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Simple process transforms PET plastic into a nanomaterial for supercapacitors

Green Car Congress

UC Riverside (UCR) engineers have developed a way to recycle PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic waste, such as soda or water bottles, into a nanomaterial useful for energy storage. Then, using an electrospinning process, they fabricated microscopic fibers from the polymer and carbonized the plastic threads in a furnace.

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Hyundai is going all in on hydrogen, and relying on food waste to make that happen

Baua Electric

But now it says it will rely heavily on hydrogen fuel cells generated from plastic, food, and organic waste to power a whole new generation of EVs, from passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks. Storing hydrogen is a challenge too in that it requires high pressures, low temperatures, or other chemical process to keep it compact.

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Blue World Technologies takes 15% stake in Danish Power Systems; methanol fuel cell vehicles

Green Car Congress

A closed thermal integration enables reuse of fuel cell waste heat for fuel evaporation thereby increasing efficiency. In the combination with HT PEM the waste heat is of sufficient temperature to drive this process, meaning an energy-free process which leads to a superior overall efficiency.

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Additional $47M to 7 ARPA-E SCALEUP projects; $27M to 3 advanced battery projects for EVs and electric aviation

Green Car Congress

This proposed project will significantly (1) reduce Si anode costs; (2) improve efficiency and reduce waste in production; (3) reduce engineering and cost risks; and (4) reduce EV battery costs and accelerate the move to clean transportation and renewable energy. 24M Technologies, Inc.

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STFC Rutherford Appleton Lab spin-off seeking to develop and commercialize a novel solid-state hydrogen storage technology; transportation applications

Green Car Congress

The final product is either a fine micro-fibrous polymer mat that resembles white tissue paper, or polymer micro-beads with a diameter of ~ 0.5 - 5µm, with the hydride material entrained in ~50 - 200nm pores within the polymer. Many are also difficult to handle in that they degrade rapidly in air.

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24M and partners awarded $3.5M from ARPA-E to develop ultra-high-energy density batteries with new lithium-metal anodes

Green Car Congress

Those inactive materials are expensive and wasteful. Using thick electrodes, the cell also stores more energy, bettering the performance of the battery as well as its cost. The company has developed a microporous polymer membrane to replace incumbent separator materials. Click to enlarge.

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Energy Harvesting for Wearable Technology Steps Up

Cars That Think

For capacitors, voltage translates to electrons stored —the voltage drop across a capacitor is proportional to its total charge.) A team including researchers from Japan’s Tohoku University recently developed a durable, efficient energy harvester that combines piezoelectric composites with carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

Energy 138