Inspired by an American fern, researchers have developed a groundbreaking prototype that could be the answer to the storage challenge still holding solar back as a total energy solution.
The new type of electrode created by RMIT University researchers could boost the capacity of existing integrable storage technologies by 3000 per cent.
But the graphene-based prototype also opens a new path to the development of flexible thin film all-in-one solar capture and storage, bringing us one step closer to self-powering smart phones, laptops, cars and buildings.
The new electrode is designed to work with supercapacitors, which can charge and discharge power much faster than conventional batteries. Supercapacitors have been combined with solar, but their wider use as a storage solution is restricted because of their limited capacity.
RMIT’s Professor Min Gu said the new design drew on nature’s own genius solution to the challenge of filling a space in the most efficient way possible – through intricate self-repeating patterns known as “fractals”.
“The leaves of the western swordfern are densely crammed with veins, making them extremely efficient for storing energy and transporting water around the plant,” said Gu, Leader of the Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence Nanophotonics and Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship at RMIT.
“Our electrode is based on these fractal shapes – which are self-replicating, like the mini structures within snowflakes – and we’ve used this naturally-efficient design to improve solar energy storage at a nano level.
“The immediate application is combining this electrode with supercapacitors, as our experiments have shown our prototype can radically increase their storage capacity – 30 times more than current capacity limits.
“Capacity-boosted supercapacitors would offer both long-term reliability and quick-burst energy release – for when someone wants to use solar energy on a cloudy day for example – making them ideal alternatives for solar power storage.”
Combined with supercapacitors, the fractal-enabled laser-reduced graphene electrodes can hold the stored charge for longer, with minimal leakage. The fractal design reflected the self-repeating shape of the veins of the western swordfern, Polystichum munitum, native to western North America.
Lead author, PhD researcher Litty Thekkekara, said because the prototype was based on flexible thin film technology, its potential applications were countless.
“The most exciting possibility is using this electrode with a solar cell, to provide a total on-chip energy harvesting and storage solution,” Thekkekara said.
“We can do that now with existing solar cells but these are bulky and rigid. The real future lies in integrating the prototype with flexible thin film solar – technology that is still in its infancy.
“Flexible thin film solar could be used almost anywhere you can imagine, from building windows to car panels, smart phones to smart watches. We would no longer need batteries to charge our phones or charging stations for our hybrid cars.
“With this flexible electrode prototype we’ve solved the storage part of the challenge, as well as shown how they can work with solar cells without affecting performance. Now the focus needs to be on flexible solar energy, so we can work towards achieving our vision of fully solar-reliant, self-powering electronics.”
Learn more: Bio-inspired energy storage: a new light for solar power
[osd_subscribe categories=’solar-energy-storage’ placeholder=’Email Address’ button_text=’Subscribe Now for any new posts on the topic “SOLAR ENERGY STORAGE”‘]
The Latest on: Solar energy storage
[google_news title=”” keyword=”solar energy storage” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Solar energy storage
- IEA calls for sixfold expansion of global energy storage capacityon April 26, 2024 at 9:04 am
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued its first report on the importance of battery energy storage technology in the energy transition. It has found that tripling renewable energy capacity ...
- Green Energy Expo 2024: Sungrow Unveils its Innovative Solar-Plus-Storage Solutions to Facilitate South Korea's Energy Transitionon April 26, 2024 at 7:38 am
Sungrow, the global leading PV inverter and energy storage system provider, showcased its cutting-edge solar-plus-storage solutions in the Green Energy Expo 2024. The solutions are designed to cater ...
- 6,000-acre solar energy and storage facility opens near Buckeyeon April 26, 2024 at 6:01 am
A 6,000-acre solar energy and storage facility is now operational in the far West Valley near Buckeye. Here's what to know.
- NV Energy aims to reduce customer costs, save energy with new solar battery storage facilityon April 25, 2024 at 5:17 pm
Ahead of the summer season, NV Energy is launching the largest power storage system of its kind in the state. Channel 13's Geneva Zoltek has more.
- ‘Critically important’: New Nevada facility aims to boost solar energyon April 25, 2024 at 3:52 pm
In the Nevada desert about an hour away from Las Vegas, there are 208 large batteries that can bring solar energy to the night. The batteries are located at the Reid Gardner Battery Energy Storage ...
- DOE eases environmental review requirements for transmission, storage, and solar projectson April 25, 2024 at 12:19 pm
DOE said it is taking these steps to reduce the cost and time for environmental analysis incurred by DOE, project developers, and the public for projects.
- 6 deals that show PE’s warm feeling for solar energyon April 25, 2024 at 10:20 am
Solar energy has been at the center of many firms’ investment theses. We feature six recent investments that show PE’s warm feelings for solar energy and other related services, such as battery ...
- California set for solar, storage surge in zonal grid planon April 25, 2024 at 5:05 am
California identifies key development zones in its latest grid plan that will intensify competition and help whittle out speculative projects, market experts said.
- Indian startup develops sand-based gravity energy storage systemon April 25, 2024 at 12:30 am
Baud Resources, a clean-tech startup, has developed a gravity energy storage mechanism that uses locally available materials such as sand and industrial waste as its payload. The company is building a ...
via Bing News