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Researchers propose testing standards for particulate photocatalysts in solar fuel production

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Utilization of renewable solar energy is crucial for addressing the global energy and environmental concerns and achieving sustainable development. In this regard, photocatalytic water splitting has attracted significant interest as a cost-effective means to convert sustainable solar energy into valuable chemicals. Credit: DICP.

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ARPA-E awarding $30M to 12 hybrid solar projects; conversion and storage

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Under the FOCUS program, projects will develop advanced solar converters that turn sunlight into electricity for immediate use, while also producing heat that can be stored at low cost for later use as well as innovative storage systems that accept both heat and electricity from variable solar sources. Arizona State University.

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Columbia University engineers make breakthrough in understanding electroreduction of CO2 for conversion to electrofuels

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Recent research in electrocatalytic CO 2 conversion points the way to using CO 2 as a feedstock and renewable electricity as an energy supply for the synthesis of different types of fuel and value-added chemicals such as ethylene, ethanol, and propane. Their paper is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

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University of Houston team demonstrates new efficient solar water-splitting catalyst for hydrogen production

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Researchers from the University of Houston (UH) have developed a cobalt(II) oxide (CoO) nanocrystalline catalyst that can carry out overall water splitting with a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of around 5%. Different sources of light were used, ranging from a laser to white light simulating the solar spectrum. doi: 10.1038/nnano.2013.272.

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Univ. of Twente team develops highly efficient Si photocathode for solar fuels production

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Researchers at the University of Twente’s MESA+ research institute have made significant efficiency improvements to the technology used to generate solar fuels. Researchers around the world are working on the development of solar fuel technology. This involves generating sustainable fuels using only sunlight, CO 2 and water.

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Compact pilot plant for solar to liquid fuels production

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Partners from Germany and Finland in the SOLETAIR project are building a compact pilot plant for the production of gasoline, diesel and kerosene from solar energy, regenerative hydrogen and carbon dioxide. An electrolysis unit developed by Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) produces the required hydrogen by means of solar power.

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WUSTL researchers demonstrate solar-panel-powered microbial electrosynthesis to produce n-butanol from light, CO2 and power

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Researchers at Washington University in St. A team of biologists and engineers modified Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1 (TIE-1) so that it can produce a biofuel using only three renewable and naturally abundant source ingredients: carbon dioxide, solar panel-generated electricity and light. —Wei Bai. Ranaivoarisoa, T.O.,

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