Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 08, 2026 A lithium ion battery experiment has been completed aboard China's Tiangong space station, focusing on basic electrochemical processes that govern performance and lifetime. Researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported the work, which was carried out by the three astronauts of the Shenzhou XXI crew. The experiment is designed to clar

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 31, 2025 The intermittent output of solar power creates challenges for grid operators who must keep supply and demand in balance. Traditional numerical weather prediction models often handle cloud initialization poorly, which degrades ultra-short-term solar irradiance forecasts over time. Researchers Min Chen and Liangchen Guo of the Institute of Urban Meteorology at the China Meteorological Admini

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 13, 2026 Southwest Research Institute has carried out a series of large scale fire tests to examine how flames spread beneath photovoltaic panel installations on flat commercial and industrial rooftops. The program is intended to give fire safety organizations the data they need to refine standards and improve mitigation strategies for rooftop solar systems. Engineers built full scale test decks de

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 13, 2026 A research team at DGIST has developed a perovskite based self powered betavoltaic battery that achieves what they report as the worlds highest conversion efficiency for this class of device while maintaining long term operational stability. The work targets applications that require continuous reliable power without external charging, such as artificial intelligence systems, internet of things

London, UK (SPX) Jan 13, 2026 Physicists at Trinity College Dublin have developed a new theoretical framework that connects photon condensation in optical microstructures with the fundamental limits of heat engines, potentially offering new routes to harvest more useful energy from sunlight and other light sources. The work suggests that devices which trap light in tiny cavities could concentrate diffuse radiation into laser

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 09, 2026 Generating hydrogen from sunlight offers a route to low carbon fuel production by converting solar energy into chemical energy stored in hydrogen. Researchers use photocatalysts to absorb light and drive water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen, but many existing systems only harvest part of the visible spectrum, leaving much of the incoming solar energy unused. To increase solar-to-hydrogen eff

London, UK (SPX) Jan 09, 2026 Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a semi-transparent, flexible perovskite solar cell that generates electricity while allowing control over both light transmission and perceived color for use in windows, building facades, and curved surfaces. The research was led by Prof. Lioz Etgar and Prof. Shlomo Magdassi from the Institute of Chemistry and the Center for

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 05, 2026 Perovskite solar cells are attracting interest as lower-cost, high-efficiency alternatives to silicon photovoltaics, but defects in their thin films hinder charge transport, waste energy, and reduce device stability. One approach to mitigate these defects is passivation treatment, in which simple salts or organic molecules are introduced into the perovskite film so that small molecules or

Berlin (AFP) Jan 5, 2026 The share of renewables in German power production almost stagnated in 2025, data showed Monday, as concerns grow about a shift away from green policies under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The figure had increased strongly in previous years as Europe's biggest economy aims to reach a goal of green power accounting for 80 percent of its energy mix by 2030. But last year power fr

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 01, 2026 A team of materials scientists has developed a bio based carbon aerogel derived from chitin that improves thermal energy storage in shape stabilized phase change materials while addressing leakage during melting. Phase change materials store and release heat as they melt and solidify, so they are used in building temperature control, solar thermal storage, and electronic thermal management

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 01, 2026 Researchers at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have engineered an optimized electron transport layer for inverted perovskite solar cells that raises both power conversion efficiency and operational stability. The work, led by Prof. Pan Xu at the Institute of Solid State Physics, focuses on controlling the behavior of the fullerene derivative PCBM at th

Ganzhou, China (AFP) Dec 21, 2025 Buried in the reddish soil of southern China lies latent power: one of the largest clusters of crucial rare earths is mined around the clock by a secretive and heavily guarded industry. The hills of Jiangxi province are home to most of China's rare earth mines, with the materials used in a wide range of products including smartphones and missile guidance technology. The flourishing indus