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Innovative solutions are needed for society to achieve climate emission targets, and fuel cell propulsion systems for vehicles are helping to drive the automotive industry’s green revolution.
Current State of the Automotive Industry
Transportation alone makes a significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. In the US alone, 2018 figures from the EPA showed that the transportation sector accounted for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions. Many other harmful gases are released, including nitrous oxide. Short-term exposure causes a plethora of respiratory problems, and it is one of the leading causes of pollution in cities.
The use of fossil fuels as a power source is problematic. Aside from the emission of harmful greenhouse gases and pollution, fossil fuels are a finite resource. Estimates of when oil will run out vary, but it is widely agreed that we need to reduce our fossil fuel consumption. One sector which is well-placed to he
Revolutionizing Energy Storage with Nanostructured Alloys
Image Credit: Sergii Chernov/Shutterstock.com
A team of researchers working in multiple engineering disciplines has developed a new battery that could revolutionize energy storage by replacing the harmful solvents we use in regular batteries today with seawater.
The aqueous battery developed by the team at Oregon State University’s College of Engineering – in collaboration with colleagues at the Universities of Central Florida and Houston – includes an anode composed of a zinc- and manganese-based alloy arranged in a novel nanostructure.
This innovation works with salt water-based battery electrolytes, including ordinary, untreated seawater. It can also be mass-produced using existing nano-manufacturing techniques and has the potential to remove the relatively unsafe, expensive, and environmentally detrimental lithium-ion battery from its current predominant place in the market.