Energy Storage

Products: Energy

New Products: February 2021 Battery Technology

Board-to-board connectors, supercapacitors, li-ion batteries, and more.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Using Electric Vehicle Batteries for Solar Energy Farms

Battery reuse systems could be profitable for both electric vehicle companies and grid-scale solar operations.

Articles: Electronics & Computers

Multipurpose Batteries Make it Easier to Get Around on Mars

NASA-funded research by Clemson University scientists could lead to the creation of lighter, faster-charging batteries suitable for powering a spacesuit or even a Mars rover.

Briefs: Materials

Metamaterial Morphs into New Shapes and Takes on New Properties

A newly developed architected metamaterial has the ability to change shape in a tunable fashion.

Q&A: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Q&A: Oil and Gas Wells for Energy Storage

USC researchers found a way to use idle oil and gas wells for energy storage.

Briefs: Energy

Side-Mounted Solar Modules Enhance Energy Sustainability

Research demonstrates the potential of a solar unit that can hang on the outside of a structure.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Next-Generation Computer Chip Has Two Heads

The chip combines two functions — logic operations and data storage — into a single architecture, paving the way to more efficient devices.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Supercapacitor Based on Manganese Oxide

This supercapacitor promises storage, high power, and fast charging.

Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control

Products of Tomorrow: January 2021

A malaria-test "bandage"; underwater navigation via sound; and a biodegrading, implantable sensor.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Solid-State Technology Enables Smaller, Safer Batteries

The technology is inherently safer and more energy-dense than today’s lithium-ion batteries.

NASA Spinoff: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Water-Powered Engines Offer Satellite Mobility

The technology could allow deep-space exploration without running out of propellant.

Briefs: Energy

Generating Renewable Hydrogen Fuel from the Sea

Membranes that remove salt from water help split sea water into fuel.

Briefs: Automotive

Lithium Metal Battery Allows Cold Charging

The battery could be used for drones, cars, or underwater applications at low temperatures.

INSIDER: Electronics & Computers

New Technique Extends Next-Generation Lithium Metal Batteries

Electric vehicles (EVs) hold great promise for our energy-efficient, sustainable future but among their limitations is the lack of a long-lasting, high energy density battery...

Articles: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Manufacturing/Robotics/Automation Category Winner — RadiBond

RadiBond technology, based on nanometer-thin coatings, provides ultra-strong and ultra-tight bonding between metals and plastics.

Articles: Materials

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Sustainable Technologies/Future Energy Category Winner — Flash Graphene

A new process can turn bulk quantities of just about any carbon source into valuable graphene flakes.

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping

A Solar Alternative: How to Power Devices with Indoor Light

A new material is especially effective at absorbing indoor light and converting it into usable energy.

News: Transportation

Thin Layer Protects Battery and Allows Cold Charging

Researchers in the Battery and Energy Storage Technology Center at Penn State University are searching for a reliable, quick-charging, cold-weather battery for automobiles. They...

News: Automotive

New Composite Material Revs Up Pursuit of Advanced EVs

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have used new techniques to create a composite that increases the electrical current capacity of copper wires, providing a...

News: Transportation

New Battery Electrolyte May Boost Performance of EVs

A new lithium-based electrolyte invented by Stanford University scientists could pave the way for the next generation of battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs). Their electrolyte...

INSIDER: Energy

Turning Streetwear into Solar Concentrators

Researchers at Empa and ETH Zurich succeeded in developing a material that works like a luminescent solar concentrator and can even be applied to textiles. This opens up numerous possibilities...

Blog: Energy

'Soil Fuel Cells' Support Water Treatment in Brazil

The soil microbial fuel cells produce energy to filter enough water for a person’s daily needs, with potential to increase scale.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Robotic Assembly of Photovoltaic Arrays

Adaptable automation reduces manufacturing time and costs.

Blog: Robotics, Automation & Control

How to Charge an Underwater Robot? A Mobile Docking Station

Researcher Nina Mahmoudian is finding a new way for underwater robots to recharge and upload their data, and then go back out to continue exploring, without the need for human intervention.

Briefs: Materials

Using Silicon for Battery Anodes

A nanostructure design lends extraordinary strength to a promising storage ingredient.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Bio-Inspired Wing Design for Small Drones

Taking a cue from birds and insects, the wing design helps drones fly more efficiently and makes them more robust to atmospheric turbulence.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Laser Spark Distribution and Ignition System

Traditional spark plugs are replaced by an optical pumping source.