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Reducing critical materials such as indium and silver is of high importance for photovoltaics. Yu et al. demonstrate a certified 25.94% efficiency silicon heterojunction solar cell replacing part of indium-based electrodes with undoped tin oxide and using copper for contacts.
Extreme weather conditions threaten electricity infrastructure. A new study finds that lower-income communities in California have fewer power distribution lines undergrounded and more vulnerable overhead lines and poles in their neighbourhoods.
Aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs) are a promising grid-scale energy storage technology, but the development of high-performance catholytes has been challenging. Here the researchers reveal redox-active species based on dimers of (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl that demonstrate high cycling stability, power and volumetric capacity in AORFBs.
The fabrication of perovskite heterojunctions is challenging. Mali et al. develop a heterojunction with two different crystalline phases of CsPbI3, achieving 21.5% and 18.4% efficiencies on small-area solar cells and 18 cm2 solar modules, respectively.
Extreme weather events can have catastrophic impacts on physical systems such as power and water infrastructure. This study offers an approach to testing interventions to reduce the vulnerability of such systems to weather events and applies it to the case of Hurricane Maria to assess service-level and social outcomes.
The performance of ternary organic solar cells is limited by voltage losses. Using the detailed balance principle, Wang et al. show how the third component of the blend affects the open-circuit voltage and delineate molecular design rules.
Energy demand patterns will shift under climate change, but so will generated electricity, particularly as the wind and solar power supply increases. Here the authors model the impacts of climate change on future supply–demand match, highlighting the importance of changes in climate variability.
The energy transition in China may lead to increased heating bills. A new study finds that cleaner alternatives to address gaps in heating may disproportionately increase residential heating costs, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas.
Energy efficiency investments in homes are critical for the energy transition, but the barriers to households making such investments are poorly understood. Wekhof and Houde show how natural language processing can be used to extract insights into the barriers and preferences obtained from narratives elicited from homeowners.
Manganese-rich NASICON-type compounds are promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries, but they suffer from severe voltage hysteresis. Here the authors uncover the root cause of voltage hysteresis in Na3MnTi(PO4)3 and demonstrate a doping strategy to mitigate the issue.
Dielectric capacitors based on relaxor ferroelectrics are a promising energy storage technology, and an efficient design of relaxors is useful to enhance the storage performance. Here the authors quantitatively evaluate the local compositional inhomogeneity of relaxors via a configurational entropy index and realize overall high performance in a Bi4Ti3O12-based device.
Electrolyte engineering has proven an effective approach to enhance the performance of lithium metal batteries. Here the authors propose a strategy by using multiple solvents in weakly solvating electrolytes—dubbed as high-entropy electrolytes—to improve the ionic conductivity while maintaining electrochemical stability, leading to high-performance batteries.
To prevent charge losses and degradation at the buried interface of inverted methylammonium-free perovskite solar cells, Li et al. form a 2D/3D perovskite structure using 2-aminoindan hydrochloride as an additive.
Hydrogen evolution and oxidation on platinum surfaces are central reactions in electrochemical devices. Sun et al. show that they can be promoted by introduction of the organic molecules, N-methylimidazoles, and explore the underlying phenomena at play through in situ spectroscopy and computation.
Peer referral behaviour may impact uptake of subsidized energy assistance programmes. A new study finds that simplifying the referral process and appealing to reciprocity may increase solar contracts for qualifying low-income households in California.
Lithium-rich layered oxides are promising cathode materials for next-generation batteries, but they suffer from long-standing problems such as voltage decay during cycling. Here the authors analyse the root cause of voltage decay and present a structure engineering strategy to mitigate the issue for a cobalt-free, lithium-rich layered oxide.
The efficiency and stability of methylammonium- and bromide-free perovskite inverted solar cells need improvement. Now, Chen et al. combine a Lewis-based additive with a fluorocarbon-modified ammonium salt to reduce defects in the perovskite, increasing the device performance.
An intensive effort in the development of Li-metal batteries is well underway. Here the authors design a Li salt with an asymmetric molecular structure that distinctly contrasts with conventional salts, enabling high-performance Li-metal batteries with carbonate electrolytes.
In 2015, China introduced power sector reform to improve the performance of its electricity market. Here Xiang et al. use unit-level data from plants in southern China to explore the political challenges faced by the reform, finding preferences for local enterprises over central state-owned ones.
Si anodes could be an alternative to Li anodes in the application of solid-state batteries, but they suffer from issues such as severe volume expansion and sluggish kinetics. Here the researchers develop a Li–Si alloy anode that is stabilized by hard carbon, which leads to exceptional high-performance solid-state batteries.