Scientists Develop Solar Cell Polymer With Double Charge Production

Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and Columbia University have developed a solar cell polymer that doubles its electrical charge carrier per unit of light from one carrier to two.

The process of producing two producing two charges from one unit of light is called singlet fission. This discovery can alter the manufacturing process of solar energy producing materials. Having two charges on the same molecule mans that energy-producing materials don't have to be arrayed as perfect crystals. The self-contained materials work efficiently when dissolved in liquids which opens up new ways to develop solar cells including "printing" solar-energy-producing material like ink.

A polymer is a combination of chemical compounds that is made up of repeating structural units (as in a molecular structure). The structure of the polymer dictates it properties.

Polymers are usually associated with plastics. The material used for credit cards is a polymer, as well as PVC plastics and PET water bottles. But polymers can be in any form. Hairspray and mousse is a polymer. Fabrics like spandex are also polymers. While these are synthetic, there are also natural polymers like rubber and amber.

The image above shows Postdoctoral fellow Erik Busby and Matt Sfeir with optical equipment they used to study charge carrier production in organic photovoltaic polymers at Brookhaven Lab's Center for Functional Nanomaterials.

Refillable, Biodegradable, Energy Dense Battery Developed From Sugar

Sugar battery developers Y.H. Percival Zhang (right)and Zhiguang Zhu.
Credit: Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

An environmentally friendly battery that runs on sugar has been developed by a research team at Virginia Tech.

The battery also has a very high energy density compared to previously developed sugar based fuel cells which allows it to run longer before needing to be refueled.

Conventional batteries usually use platinum as a catalyst. Instead, this battery uses sugar and a non-natural synthetic enzymatic pathway to generate electricity. Because of the process, the main byproducts of the sugar battery are electricity and water making this battery environmentally friendly.

It is also easily refilled with sugar extending its usability while also making it low cost, non-toxic, and biodegradable.

The team is confident that this battery will one day be used to power electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets.

MIT Solar Thermophotovoltaic System Increase Solar Cell Efficiency Up To 80%

Researchers at MIT have developed a solar cell that is much more efficient than current solar photovoltaic cells. Using nanotechnology and material technology, the new cell captures a broader spectrum of light compared to a regular solar cell and transforms these into energy. This development can increase solar power output past current efficiency limits.

By adding an absorber-emitter device between photovoltaic cell and sunlight, the other undetected wavelengths of light is also converted into electricity through heat. Carbon nanotubes and photonic crystals are used as material for the absorber-emitter device.

Photovoltaic cells are solid state electrical devices that convert the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect (using light to convert to energy).

The present maximum theoretical efficiency of a solar cell is 33.70%. This is known as the Shockley-Queisser limit. With the new developed solar cell, the researchers believe once the technology is fully develop, it can break the limit and hit an efficiency rating of well over 80%.

Renewable Plant Derived Substance Can Chemically And Biologically Develop Biofuel

Researchers from University of Wisconsin-Madison developed a technique using a plant derived chemical that can both biologically and chemically process plants into biofuel. The chemical, Gamma valerolactone (GVL), is inexpensive, renewable and recyclable.

The process converts a high 95% of the material to sugars that can be used by yeast to produce ethanol through fermentation or chemically upgrade furans to create drop-in biofuel.

In the image, the process using GVL dissolves biomass producing fractions that are rich in (from left to right) lignin monomers, hemicellulose and cellulose-derived sugars.

In creating ethanol, GVL helps in concentrating the sugar which the yeast could use to produce ethanol. The process also allows the removal of GVL from the setup for further reuse. Removing and reusing gamma valerolactone can be done through depressurization. Using the gamma valerolactone technique results in a 10% savings in ethanol production compared to current technologies.

Gamma valerolactone can also be used as a solvent for the conversion of biomass to furan chemicals.

New Metal-Free Flow Battery Promises Reliable and Economical Renewable Energy

Scientists at Harvard University have developed a new flow battery using less expensive chemicals and no metal electrocatalyst. This battery can help in storing electricity which can be used when renewable energy sources such as wind and solar does not deliver peak outputs.

A flow battery is a rechargeable battery where chemicals dissolved in liquids are used to charge the battery and store energy.

The most commercially used flow battery is the Vanadium Redox Flow Battery. These are already used by NASA in their space programs since the chemicals can be stored in tanks instead of existing battery units which integrates the necessary components in one unit. With flow batteries, the chemicals can be stored somewhere else and be used only when needed without sacrificing or getting rid of the other components.

Since the size of the tanks storing the chemicals are independent of the unit that converts these chemicals to electricity, the amount of energy that can be stored is limited only by the size of the tanks. This allows energy to be stored at a lower cost compared with traditional batteries.

