News

Installed Capacity of Solar Hit Record High with Additional Capacity of 118GW in 2019

published: 2020-09-10 18:30
The globally installed capacity of solar has been rapidly ascending from the past 10 years, and the additional installed capacity of solar had hit a record high in 2019. As pointed out by the report of BNEF, the new installed capacity had arrived at 118GW last year. This has allowed solar to become the fourth largest energy after coal-burning, natural gas, and hydropower. ...  more

American Startup Unveils “Battery” Made from Radioactive Waste That Is Safe and Can Last Up to 28,000 Years

published: 2020-09-09 18:30
Lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide range of consumer electronics like smartphones and laptop computers, and their applications are now expanding to transportation and utility. While they are becoming more and more indispensable in people’s technological lives, the energy storage market is also seeing rapid advancements every day. With the emergence of new energy storage technologies that promise better performance, can lithium-ion batteries retain their dominant position over the long term? ...  more

Raising Visibility of Wind Turbines by Changing Color of a Single Blade Can Reduce Bird Strikes by 70%

published: 2020-09-08 18:30
Scientists working in the field of wind power have been working on ways to reduce incidences of birds and bats killed by wind turbines due to a direct collision or the effect of the extreme difference in air pressure. They have tried mounting a warning device at the center of the turbine or on each blade. The device emits a noise to scare off the approaching birds. They have also redesigned the layout of the wind farm to lower the chance of birds hitting the rotating blades. ...  more

Security Issues Derived from Battery Explosion; Investigation Result of US Energy Storage Plant Explosion Released

published: 2020-09-07 18:30
The first battery explosion in the US occurred in April 2019, where smoke started appearing from a plant of a 2MW lithium battery energy storage system, before the explosion took place, and 4 firefighters were injured as a result. Utility power companies Arizona Public Service (APS) and battery supplier LG Chem have announced two investigation reports of different results. ...  more

Indian Solar Manufacturers Expects Basic Customs Duty to Rise to 50% In Facing Competition from Imported Solar

published: 2020-09-03 18:30
India plans to establish a 750MW solar power plant that would support the local industry by reducing the dependency on imported solar, which generated voices amongst local Indian manufacturers, where the All India Solar Industries Association (AISIA) hopes that government will not only elevate the duty on solar, but also impose a basic customs duty (BCD) of at least 50% for solar equipment. ...  more

UCR Researchers Present a Method for Converting Plastic Waste into Supercapacitors

published: 2020-09-01 18:30
Reuse discarded plastic items and raise their economic value is now a popular assignment being undertaken at companies across different industries and research agencies worldwide. Recently, researchers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) have discovered that the ubiquitous plastic bottles can be converted into carbon nanofibers for building supercapacitors, which are now becoming another highly sought-after form of energy storage. The potential for upcycling could strengthen the existing policies for the treatment of plastic waste and increase the appeal of recycling ordinary beverage bottles among consumers. ...  more