US Department of Energy

New Class of Cobalt-Free Cathodes for Next-Gen Lithium-Ion Batteries

Researchers have developed a new family of cathodes with the potential to replace the costly cobalt-based cathodes typically found in today's lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles and consumer electronics.

Transparent Electronics: $20 Billion Market Comes into Sight

The new IDTechEx report, "Transparent Electronics Materials, Applications, Markets 2021-2041" describes a market that will be well above $20 billion in 2041 with a substantial possible upside.

First Solar's Photovoltaic Technology Completes 25 Years of Testing

Determining how many years a solar panel will last can take, well, years. Intended to function for 25 years or more, solar panels must be made to withstand the elements. In some cases, panels continue working well after their planned operational lifetime.

IDTechEx Assesses 5 Significant Electric Vehicle Opportunities in 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused 2020 to become the pivotal year as the automotive industry goes through a once in a hundred-year transformation.

A Defect-resistant Superalloy for 3D Printing

In recent years, it has become possible to use laser beams and electron beams to "print" engineering objects that have complex shapes that could not be achieved by conventional manufacturing routes. The additive manufacturing process, known widely as 3D printing, for metallic materials involves melting and fusing fine-scale powder particles — each about ten times finer than a grain of local beach sand — in sub-millimeter-scale "pools" created by focusing a laser or electron beam on the material.

New Machine Learning Tool Tracks Urban Traffic Congestion

A new machine learning algorithm is poised to help urban transportation analysts relieve bottlenecks and chokepoints that routinely snarl city traffic.

Funding for Hydrokinetic Turbine Development

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced $35 million in funding for 11 projects as part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy's Submarine Hydrokinetic And Riverine Kilo-megawatt Systems program. Teams will develop new economically competitive Hydrokinetic Turbines designs for tidal and riverine currents.

Improving High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries with Carbon Filler

Lithium-ion batteries are the major rechargeable power source for many portable devices as well as electric vehicles, but their use is limited, because they do not provide high power output while simultaneously allowing reversible energy storage.

Solid Power

Solid Power is a spin-out from the University of Colorado Boulder developing sulfide-based all solid-state batteries (ASSB) and has been in operation since 2014.

Verdant Power Tidal Turbines Deployed in New York City's East River

Verdant Power has installed an array of three tidal power turbines at its Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project site in the East River. The deployment came as the first US licensed tidal power project.

Thermochromic Window Reduces Need for Air Con, Generates Electricity

Scientists report a breakthrough in developing a next-generation thermochromic window that not only reduces the need for air conditioning but simultaneously generates electricity.

Opus 12

Opus 12 is a green technology start-up company developing methods for catalytically converting carbon dioxide into chemicals and fuels, with the aim of reducing the carbon footprints of the world's heaviest emitters while creating a new revenue stream from what is discarded today as a waste product. In October 2020, IDTechEx Senior Technology Analyst Dr Michael Dent spoke with Etosha Cave, COO and co-founder of Opus 12.

Longest Operating Current Energy Converter

ORPC has concluded summer inspection and maintenance of its RivGen device, re-deployed it and resumed operations sending power to the Igiugig, Alaska, community grid. The project has achieved over 7 million revolutions of the marine hydrokinetic turbine to produce power during its 10 months of operation.

Untapped Potential Exists for Blending Hydropower, Floating PV

Hybrid systems of floating solar panels and hydropower plants may hold the technical potential to produce a significant portion of the electricity generated annually across the globe.

AI and autonomy for chemistry and materials science (Part 2)

IDTechEx attended 2 leading conferences on the impact of AI and autonomy for chemistry and materials science, from both R&D to production.

AI and autonomy for chemistry and materials science (Part 1)

IDTechEx attended 2 leading conferences on the impact of AI and autonomy for chemistry and materials science, from both R&D to production.

Lux Semiconductors

Lux Semiconductors are an early stage company that have developed a patent pending system-on-foil platform that enables flexible silicon ICs to be directly produced on flexible substrates.

Machine Learning Reduces Hazards in Nuclear Power Plants

The application of machine learning with simulation data will provide additional possibilities for field engineers to more accurately assess the hazards for their specific plant. Field conditions are typically not the same as data set conditions. Machine learning models developed in this research will be able to rapidly translate what the appropriate hazard event conditions are for the given field conditions.

Electroimpact

Electroimpact are the largest integrators of aircraft assembly lines. In 2020, they showcased their developed of a continuous fiber 3D printer. IDTechEx spoke with Cody Brown (Project Manager).

Forge Nano

Forge Nano are developing atomic layer deposition techniques and tools for coatings various materials, including catalysts and powders for additive manufacturing but with a particular focus on Li-ion electrodes.