The flow battey developed by Harvard differs from the Vanadium flow battery in that it uses less expensive chemicals and does not require catalysts that are made of precious metals.

Last year, MIT developed a hydrogen-bromide flow battery that generates three times more energy than current flow batteries.

Diamond Anvil Produces Hydrogen Overnight

Nature produces hydrogen through "serpentinization." When water meets the ubiquitous mineral olivine under pressure, the rock absorbs mostly oxygen (O) atoms from H2O, transforming olivine into another mineral, serpentine -- characterized by a scaly, green-brown surface appearance like snakeskin. The complex network of fracturing and created by serpentinization also creates habitat for subsurface microbial communities. Image from Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada.
Credit: Matt Schrenk, Michigan State University

Scientists at the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 discovered a way to produce hydrogen up to 50 times faster than nature does. Using a diamond anvil cell (a tiny high pressure cooker) and aluminum oxide (Al₂o₃), water (H₂0), and the mineral, olivine ((Mg, Fe)₂SiO₄), they produced produced hydrogen in a matter of hours instead of weeks.

Essentially, it is water, rock, and aluminum oxide put under extreme pressure (2 kilobars) and heat ( 200 to 300 degrees Celsius) to produce hydrogen.

HYdrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the Universe. Seventy five percent (75%) of the chemical elemental mass of the Universe is hydrogen. This latest discovery is very relevant to the energy industry where hydrogen is one viable energy source.

Using hydrogen as a fuel has many advantages. It is abundant. It is environmentally safe since the byproduct of hydrogen fuel cells is water and water vapor. And the power generated by hydrogen is much greater than that of regular gasoline.

Hydrogen fuel cells do not need combustion to produce energy, which also makes them safe and efficient.

Organic Energy and Electronics - Using Bacteria As An Energy Source

Scientists are studying ways to take advantage of the anaerobic respiration process of bacteria in creating fuel and electricity.

Using Dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria (DRMB), scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory are studying how these organisms catalyze electron reactions during their respiration process. This process can be used to harvest energy from cultured bacteria in its own environment such as seawater or wastewater.

Anaerobic respiration is a a process that uses electron acceptors such as sulfate (SO42-), nitrate (NO3-), and sulfur (S) instead of oxygen (O2). The process still uses a respiratory electron chain albeit without oxygen. An exogenous final electron acceptor is still needed for electrons to pass through the system.

The electron transfer, known as extracellular electron transfer (EET), is what is exploted to ultimately create energy.

The study can open up applications in the future such as fuel from seawater, electricity from wastewater or at a microlevel - bacteria coated electronics that can power up on its own. Other related technologies have used algae and other crops such as soybean to create biofuel and biodiesel.

In 2009, researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark discovered the presence of bacteria capable of generating electric currents in the seabed.

Understanding Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) - Multidisciplinary Session Held By The Geological Society of America (GSA)

How Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) Works
Credit: NPR, GRAPHIC BY PROPUBLICA/CREATIVE COMMONS

A multidisciplinary session on understanding the science and the water, air, and health issues behind fracking was set up by The Geological Society of America (GSA) in Denver. The goal of the session is to present to researchers and the general public, the state of the science of facking.

Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking is the use of water, sand, and chemicals at high pressure to fracture rock for the purpose of obtaining natural gas trapped below the surface of the Earth. There are environmental and health concerns raised with fracking. Some of the risks that are attributed to fracking are water and air contamination, resulting toxic waste products, and increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02) levels.

The sessions held in Denver covered topics such as outdoor air emissions from fracking, and specific health risks from exposure to the process.

The sessions of note are:

• Session 064: Energy and Health: The Emergence of Medical Geology In Response to the Shale Gas Boom
• Session 022: Geochemistry of Flowback and Produced Waters From Hydraulically Fractured Black Shale
• Session 299: A Comprehensive Look at Hydraulic Fracturing For Hydrocarbon Recovery and Other Purposes

Understanding The Deregulation of Energy Providers

With some states' energy providers being deregulated in the United States, people are now given a choice on what energy company will serve their needs. This results in better service quality and lower energy costs for the consumer.

It is believed that fewer and simpler regulations, with minimal government intervention, will result in an open market with a high level of competitiveness, higher productivity, more efficiency and lower prices overall. The energy quality and method of transport stays the same, it's just that the consumer has a choice on the energy company and energy plan.

There are downsides to energy regulation such as less monitoring on environmental pollution and quality standards, financial uncertainty, and constraining monopolies but these are minimal. There are consumer groups and environmentalists that monitor and report any infractions or shortcomings such as these.

