A new rechargeable ‘proton battery’ - made chiefly from carbon and water - promises to outperform conventional lithium-ion batteries, while also being more environmentally friendly.
More blue sky thinking could help the grid get even smarter.
AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
Evan Franklin, University of Tasmania et Frank Jotzo, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
‘Virtual power plants’ offer extra power to the grid by tweaking the operation of batteries and appliances right across the network. But even this might be too blunt a tool for our future energy needs.
Researchers talk to Bruny Islanders who have signed up to an experimental new method of managing energy.
Chris Crerar
Our energy system puts consumers more or less at the mercy of business and regulators. What if the future of energy meant putting the power back in the hands of households?
Since sodium is abundant, battery technology that uses it side-steps many of the issues associated with lithium batteries.
Paul Jones/UOW
Demand for energy storage is increasing – both in Australia and around the world. But issues with the production of lithium-ion batteries mean the search is on for alternatives.
Boron is often ignored, but it’s got a lot of important qualities.
David Ellis/Flickr