Understanding how to maximize sustainable energy is a vital first step in making the world a greener and more livable environment for all. Sustainable energy is on the rise, and for good reason. Mankind’s dependency on generated electricity continues to expand at an alarming rate. From ACs to electric cars, humans are power-hungry.
Given the exponential growth of society’s power needs, it shouldn’t be a huge surprise to learn that a growing number of groups are seeking ways to reduce, reuse, and lower wasted energy within the grid. The best options so far revolve around maximizing sustainable energy and reusing potential waste energy.
Maximize Sustainable Energy
Maximizing sustainable energy is a science that continues to expand daily. Engineers have been hard at work developing different ways to improve current systems or introduce new options. Here are some of the most exciting recent developments.
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Source – Pixabay
Heat Panels
Everyone has heard of solar panels, but have you seen heat panels? These devices integrate radiative cooling with thermoelectric generation to create power long after sunset. Stanford University engineers created the concept and are currently testing it.
The engineers were keen to create a power source that could capture solar heat and not require additional power sources to convert this energy into electricity. This solar heat provided the perfect self-replenishing energy source that could last for hours. Additionally, they wanted the tech to be something that integrates with current systems to provide full-time electricity.
The concept is currently in its testing phase, but the results show promise. The most recent test showed that the system is +120X more efficient than previous attempts. If successful, this technology could provide a way for all heat-generating locations to produce and reuse energy.
Their concept has a lot of pluses. Think of a motor generating electricity from its heat rather than an alternator. Heat is one of the largest by-products of electrical products, as such, capturing this lost energy should be a priority for all.
Artificial Photosynthesis
Plants can convert light directly into energy with minimal loss. This conversion has been a point of interest for sustainable energy engineers for decades. They believe that they can create artificial photosynthesis that mimics plants.
Unlike plants, these processes wouldn’t seek to create oxygen but rather a more combustible or reactive element that easily converts to energy. Multiple universities have conducted massive research projects to explore these concepts. Of them, Cambridge University appears to have found the most reasonable solution.
A team of engineers from the school altered the lab photosynthesis slightly to create a different byproduct. In nature, photosynthesis creates O2. In the upgrade process, CO2 and O2 are combined in a manner that creates formic acid. This approach makes sense as it’s easier to convert formic acid into hydrogen fuel.
To accomplish this task, the conversion introduces a catalyst that includes a mix of rare earth metals. This structure enables the process to scale up quickly to meet the needs of a community. In the future, you could see photocatalyst panels become the norm.
Use Natural Energy Sources
Photosynthesis is not the only way that mother nature can efficiently convert sunlight into energy. There are lots of lifeforms on Earth that use unique methods to capture and convert solar energy. Researchers have put forth considerable effort studying these mechanisms with the hopes of one day creating artificial versions or harnessing the systems in place.
A group of innovative engineers from the University of Massachusetts recently raised eyebrows after releasing a study showing that bacteria could be the next energy solution. The research explained how bacteria use biochemistry to create energy from their surroundings.
The study used the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens to generate power. The researchers altered the genetic and synthetic biology of the bacteria microbes to react to air. When air passes over the bacteria, a small electrical current is created.
Notably, the reaction occurs because the bacterium creates special protein nanowires. After learning this method, researchers were able to create a 7-micron thick nanowire mesh. Testing showed the mesh produced similar results to the bacteria when exposed to air. For anyone seeking sustainability, this development marks a major milestone.
Combine Technologies for Sustainable Energy
Another method of creating more sustainable energy with less room is to combine technologies. There are a lot of different methods to create sustainable energy, including harnessing the power of the sun, wind, heat, motion, and much more. Combining these methods provides a unique scenario when downtime or waste from one method can be used to feed another generation model.
A perfect example of this concept in action can be seen on the Mediterranean coastline. Anchored off the coast of Greece, researchers have put together a floating solar wind farm. The device is composed of modular square sections. These sections can be added or removed to fit the space, budget, or power requirements.
Each module is composed of an array of solar panels and four wind turbines. The device is designed to float off the coast where wind from the Mediterranean blows unobstructed yearly. Additionally, there is lots of sun in the region that combines with solar energy to create an effective multi-powered farm.
This technology could be improved further in the future. The most obvious integration would be with tidal power systems. These devices use waves to create motion that can be converted to electricity, making them the perfect addition to any floating power station in the future.
Better batteries
Another crucial way to get the most out of sustainable energy is to create better batteries. Battery technology is constantly being upgraded, and better solutions are being found. As better batteries appear, it provides a more effective way to store energy.
There are batteries under development that are lighter, charge faster, and store more than their predecessor. These systems could be the key to making energy generation systems that are in place today excel to the next level. Capturing and storing sustainable energy is one of the primary concerns for engineers seeking a greener tomorrow.
