Energy Storage

Making a biocell that is as effective as a platinum fuel cell: that's the feat that researchers have achieved. Three years after making their first prototype biocell, the researchers have just reached a new milestone and increased its performance and stability.

Researchers have developed for the first time a lithium-ion battery that uses a water-salt solution as its electrolyte and reaches the 4.0 volt mark desired for household electronics, such as laptop computers, without the fire and explosive risks associated with some commercially available non-aqueous lithium-ion batteries.

With over two months to go until the IDTechEx Show! at the Santa Clara Convention Center on November 15 - 16, over 90% of the exhibit space is already sold. The event brings together the hottest emerging technologies including materials, components and systems with end users, who seek to use these technologies to differentiate their products through greater capability.

Silicon - the second most abundant element in the earth's crust - shows great promise in Li-ion batteries, according to new research.

Let us be more ambitious and look at elimination of all energy storage.

Researchers have developed a recipe that can turn electrolyte solution — a key component of most batteries — into a safeguard against the chemical process that leads to battery-related disasters.

Off-grid power has been in decline. Widely seeing it as the poor man's option, users have aspired to get beyond it to the more secure, "troublefree" world of on-grid - or so they believed.

An international research team has developed high-tech yarns that generate electricity when they are stretched or twisted.

This article works through the issues facing the development of thermoelectric harvesting, including high power, modular thermoelectric technology and turnkey thermoelectric generators.

Researchers have found a solution for one of the biggest stumbling blocks preventing zinc-air batteries from overtaking conventional lithium-ion batteries as the power source of choice in electronic devices.

Supercapacitors promise recharging of phones and other devices in seconds and minutes as opposed to hours for batteries. But current technologies are not usually flexible, have insufficient capacities, and for many their performance quickly degrades with charging cycles.

Most of the lithium used to make the lithium-ion batteries that power modern electronics comes from Australia and Chile. But Stanford scientists say there are large deposits in sources in America: supervolcanoes.

IDTechEx's free, expert led webinars provide up-to-date insights on the latest emerging technology trends. You can now access these at a time that suits you, for up to one month.

The rapid development of wearable technology has received another boost from a new development using graphene for printed electronic devices.

Researchers in China have engineered bendable batteries that can run on body-inspired liquids such as normal IV saline solution and cell-culture medium.

Tesla is riding high and Elon Musk has proved right in almost all respects, with his company valued up with the top three auto companies despite Tesla's output being a tiny percentage of theirs. One of the reasons is his record orderbook for pure electric vehicles recognised to be the future.

The Battery Innovation Center has announced BrightVolt as a substantial new partner.

Researchers have developed the next step in microbial fuel cells: a battery activated by spit that can be used in extreme conditions where normal batteries don't function.

IDTechEx forecasts no let up in the growth of the global lithium-ion battery market even in 2027. These batteries are now steadily replacing lead acid in its last strongholds such as mobility vehicles for the disabled, fork lift trucks, golf carts and cars though there is a long way to go in each case.

Dr Richard Collins & Dr David Pugh discuss the latest EV developments on this weeks IDTechEx #TechRoundUp