Perovskite solar cells based on down-conversion materials
An international research group has assessed the potential of down-conversion materials to overcome the poor blue response of solar cells. They analyzed how such materials could be used to improve the performance of perovskite-based devices and found that certain advances might be achieved.
Hinduja Group invests in UK second-life battery storage specialist
India’s Hinduja Group has invested GBP 15 million ($18.4 million) with four other investors in Connected Energy, a developer of energy storage systems based on second-life electric vehicle batteries.
Automatically generated databases for perovskite, dye-sensitized solar cells
University of Cambridge scientists have created new databases for dye-sensitized and perovskite cells, respectively. They used the ChemDataExtractor text-mining toolkit to collect the data.
Harvard, Cambridge scientists improve durabiliy of redox flow batteries with anthraquinone
A research team has used a molecule known as 2,6-dihydroxy-anthraquinone (DHAQ) to improve the durability of organic aqueous redox flow batteries. They claim the molecule enables a net lifetime that is 17 times longer than past research has shown.
Femtosecond lasers for high-efficiency organic PV
UK scientists have developed a process using laser and x-ray pulses to observe what happens in the initial fractions of a second after light hits a solar cell. By applying the technique to various organic PV materials, they expect to gain insights that could quickly the improve the efficiency of such materials.
The Hydrogen Stream: Project to produce hydrogen from waste plastic takes shape in the UK
In other news, Plug Power revealed plans to build a 35-ton-per-day green hydrogen generation plant at Belgium’s Port of Antwerp-Bruges and UK researchers developed an artificial leaf device made from bismuth oxyiodide that is able to harvest sunlight to produce hydrogen fuels.
UK council plans MW-sized solar canopy linked to storage, EV recharging
The project, planned at a council-owned commercial development, is expected to be connected to 2 MW of storage.
Redox flow battery based on ion-sieving sulfonated polymer membranes
UK scientists have designed a new type of aqueous organic redox flow battery based on ion-exchange membranes made of a polymer of intrinsic microporosity. The battery showed a very low-capacity decay rate of 0.0335% per day for 2,100 charge-discharge cycles.
UK offers households up to $7,500 off heat pump costs
Homes and small businesses in England and Wales will be able to claim a discount off installation costs from a fund that will allocate $188 million annually as part of the subsidy program.
The Hydrogen Stream: Novel tech for extracting hydrogen gas from liquid carriers
North Carolina State University (NCSU) has developed an energy-efficient strategy for room-temperature hydrogen release from liquid hydrogen carriers, which uses less rhodium. Elsewhere in the world, Airbus launched its Zero Emission Development Centre in the UK, Toshiba ESS teamed up with Fusion Fuel to target Australian and European markets, and Corfo signed agreements to finance three renewable hydrogen projects with GNL Quintero, iCAP, and Air Liquide in Chile.
