Battery Forum (Volta Foundation)’s Post

I want to highlight a critical development in the field of energy and technology: the recovery of lithium. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes lithium as essential for energy independence and advancing clean energy technologies, so lithium's significance extends far beyond its commercial value. It is pivotal for the United States' shift towards a greener economy and technological innovation. Efficient and sustainable recovery methods are crucial for reducing reliance on imported resources and ensuring this vital element's steady, reliable supply. I am excited to present our latest study, which delves into reviewing groundbreaking methods for lithium recovery. Our research have reviewed innovative approaches that enhance the efficiency and environmental impact of lithium extraction processes. This work supports broader energy security and technological progress goals by contributing to a more sustainable supply chain. Explore our findings and see how these advancements could shape the future of energy and technology. Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/emCGX2xB Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Burcu Beykal , Dr. Jeffrey McCutcheon, Dr. Baikun Li; Dr. Pei Xu; Deniz İpekçi, Wenjun Xiang, Zachary Stoll for publishing this work. #LithiumRecovery #SustainableEnergy #CleanTech #Research #Innovation #DOE #EnergyTransition

“Hydrogen will play a crucial role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, enable the at-scale transport of energy to resource-constrained regions, and enable a clean and resilient energy system.” (Source: Hydrogen Council) With the hydrogen project pipeline increasingly growing worldwide, organizations across the energy industry from governments to system regulators to utilities to investors, will all need insight into the complex challenges and questions the emerging hydrogen economy will bring. 👂 Hear how Duncan Matthews, PhD Researcher at University College Cork, utilized PLEXOS to create a global model of an integrated electricity and hydrogen system to look at what future trade flows of a hydrogen commodity could look like under different cost scenarios. ⬇️ Learn how PLEXOS enables you to perform the necessary analysis to make critical investment, policy, and operational decisions: https://bit.ly/3OtAceW #PLEXOS #HydrogenEconomy #HydrogenModeling #SectorCoupling #Hydrogen

The positive news on the negative pole. Below's graph of International Energy Agency (IEA) on the global distribution of the global battery supply chain pops up now and then on socia media (thanks Martien Visser for sharing recently on X). Not a nice picture, at least if you are for European and American access to batteries for electrification and product innovation. Especially access to anodes (or the negative pole of the battery) looks quite at risk. Even more so if you realise that energy density and power of batteries is determined by limitations of this electrode. That's also the good news, as European and American scale ups are finding innovative ways to improve anode material, and thus the performance of batteries. If production of anodes can be done (for example with LeydenJar's pure silicon anodes) in the USA or Europe, we could leapfrog and reset the rules of the game (or graphs of the International Energy Agency (IEA) for that matter)

The US #energy landscape is still dominated by fossil fuels, with the #transportation and industrial sectors accounting for almost ¾ of all end-use power consumption. Five emerging key technologies have the potential to accelerate #cleanenergy transition in the US—(i) the pairing of a material called perovskite with silicon to create a more efficient #solar cell; (ii) novel solutions to lower the energy cost of carbon capture; (iii) energy storage systems using abundant metals and water-based chemistry for excellent cycle life and safety; (iv) improvements in containing, pressurizing, and liquefying #hydrogen for storage and transportation; and (v) automating electrical grid control with algorithms leveraging #artificialintelligence. 🟠 READ https://buff.ly/3uAIkn1 #SDG7 #SDG9 #SDG13 Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Sang Cheol Kim, Noa Ronkin

🌟 ITONICS Weak-ly Signals: Your Weekly Dose of Insight and Inspiration 🌟 Weak signals are the early indicators of change—often the first signs of emerging trends or shifts in technology. Each week, we dive deep into a theme and related tech trends, providing you with actionable insights automatically detected by our horizon-scanning tool, ITONICS Insights. 📈 Recent Energy Trends: • Hydrogen Storage: For the last half year, interest surged by +191.23%. Notably, we see increasing commercial use of hydrogen. For instance, Toyoda Gosei's high-pressure hydrogen tanks are now being employed on passenger ships. • Redox Flow Batteries: Over the last few months, we have seen increasing interest in redox flow batteries, increasing by 205,29%. We found a revolutionary grid-scale saltwater battery application, utilizing a unique, non-toxic natural saltwater electrolyte and making it safer and more eco-friendly. • We also see an increase in interest in Aquifer Thermal Storage (ATES). ATES stores heat or cold in underground aquifers for seasonal energy needs. The increasing interest is driven, for instance, by innovation in thermophotovoltaic cells, recovering 44% of electricity from heat storage. Second, in Finland, a groundbreaking sand battery, capable of storing 100 MWh of thermal energy, is set to revolutionize district heating and reduce emissions by nearly 70%. • Solid Oxide Electrolyzers (SOE): In contrast to the other trends, we see a significant decline in interest in SOE. Peaking at the beginning of 2024, the topic has lost interest in the last few months. However, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Columbia University have developed an efficient catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction. The real-world test showed the catalyst to be about four times better than the state-of-the-art, pathing the further way of green hydrogen. What trends should we monitor next? Comment below with your suggestions! 👉 Don’t miss out on what’s new and next. Contact us for a demo and start receiving real-time alerts on the trends that matter to you: https://hubs.ly/Q02N7s9b0 #Innovation #HorizonScanning #energy #greenhydrogen #batteries

