Nature Energy, Published online: 09 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02128-0

A heat-driven elastocaloric cooling system is demonstrated in which two shape memory alloys perform complementary roles: one converts heat into mechanical work, while the other converts that work into cooling. This approach offers a pathway to electricity-minimized solid-state cooling using abundant low-grade heat sources.

Nature Energy, Published online: 08 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02142-2

Evaporation-driven electricity generation can utilize the abundant thermal energy in the atmosphere, but is limited by ion scattering in the energy-harvesting material. Machine learning has now enabled the design of vertical microrod generators that achieve quasi-ballistic ion transport, boosting the power density and power conversion efficiency.

Nature Energy, Published online: 08 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02134-2

Effective clean technology (cleantech) policies, such as subsidies and carbon pricing, require an understanding of how interventions shape environmental and socioeconomic outcomes. To support targeted, evidence-based policy design, we discuss how causal machine learning can compare alternative policy scenarios and reveal where, how and for whom cleantech policies work.

Nature Energy, Published online: 01 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02113-7

Reactive capture of CO2 integrates capture and conversion, bypassing regeneration and potentially simplifying upstream–downstream process integration, but its deployment readiness is unclear. In this Perspective the authors argue that reactive capture of CO2 could be industrially viable at present levels of selectivity and voltage if stability and scale barriers are addressed.

Nature Energy, Published online: 28 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02122-6

Elastocaloric cooling in shape memory alloy films is efficient but limited by electrically powered actuators. Here the authors demonstrate a heat-driven system that achieves a temperature span of up to 12.9 K (4.0 K at device level), showing that waste heat can be used for electricity-minimized cooling.

Nature Energy, Published online: 25 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02131-5

Cell-to-cell inconsistency is a key barrier to realizing full performance in electric vehicle batteries. Using large-scale real-world fleet data, the researchers quantify its impact and show considerable losses in battery health, pack lifetime, power capability and usable energy.

Nature Energy, Published online: 20 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02112-8

Lattice-oxygen redox can raise the energy density of layered oxide cathodes, but poor reversibility causes structural degradation and capacity loss. Here the authors use iron as a bulk redox mediator to boost oxygen-redox reversibility and stabilize high-energy sodium-ion batteries.

Nature Energy, Published online: 18 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02101-x

A major challenge for indoor photovoltaics is the absence of harmonized testing protocols, standards, and shared performance benchmarks. This Consensus Statement outlines recommended practices for testing and reporting device performance, power, efficiency and stability.

Nature Energy, Published online: 05 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02125-3

The performance of perovskite/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 tandem solar cells is limited by optical and electronic losses at the interfaces between layers. By engineering two of these interfaces, Zeng, Wang, Tang et al. achieve a certified efficiency of 30.57% and improved device stability.

Nature Energy, Published online: 04 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02121-7

Including the costs of charging infrastructure in a European energy system model reveals that unidirectional smart charging delivers up to 4.5% in annual system cost savings, whereas bidirectional charging technology generates substantial market revenues in solar-dominated systems. Thus, charging infrastructure targets should account for differences across diverse national energy systems.

Nature Energy, Published online: 31 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02118-2

Low-frequency electrochemical responses in lithium-ion battery electrodes are widely interpreted as signatures of solid-state lithium diffusion. Here the authors show that electrolyte penetration in porous cathode particles can generate similar diffusion-like behaviour independent of bulk diffusion.

Nature Energy, Published online: 27 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02106-6

Converting plastic waste into jet fuel could help decarbonize aviation, but upcycling routes often require high pressures and long reaction times. New research demonstrates that catalysts based on atomically-dispersed Ru atoms on oxide supports can rapidly convert waste plastics into jet fuel components under mild conditions.

Nature Energy, Published online: 27 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02117-3

Evaporation-driven power generators are often limited by non-directional fluid flow, which reduces their efficiency. Guided by machine learning, Wu et al. developed a vertical microrod generator that improves ion transport, increasing efficiency and power density.

Nature Energy, Published online: 24 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02116-4

The interconnected recombination layer is key to advance perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. Cao et al. show that titanium oxynitride reconciles the requirements for recombination layers, improving the efficiency and stability for tandem solar cells and modules.

Nature Energy, Published online: 23 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02115-5

Solid oxide-ion conductors are essential for high-temperature electrochemical technologies, yet few materials maintain sufficient ion mobility at lower temperatures, where degradation is reduced and a broader range of materials can be used for auxiliary components. Here the authors introduce Aurivillius-type thin-film conductors that form periodic fast ion channels and achieve promising conductivity at 350 °C.

Nature Energy, Published online: 21 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02110-w

Identifying future winning energy technologies is increasingly important as governments design green industrial policy. By evaluating technology characteristics, policymakers can strategically pick winning technologies that deliver both global cost-competitiveness and domestic economic payoffs.

Nature Energy, Published online: 17 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02092-9

The rapid growth of electric vehicles is creating a surge of end-of-life batteries. This Review evaluates current recycling methods, their suitability for emerging chemistries and the practical challenges for scaling a circular battery industry.

Nature Energy, Published online: 16 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02044-3

Stack pressure strongly influences degradation pathways in lithium-ion batteries, yet its optimal value remains poorly understood. Now, a high-precision stack pressure control and dilatometry system reveals an optimal pressure window that suppresses key degradation pathways and doubles battery lifetime.

Nature Energy, Published online: 16 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02109-3

Decarbonized grids may face rising resource adequacy risks as weather-driven renewable variability and climate change jointly affect supply and demand. A high-resolution model shows that these risks stem from multi-day power shortfalls and system design, but can be reduced through region-specific, climate-informed siting and transmission planning.

Nature Energy, Published online: 14 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02119-1

Author Correction: Thin membranes with Cu-ion crosslinking for high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells