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Thermomagnetic generators exploit magnetic flux and temperature differences across magnetocaloric materials to generate electricity from waste heat. Waske et al. present a device based on a pretzel-like magnetic-field topology that leads to a higher power output than previous, simpler, topologies.
Integrating electrocatalytic H2 production with biological H2-fed systems for CO2 upgrading requires H2 generation to occur in biocompatible media—typically with neutral pH. Here, the authors design multi-site H2 evolution catalysts that minimize the water dissociation barrier and promote hydride coupling in neutral media.
Electric aircraft offer an aviation decarbonization pathway and attract increasing attention owing to the rapid development of batteries. Here Andreas Schäfer and colleagues analyse the potential technological, economic and environmental viability of battery-electric commercial aircraft.
Time-of-use tariffs aim to shift energy use to better match available supply. This study shows that perception of savings, more so than actual savings, predicts intent to remain enrolled in time-of-use programmes, which may undermine benefits for household finances and energy-reduction goals.
The oxygen reduction reaction, catalysed by platinum, is a crucial process in the operation of fuel cells, but the mechanistic pathways through which it occurs remain a matter for debate. Here, the authors use in situ Raman spectroscopy to identify key intermediates for this reaction at different atomically flat platinum surfaces, shedding light on the mechanism.
Large variations exist in the revenue prediction of grid-scale storage due to uncertainties in operations of storage technologies. Here the authors integrate the economic evaluation of energy storage with key battery parameters for a realistic measure of revenues.
The development of aluminium batteries relies heavily on the discovery of cathode materials that can reversibly insert Al-containing ions. Here the authors show that phenanthrenequinone-based compounds can take up the cationic aluminium complex, leading to promising aluminium batteries.
Two-terminal monolithic all-perovskite tandem solar cells are attractive due to their flexible nature and low-cost fabrication. Here the authors develop a process to obtain high-quality Sn–Pb perovskite thin films by incorporating chlorine. Such layers are employed to fabricate 20.7%-efficient tandem cells with 80 h operational stability.
Wakes from upwind wind farms can reduce energy generation at downwind farms. Here, using power production data and atmospheric simulations, researchers quantify the economic impacts of wakes, explain the physics of wake variability and highlight that no legal framework exists to protect downwind farms.
A natural field experiment found that real-time feedback on energy consumption while showering led to an 11.4% reduction in energy use in a random sample of hotel guests, demonstrating the potential for activity-specific feedback as a cost-effective and scalable conservation strategy.
Multilateral development banks are known to finance a significant number of new power plants in low-income countries, and have been pushing for more renewables. Here, researchers build a bottom-up dataset of more than 800 projects from 10 banks to quantify the extent to which these banks have greened their portfolios.
Metallic dendrite growth of metal anodes is a major concern in developing next-generation metal-ion batteries. Here the authors develop a cross-linked polyethylenimine as a metal host that enables electrokinetic effects for uniform metal deposition.
Although rigid silicon panels dominate the solar power market, they are unsuitable for niche applications such as portable charging or drones, where thin-film and flexible technologies would be advantageous. This Analysis examines the needs of niche markets and the packaging weights that would be required to enable such photovoltaic devices to enter them.
A decrease in the cost of renewable energy is often attributed to technological learning. This study uses 18 years of data from 133 renewable energy projects in Germany, alongside practitioner interviews, to find that changing financing costs, not just technology, are responsible for a significant cost decrease.
Contaminants such as CO2 and H2S present in natural gas and biogas streams must be removed before use; existing strategies to do so can be rather complex. Here, the authors use a fluorinated porous metal–organic framework to remove CO2 and H2S from CH4-rich feeds in a single step, potentially simplifying the process.
Solid oxide fuel cells are most commercially viable when run at low temperatures, but this makes it challenging to achieve high performance with hydrocarbon fuels. Here the authors report a fuel cell running at 500 °C on nearly dry methane that incorporates a Ni–Ru–CeO2-based reforming catalyst, achieving high power densities and coking resistance.
Reducing the severity of the conditions required to synthesize ammonia would increase the viability of its use as a carbon-free energy carrier. Here the authors use metal imides to mediate ammonia production via a two-step chemical looping process that operates under mild conditions.
Porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can be used as sorbents in water-adsorption-driven chillers, but are currently limited in terms of stability and efficiency. Here the authors present a chemically and mechanically stable zirconium carboxylate MOF with a high coefficient of performance for refrigeration.
Germany is the first major country to pursue an energy transition based on decentralized renewables. This Analysis finds that news media coverage of the ‘Energiewende’ in the United Kingdom, Finland and Hungary focuses on techno-economics, but normative assessments reflect local visions of a good society.
Materials design rules play a key role in enabling high performance in organic photovoltaics. Here the authors achieve 12.25% efficiency on 1 cm2 non-fullerene solar cells by tuning the side chains’ branching point and the fluorine substitutions in donor and acceptor materials.