Nuclear ‘not an effective low carbon option’
Researchers in the UK have analyzed 25 years of electricity-production and carbon emissions data from 123 countries. Their findings show renewables are considerably more effective than nuclear in reducing carbon emissions from energy generation and that the two technologies tend to get in each other’s way when considered in a joint approach.
Solar and storage venture capital and finance roundup
Plus a bunch of investments in carbon capture.
Morning Brief: Environmental groups confront racist past, speak out against institutional prejudice
Also in the brief: Temporary victory for solar in Arkansas, UK went without coal in May, House Democratic leadership is prepping legislation that includes $34.3 billion for clean energy, Nearmap launches its new AI areial imaging software.
A 17.5%-efficient PV tile for building-integrated solar rooftops
Roof Tiles Technology of the U.K. has developed a solar tile with a claimed efficiency of 17.5% and power output of 175 W per square meter. The company’s founder, Antonio Lanzoni, said a PV system featuring the product would cost 25% to 30% more than a standard solar rooftop.
Storing wind and solar with new gravity-based system
Scottish start-up Gravitricity is planning a project to store surplus power from renewables at Port of Leith. A 250 kW, grid-connected prototype facility will have its ability to stabilize the network tested. The system involves a 50-foot rig over a 500 to 5,000 foot shaft.
Job moves at DOE, Enel, Trina, FERC, Engie, Sunpower, PG&E
Executive and boardroom moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy finance.
Avalon and redT unite in $70 million merger of vanadium redox flow battery startups
Two vanadium redox startups join to take on the $0 billion flow-battery market.
Morning brief: Oil billionaire pursuing perovskites, energy storage market to grow to $546 billion
Also in the morning brief: Arizona mandatory solar panel recycling bill, Sumitomo invests $46 million in long-term energy storage from Highview Power, and more.
The inner workings of a lithium battery
An international group of scientists has developed a method to track the microscopic processes at work in lithium batteries. Employing a ‘virtual unrolling’ model developed for ancient manuscripts too sensitive to be opened, the group peeked inside the layers of a commercial battery to gain a better understanding of the processes at work and the degradation mechanisms affecting them.
Highview and Encore to develop the first long duration, liquid air energy storage system in the US
Northern Vermont facility will help put more renewable energy on the region’s electric grid
