Energy
Humankind's insatiable appetite for energy has put the planet in a very precarious position environmentally, but it also drives prosperity and improved living standards. New Atlas keeps you up to date with the latest breakthroughs in the energy sector, from the expanding field of renewable energy production to the exponential rise of battery technology and the slow march towards nuclear fusion.
Latest News
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If you've ever peeked below the surface of the ocean, you'll have seen seaweed waving back and forth in the current. Scientists from China's Dalian Maritime University have now utilized that same motion in an underwater energy-harvesting device. -
Scientists have demonstrated how encasing algae in tiny liquid crystal droplets can boost its natural energy harvesting abilities by up to three times, marking another step toward commercial viability for artificial photosynthesis.
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Material scientists have taken a step forward in the development of lithium-metal batteries, demonstrating how applying a very specific amount of pressure during cycling can prevent the formation of growths that would otherwise bring them undone.
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California company Radiant has secured funding to develop a compact, portable, "low-cost" one-megawatt nuclear micro-reactor that fits in a shipping container, powers about 1,000 homes and uses a helium coolant instead of water.
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The US Department of Energy has committed US$20 million to an Arizona-based project that will use nuclear energy to create green hydrogen, testing its capability as a liquid backup battery and as a secondary product for nuclear power installations.
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Through first-of-a-kind observations, researchers have gained new insights into the reasons why lithium batteries with silicon anodes quickly fail, and uncovered clues as to how this swift deterioration might be avoided.
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More than three years after revealing plans to build a monster offshore wind turbine called the Haliade-X, GE Renewable Energy has announced that the prototype of the latest member of the family has started operating at 14 MW in Rotterdam.
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The lithium-ion batteries at the heart of our transport future don't last forever, and researchers expect a massive influx of depleted units in the coming decade. A new breakthrough, however, could streamline our efforts to recycle them.
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Wireless power transmission has potential, but range is a major hurdle. In a new proof-of-concept, Ericsson and PowerLight Technologies demonstrated a technique called optical beaming, using a laser to transmit power to a portable 5G base station.
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The urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has put the nuclear energy debate squarely back on the agenda. So how does nuclear energy energy work, where is it headed, and can the atom become "our friend" again?
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A new battery design out of Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials promises to open up some interesting possibilities in energy storage, by mimicking the behavior of snake scales to be bent and stretched out of shape.
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A colossal US$22 billion infrastructure project will send Australian sunshine more than 3,100 miles to Singapore, via high-voltage undersea cables. Opening in 2027, it'll be the largest solar farm and battery storage facility in history.
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