devices that produce and store clean power from the bacterial breakdown of organic matter. Engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee say their nitrogen-enriched iron-carbon nanorod catalyst can replace platinum in what are called microbial fuel cells, providing the same level of efficiency at 5 percent less cost compared with using platinum.

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