Important Innovations Collection

Partnering with EnBW to Power Grids with Used EV Batteries Source:  NASA Green on Green Power An environmentally friendly, innovative undertaking by German automaker Audi and utility EnBW to recycle and reuse old EV batteries has just been announced.  They'll use the old batteries to help power the grid.  By the end of this year, they will have completed a new electric car battery operation at EmBW's Heilbrom plant to build scalable energy storage facilities.  E-battery recycling and reuse are the holy grail for car and battery manufacturers.  And the storage of energy is another big priority for industry. Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans Energy Recycling, Reuse, Storage For renewable energy companies, storing excess, unused surplus energy of solar and wind power generation is an urgent need.  So, Audi wants to develop what they're calling  a "plug and play" battery storage system for the energy industry.  Audi says this system will...

New Battery that's Shatterproof and Nonflammable Source:  Washington University at St. Louis Energy Inspired by Rust Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have invented an ultra strong supercapacitor.  The team hit the supercapacitor with a hammer forty times and it still maintained 74% of its energy storage efficiency.  They also tested it against an impact equivalent to a 30 mph. car crash. It took the hitting and kept on working.  The inspiration for this new energy storage device came from the formation of rust on wet steel. Innovation from Rust The team created the device by controlling the formation of rust in a solution to grow a mat of conducting fibers onto a flexible layer of organic plastic.  The Washington University researchers say the mat of polymer nanofibers with a textile-like structure that's flexible is ideal for storing energy in a supercapacitor. New Energy This new energy storage device is shatterproof and nonflam...

World First - From Biowaste to Electrode Source:  KIT Better, New Batteries This is a world first.  A sustainable green energy storage system made from eggshells.  An international research team based at the distinguished Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany just announced their breakthrough innovation.  It's a green energy storage option that could lead to the development of better batteries. Working with Eggshells The scientists created an electrode from pulverized eggshells.  They experimented with eggshells because they contain big amounts of calcium carbonite which can store lithium.  They used the electrode against a metallic lithium anode placed in a solution.  The battery they created maintains a capacity retention of 92% after one thousand plus charge and recharge cycles. Greener Future The team believes their discovery can be used as low cost, lithium-ion capacitors.  This is the first time that biowaste has b...