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Built to last: Hydrogen catalyst operates for 3,000 hours

21 August 2026 at 18:20
A research team has developed a highly durable platinum-nickel (PtNi) hydrogen evolution catalyst that suppresses nickel (Ni) leaching through atomic ordering. Nickel leaching is a major cause of performance degradation in catalysts used for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE). The findings are published in the journal Carbon Energy.

Coconut-blend fuel vs. jet fuel: Engines can't tell the difference, but the environment can

20 August 2026 at 17:00
With airlines and consumers increasingly concerned about carbon, nitrogen and hydrocarbon emissions, biofuels have emerged as a green alternative. Among these, those made from coconut oil are particularly attractive because they have fatty acid chain lengths similar to the hydrocarbon chain lengths required for jet fuel, suggesting they could make effective fuels with minimal processing.

Expert comment: New nuclear capacity won't fix today's energy problems

20 August 2026 at 15:00
The Fukushima nuclear disaster on March 11, 2011, triggered by a tsunami and leading to multiple reactor meltdowns, shook confidence in nuclear safety well beyond Japan. In Germany, it was a turning point: Chancellor Angela Merkel's government suspended nuclear power's earlier lifetime extensions and ultimately pursued a phase-out, with broad parliamentary support.

Flotation process recovers nearly 100% of silver during solar panel recycling

11 August 2026 at 14:40
Australia's growing mountain of solar panel waste could become far more valuable, with University of Newcastle researchers taking a major step toward making solar panel recycling economically sustainable. The team has successfully scaled up a process that recovers valuable silver from end-of-life solar panels, demonstrating almost 100% silver recovery during the world's first continuous pilot-scale flotation trial for solar-panel recycling.

Neutral salt layer could address one of perovskite solar cells' biggest drawbacks

11 August 2026 at 14:20
One of the most promising technologies is perovskite solar cells. They are highly efficient at converting sunlight into electricity, can be manufactured as thin and flexible devices, and require less energy and lower production costs than conventional silicon modules. However, their commercial adoption has long been limited by a fundamental challengeβ€”insufficient long-term stability when exposed to moisture, heat and oxygen.

Not all clean power cuts emissions equally: Timing and location determine impact

7 August 2026 at 14:00
On paper, a megawatt-hour is just a megawatt-hour; it will charge your phone or run your dishwasher the same way, regardless of the source. However, its value to, or impact on, the environment is not fixed. It depends almost entirely on what power plant it replaces. A new wind turbine only helps the climate and local air quality to the extent that it pushes a more polluting plant offline. If instead it is just competing with another clean energy source, the environmental benefit effectively disappears.

Low-power AI chip cuts drone identification energy use by 88.7%

6 August 2026 at 19:03
Doyeon Kim, an undergraduate researcher in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, has published a paper in an academic journal. The research focuses on implementing drone artificial intelligence (AI) identification technology through low-power semiconductors. This study could dramatically improve the battery efficiency of systems that monitor unauthorized drones in real time in military and industrial environments. The research is published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics.

Paste-and-laser strategy helps TOPCon solar cells reach 26.31% certified efficiency

6 August 2026 at 16:00
Improving the efficiency of solar cells is key to reducing the cost of solar power. Now, scientists have developed a new synergistic metallization strategy for tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells. The approach achieved a certified power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.31%, among the highest reported for this technology.

Silver-containing zeolite offers new route for separating fusion fuel isotopes

6 August 2026 at 15:20
Fusion power plants of the future will not only require extremely hot plasmas and strong magnetic fields but also a fuel cycle in which the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium can be recovered, separated and reused. Together with partners, a team from HZDR has now demonstrated a highly efficient method for separating hydrogen isotopes using a silver-containing zeolite.

Smarter, not thicker: Targeted cooling improves liquid-hydrogen tank insulation

31 July 2026 at 17:55
Hydrogen is increasingly viewed as a promising energy carrier because it stores large amounts of energy per unit mass and can support low-carbon energy systems when produced through low-emission pathways. Large-scale use, however, depends on storing and transporting it efficiently.

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