Aqueous polysulfide-based flow batteries hold promise for large-scale energy storage, yet their sluggish reaction kinetics constrain practical applications. Lei et al. develop a bio-inspired molecular catalyst that expedites the reduction of polysulfides, thereby leading to high-performance flow batteries that operate at rates close to practical needs.

See Lu et al.

Battery production is energy-intensive, and its efficiency is paramount. In a techno-economic analysis, Degen et al. suggest that post-lithium-ion batteries are more efficient to produce than their conventional counterparts, and upcoming technological innovations and evolving market dynamics are poised to further reduce energy consumption.

See Degen et al.

Placing power lines underground (undergrounding) may reduce risk of power line-ignited wildfires, but it can come with disproportionately high costs for some neighbourhoods. Wang et al. propose an income-based cost-allocation scheme to minimize and more equitably disperse the costs of power line undergrounding.

See Rajapogal et al.

Renewable energy siting regulations are often created at the local level, meaning district-level ordinances may impact wind and solar power developments. Lopez et al. identify wind and solar ordinances across the United States and spatially model the impact that setbacks — which dictate the required distance from property — have on land availability for the development of renewables.

See Lopez et al.

Subsidized energy assistance programs are typically undersubscribed, so enhancing the peer referral process is of growing importance. Wolske et al. find that simplifying the referral process and appealing to reciprocity could increase solar contracts among qualifying low-income households in California.

See Wolske et al.

Adding lithium to negative electrodes before the cell formation (prelithiation) can enhance the performance of lithium-ion batteries. Yang et al. develop a three-step prelithiation process that consists of prefabricating active materials, transfer-printing, and electrolyte filling, leading to much-improved battery capacities and cyclabilities.

See Yang et al.

Green hydrogen may play an important role in future energy systems, but demonstrations of solar-driven hydrogen-producing devices have largely been small in scale. Holmes-Gentle et al. build – and test under real-world conditions – a kilowatt-scale pilot plant that makes use of concentrated sunlight for hydrogen co-generation and heat.

See Holmes-Gentle et al. and News and Views by Deutsch

Unplugged oil and gas wells present both environmental and financial risks and so plugging and abandoning (P&Aing) them is of growing importance. Agerton et al. estimate that the cost to P&A all 14,000 unplugged, non-producing oil and gas wells in the US Gulf of Mexico offshore waters, inland waters and wetlands is US$30 billion.

See Agerton et al.

Windows are one of the least energy-efficient parts of buildings because of the trade-off between transparency and thermal insulation. Abraham et al. develop a transparent cellulose-based aerogel that can be inserted inside multi-pane glazings or retrofit existing ones to reduce heat loss through the window.

See Abraham et al. and Research Briefing

Lithium penetrating electrolytes is a common cause of short-circuiting in batteries but its mechanism is elusive. This study conducts scanning electron microscopy experiments where tungsten microprobes are brought into contact with the solid electrolyte surface revealing that nanoscale cracks can initiate the lithium propagation inside the electrolyte.

See McConohy et al. and Research Briefing

Oxygen redox in battery cathodes is often accompanied by oxygen loss from the oxide lattice, leading to severe cathode degradation. Cai et al. reconstruct the oxide surface to suppress the release of oxygen (pink spheres) without affecting the transport across the cathode of lithium ions (green spheres).

See Cai et al.

Despite their potential for reducing domestic electricity bills, solar panels are not typically considered an option for low-income households. This study reports the lived experiences and changing practices over ten months of seven social-housing tenants who were given solar panels and navigated how to become solar-power prosumers.

See Fox and News & Views by Middlemiss