Energy deregulation, albeit in its early stages, have empowered the consumer to control and manage their energy needs without being sidelined by a monopoly.

Electric and Hybrid Cars Face Pricing Crisis

As mainstream automakers slash their prices on hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs), luxury car makers and upstarts are getting their feet into the market. If you've been waiting to buy, now might be the time - even as EVs become playthings for the well-heeled.

Big Price Drops Mean Low Demand

Automakers may be slashing prices on EVs to counter consumer concerns about high cost and uncertain driving ranges. Nissan and Chevy have announced big price reductions recently for the all-electric Leaf and plug-in hybrid Volt . At new starting prices of $28,800 and $34,185 respectively, these high-tech cars are almost competing at regular car price ranges

Lease deals on electrics and hybrids are getting interesting too, according to FiatUSA and U.S. News.

• The Honda Fit EV leases for $259 /month with only $259 due at signing.
• A Chevrolet Spark EV leases for $199 a month with $999 at signing.
• The Fiat 500e leases for $199 per month with $999 at signing.

New Rechargeable Hydrogen -Bromide Flow Battery Developed

Researchers at MIT have developed a hydrogen-bromide flow battery that generates three times more power than current flow batteries.

A flow battery is a battery that is recharged by using two chemical components dissolved in a liquid and separated by a membrane. The ions exchange through the membrane which provides the electrical current.

In the case of the MIT battery, they removed the membrane separating the two liquids. Using a process called laminar flow, the two liquids are pumped and streamed through two electrodes to store or release energy without mixing.

By eliminating the membrane and using inexpensive chemicals such as bromide, the cost of a flow battery goes down making it economically viable.

Green Cars: An Infographic On Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

A recent study by MIT reports that despite advances in fuel efficiency technology, it has only produced minor gains in terms of gas mileage. From 1980 to 2006, the average gas mileage of vehicles sold in the United States increased by around 15 percent. A further analysis state that the increase should be at 60%.

With the advent of the lithium-ion battery, electric cars and hybrids, are now becoming a commercial alternative to gas powered vehicles. Smaller and more efficient fuel cells (units of li-ion batteries grouped together), have made these category of vehicles a practical transportation choice.

Coupled with increasing gas prices and environmental concerns, alternative energy vehicles are becoming a viable option. This infographic from Nissan shows how electric and hybrid vehicles can be a viable option for one's private transportation needs. It has details about hybrid and electric car tax credits as well as a general overview on savings from switching to alternative energy from fossil fuels.

Tiny Marine Crustacean Assists In Developing Wood Based Biofuel

The gribble, Limnoria quadripunctata, is one of the only animals that can digest wood.
Image: Simon Cragg/University of Portsmouth

Scientists from the University of York, University of Portsmouth and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have discovered an enzyme produced by gribbles, tiny marine wood borers, that can help turn wood based biomass into biofuel. Unlike termites that have microbes inside their guts to help process wood they digest, gribbles have a sterile gut which means that these tiny animals process the wood themselves through an enzyme.

Scientists have now isolated this enzyme and once its structure is studied and can be commercially reproduced, it can help create sustainable liquid biofuels.

Biofuels are sustainable, efficient, and renewable fuels that are processed from biological material called biomass. Biomass are organic material from living or recently living organisms. Biofuels are derived from biological carbon fixation which is the reduction of carbon dioxide or inorganic carbon to organic compounds by living organisms.

Biofuels can come from different sources such as agricultural crops, animal products, plant material or from living organisms like algae.

Algae Based Hydrogen Biofuel Being Studied As A Possibility For Renewable Energy

Researchers are studying the possibility of hydrogen fuel production using green energy; an advancement that can bring alge produced biofuel to a whole new level.

Bioenergy is energy that is produced from biological sources such as plants, agricultural crops and living organisms. Fuel, also known as biofuel, can be derived from these biological or organic sources. It is renewable, natural, and environmentally friendly.

One primary source of biofuel is algae. It is noted that one acre of algae can produce between 1,000 to 5,000 gallons of biofuel each year. The fact that it is sustainable and renewable, biofuel technology has grown tremendously with global biofuel production growing from 17.8 billion liters in 2009 to 21.4 billion liters in 2011.

Research and Advances in Bio-Engineered Algae Nanocellulose at 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society

Scientists from all over the world will be reporting on the advances and research on nanocellulose, a material that has many applications from material technology to biofuel production.

Nanocellulose is a material made up of nanosized cellulose fibrils. It is about 5 to 20 nanometers wide and has variable length.