In this issue we’re looking at batteries — specifically, what it will take for sodium-ion batteries to displace their lithium-ion counterparts for certain purposes as the demand for batteries skyrockets. Lithium-ion batteries have many advantages, like packing a lot of energy into relatively small and light spaces. But lithium can be expensive and difficult to get. Sodium-ion batteries, meanwhile, are bigger and heavier, but sodium is one of the most plentiful resources on earth. Given the competing advantages, will sodium-ion batteries become the default option in situations where size and weight are not key factors? Read on to find out. Also in this issue: Researchers have figured out a method of removing carbon from the air that creates green hydrogen in the process; excess power from home solar panels and EVs could be harnessed to power the grid; and artificial intelligence — which has proved itself to be excellent at manufacturing false information — is now debunking conspiracy theories. Read our latest newsletter for more. Image by: Ian Lyman/Midjourney https://lnkd.in/gvXEnMfE

The Clean Hydrogen Innovation Programme (CHIP) has launched its first innovation projects aimed at addressing critical challenges in the #hydrogen supply chain. The first three projects will evaluate the current state of hydrogen #compressors in the #UK market, conduct a cost-benefit analysis of hydrogen #purification, and assess the economic and carbon implications of hydrogen #distribution and buffer #storage.   Established in 2023, CHIP is a multi-year Joint Industry Programme, led by The Carbon Trust in collaboration with Levidian, National Gas Transmission, ScottishPower, and SSE plc, focused on delivering the technological advancements needed to accelerate the development of the midstream #cleanhydrogen sector. CHIP is also supported by the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security & Net Zero.    CHIP’s overarching objective is to support the development of clean hydrogen initiatives characterised by tens of megawatts (MW) of production capacity, with a focus on connecting multiple producers and off-takers across the supply chain. To meet this objective, CHIP targets the hydrogen industry’s midstream infrastructure – the infrastructure between where hydrogen is produced and where it is needed. This includes the distribution network, storage, and means of transporting hydrogen. Read the full story ⬇️

National Conference on Nanomaterials for Energy Storage 2024 (NanoMatEs2024), 19-20 April 2024

LONGi was honored to participate in the United Nations Workshop on "Climate Technologies: Innovation for Industrial Sustainability" on July 10th. Eric Luo, Vice President of LONGi Group and President of LONGi North America Business Center, represented us during the panel discussion, emphasizing our commitment to climate innovation and industrial sustainability. As a frontrunner in solar technology, we are dedicated to leveraging technological advancements to support the global energy transition. Our crystalline silicon cells achieve an efficiency of up to 26.81%, with our R&D team continuously pushing for further advancements. Additionally, we have established a long-term supply agreement with Ferroglobe PLC, a premier silicon material supplier, to ensure a reliable and traceable supply chain. Our participation in this United Nations event provided an opportunity to highlight our technological prowess, reaffirm our standing as a global leader in sustainable innovation, and demonstrate our dedication to driving the world toward a brighter, shared future. #LONGi #LONGiEvents #un #unitednations #solar #LONGisolar #solarpv #renewableenergy #cleanenergy #climatechange

As #hydrogentechnologies, particularly electrolyzers and fuel cells, strive to achieve technological maturity and cost-effectiveness, accelerating innovation and scaling production is paramount. Overcoming these challenges requires significant investment in advanced research to develop cutting-edge materials and technologies that enhance performance and durability, scale up production to realize economies of scale, and foster collaboration between industry, academia, and government entities to drive innovation. In this context, #VSParticle is uniquely positioned to make a substantial impact. Our mission focuses on enabling the development of advanced nanomaterials that can enhance the performance and efficiency of electrolyzers. By refining critical catalysts, VSParticle not only helps to lower production cost but also increases energy output, making hydrogen technologies more viable and sustainable. This is crucial for creating next-generation solutions that have the potential to revolutionize industries ranging from energy storage to catalysis. It aligns perfectly with the broader goals of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiative. 👉Click here to learn about VSParticle's goal to supply tools for research market and mass production: https://lnkd.in/dtbspAEn