Making batteries lighter and with more capacity will greatly reduce electrical waste. Lower weight means more energy can go towards other tasks rather than lugging around the batey. Additionally, it means more batteries can fit into the same space.
New Artificial Materials
Battery technology has hit its stride with recent developments in AI and modeling, enabling engineers to test their concepts virtually and enhance their creations. Using new materials such as NanoBolt Lithium tungsten and zinc magnesium has proven to provide more efficiency and storage capabilities.
Notably, it’s not just capturing your energy which is a concern for engineers. It’s storing it safely. It doesn’t do any good to charge a battery, and then it bursts into flames or gets so hot that it’s not usable. These concerns have prompted even more innovation and the batteries of the future may last years on a single charge.
Sand Batteries
One innovative firm called Polar Night Energy introduced a sand battery recently that has the community’s attention. The system uses hot sand to store converted electricity as heat energy. This method integrates highly insulated containers that enable the sand to be heated to +1000 degrees.
This heat is stored in the sand and can be converted into other forms of energy when needed. This approach is ideal because sand is both abundant and not dangerous. Sand doesn’t explode like other battery mediums and it’s very inexpensive.
The concept of sand batteries is already in use, and the first commercial sand-based thermal energy storage operation is in Vaajakoski, Finland. The test battery features 100kW heating power and can hold 8MWh capacity.
Reusing Excess Energy Helps
Another method of reducing energy demand is by reusing excess energy whenever possible. There’s a lot of focus on capturing lost energy during conversion processes. For example, the lightbulb gave the world a glimpse into the night.
However, the original models were hugely inefficient, with heat loss being the biggest waste by-product. Engineers are keenly aware of these conversion losses and have put together some interesting methods to reduce their effect. Here are some of the most innovative methods in place today.
Bitcoin Miners
Bitcoin miners are experts in capturing waste energy. Multiple projects in the works help miners convert the heat from their operations into usable services such as heat for their homes, or to power other devices.
Bitcoin miners are notoriously hot as they are constantly running intensive computations that drive up their temperature. This heat causes the mining rigs to run less efficiently, drawing more electricity from the grid and producing more heat, and the cycle continues.
Savvy miners have begun to use this excess heat to lower their electric bills. The heat can be used to heat water-based home heaters. In some instances, the miners use the heat to power cooler parts of their operation directly. Save money and stack sats when you enhance sustainable energy by capturing its waste.
Companies Pioneering Sustainable Energy Reuse
There are some awesome projects in the world within the sustainable energy reuse sector. These companies push the boundaries of technology to create a brighter future for all. here are a few firms that have made energy sustainability and reuse a core component of their business model.
1. Kempower
The team from Kempower wants to make it easier to power the EV revolution. The company specializes in smart charging stations. These systems use advanced programs to ensure your batteries are charged fast and efficiently.
Kempower offers a fast-charge DC battery solution. These methods provide the needed replenishment times to operate fleets of electric passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and mobile work machines. In the future, the demand for these vehicles will rise significantly, and providing a reliable and effective storage solution positions Kempower for success.
The company offers both private and public charging stations. Interestingly, these stations can connect to your smart device so you can monitor your charge from anywhere. In the future, you may be able to send your vehicle to charge without even needing to have a charger onsite.
All Kempower stations integrate vivid touchscreens that make it easy to select the right options. Additionally, these units were built from day one to withstand the rugged outdoors. If you are in the market for an advanced smart charging system for your EVs, Kempower is a great place to start.
2. CSolPower LLC
Sandia National Labs is working with New Mexico-based CSolPower LLC to store energy using rocks. Much like the sand battery you learned about, this system stores electricity in the form of heat. Rather than sand, rocks are used. Both methods are affordable and easily stored.
In this system, rocks are heated up and stored hot. Air is blown over the rocks to capture and migrate heat energy when needed. This method enables engineers to store heat for days with minimal loss and convert it into electricity without risk of explosions or chemical issues.
Improving Energy Access for All
One of the main components of creating a more sustainable energy grid is providing equal opportunity for all to use the electricity created. Exploring new methods of storage and transmission, like sand batteries and floating solar/wind-powered barges, provides a better solution for developing nations.
These nations have the advantage that they didn’t make massive investments into outdated infrastructure like developed nations. As such, they can remain flexible and find the best sustainable energy solutions available.
Sustainability isn’t Optional
Soon, as power demands grow and the environment deteriorates, the science of reusing wasted energy to improve sustainability is set to expand rapidly. As such, all the projects here have exponential growth potential and are worth monitoring.
You can learn more about exciting blockchain projects here.
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