Nanocellulose is derived from wood fibers and shows exceptional strength characteristics. It is lightweight, durable and biodegradable. It has characteristics similar to plastic and is viscous under normal conditions, but flow (become thin, less viscous) over time when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed. When the shearing forces are removed the gel regains much of its original state. The fibrils are isolated from any cellulose containing source including wood-based fibers (pulp fibers) through high-pressure, high temperature and high velocity impact homogenization

As part of the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, several studies and advances on nanocellulose research are presented during the event.

Latest Studies and Developments in Lithium Ion Battery Technology Presented at American Chemical Society Meet

Lithium Ion batteries are used in most, if not all, electronic devices. Li-ion batteries can be made up of a single battery unit or made up of several units called cells.

Lithium ion batteries are the most popular type of batteries for electronics and even in electric cars because of its long battery life and performance. This is due to to their energy density slow loss of charge when not in use.

The American Chemical Society as part of the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society had several presentations on the study and resulting developments in lithium ion battery technology. Various scientific and educational organizations presented their studies during the event.

Abstracts of these studies are enumerated below and in separate articles (see related links).

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Abstract on Multi-Scale Multi-Domain (MSMD) model framework and Lithium Ion Batteries

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory presented its research on its development of the Multi-Scale Multi-Domain (MSMD) model framework and its interactions with Lithiun Ion Batteries. It was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society as part of the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society. The abstract of the presentation follows.

Multiscale multiphysics lithium-ion battery model with multidomain modular framework

Gi-Heon Kim, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Phone: 303-275-4437
Email: gi-heon.kim@nrel.gov

Nanowire Based Solar Cell Increases Shockley-Queisser Efficiency Limit

The figure shows that the sun's rays are drawn into a nanowire, which stands on a substrate. At a given wavelength the sunlight is concentrated up to 15 times. Consequently, there is great potential in using nanowires in the development of future solar cells.
Credit: Niels Bohr Institute

The development of a nanowire based solar cell that increases sunlight concentration to a a factor of 15 raises the standard efficiency limit of solar cells known as the Shockley-Queisser limit.

One of the most popular and common source of renewable and sustainable energy is the Sun. Solar energy is not dependent on weather conditions such as wind power or need to be near a power source such as geothermal or hydroelectric energy producers.

Solar energy is produced by solar panels or solar cells. These cells, also known as photovoltaic cells, convert sunlight to electrical energy.

The focus on solar cell technology is raising the efficiency of the solar cell to convert solar energy to electrical energy. In solar cell production, the value that is used to gauge the efficiency of the solar cell is the Shockley-Quesser limit. This limit refers to the maximum theoretical efficiency of a solar cell using a p-n junction to collect power from the cell.

A p-n junction refers to the boundary of two semiconductors; the p-type and the n-type. The p-type semiconductor contains excess holes while the n-type contains excess free electrons.

The Shockley-Queisser limit puts the maximum solar cell efficiency at around 33.7%. This means that at most, only 33.7% of sunlight can be converted into elecrical energy. Currently, silicon based photovoltaic cells have an efficiency of 22%.

Stanford Researchers Map Out Alternative Energy Plan For New York

In the shadow of the controversial decision whether or not to allow hydraulic fracturing in the State of New York, researchers at Stanford University has laid out a plan on the use of alternative energy.

Hydraulic fracturing is the creation and propagation of fractures in a rock layer. It is a process used to extract petroleum, natural gas and other substances from source rocks.

There have been harsh criticism and environmental concerns with the process of hydraulic fracturing. The State of New York will soon decide whether to approve this process in the state. Supporters of the decision feel that it will bring an economic boom from the resulting jobs and that it will help end dependence on imported oil.

Researchers believe that instead of focusing on hydraulic fracturing, it will be best environmentally and economically to focus on using alternative energy such as solar and wind power instead.

Bioengineered Plant Boosts Oil Production For Use in BioFuels

Researchers have bioengineered plants to improve its oil production. Proof of their experiment can be seen from caterpillar larvae that has become fat from consuming the leaves of these plants. This study can lead to better production of biofuels.

Biological sources most specially from agricultural crops like soybean can be used to produce biofuels. An acre of soybean can yield about 50 gallons of biodiesel per year.

But algae surpasses this by far. Biofuel from an acre of algae can produce as much as 1,000 to 5,000 gallons per year. Biofuel production from these sources are renewable, economical, and environment friendly. Algae is easy and fast to cultivate. It only takes one to ten days to harvest fuel from algae and does not compete with regular agricultural crops for land space and water.

The process in producing biofuel from algae involves the photosynthesis. Algae converts sunlight to biomass which undergoes a chemical process to produce biofuel.