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Machine learning for energy projections Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-22 David L. McCollum
Energy scenarios project future possibilities based on a variety of assumptions, yet do not fully account for inherent friction in the energy transition, particularly over the near term. A new study shows how machine learning can complement existing scenario tools by incorporating lessons from the past into projections for the future.
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Synergy of colourful minds Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Behnam Ghalei
Getting down to research work and writing papers are two cornerstones of an academic career. But Behnam Ghalei reflects on how exposure to different ways of thinking and development of a practical skill set have been equally important to building his independent research profile.
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Value personal growth Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Huilin Pan
Funding is essential to support the early stages of an academic career but isn’t the sole determinant of success. Huilin Pan discusses how personal development and supportive teams have been crucial to her development as an independent researcher.
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Take five Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21
We celebrate our fifth birthday this issue, with some reflections on the journey from 2016 to today.
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Curiosity saves the researcher Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Evangelia Spyrou
Defining your own research questions and working with a clear direction in mind is key to a successful career in academia. Evangelia Spyrou explains how following her thirst for knowledge in her specific area of interest prepared her for when research opportunities arose.
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Experience is more than the sum of its parts Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Michael Saliba
Publication record and technical expertise are essential but they are not the only aspects you need to work on to become competitive for permanent positions in academia. Michael Saliba discusses how actively looking for different experiences to develop his versatility has been vital for his career progress.
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Get the balance right Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Leah Stokes
Building an academic career increasingly calls for greater public engagement, particularly in subjects with more societal relevance such as climate change. Leah Stokes discusses some of the difficulties she has faced in striking a balance between her academic responsibilities and her public work.
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Overcoming range limits Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Lynette Cheah
Vehicle electrification is essential for decarbonizing road transport but there are challenges around electric vehicle adoption and infrastructure planning. By analysing real-world travel data, a new study explores the potential for different charging and supplemental vehicle strategies to allow electric vehicles to meet current driver needs.
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Personal vehicle electrification and charging solutions for high-energy days Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Wei Wei; Sankaran Ramakrishnan; Zachary A. Needell; Jessika E. Trancik
Questions remain on the effectiveness of different proposals for battery electric vehicle (BEV) charging and other supporting infrastructure. Here we investigate options for charging BEVs and supplementing them with long-range vehicles, including on the infrequent high-energy days that can otherwise impede personal vehicle electrification. We examine travel activities and their energy requirements—in
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Favourites after five Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Changjun (Alex) Zhang; Elisa De Ranieri; Nicky Dean; James Gallagher; Alessandro Rubino; Elsa Couderc; Fouad Khan; Jenn Richler; Giulia Tregnago
To mark the fifth anniversary of Nature Energy, past and present editors share their take on some favourite papers.
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Thermally modulated lithium iron phosphate batteries for mass-market electric vehicles Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-18 Xiao-Guang Yang; Teng Liu; Chao-Yang Wang
The pursuit of energy density has driven electric vehicle (EV) batteries from using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes in early days to ternary layered oxides increasingly rich in nickel; however, it is impossible to forgo the LFP battery due to its unsurpassed safety, as well as its low cost and cobalt-free nature. Here we demonstrate a thermally modulated LFP battery to offer an adequate cruise
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Sociodemographic disparities in energy insecurity among low-income households before and during the COVID-19 pandemic Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-18 Trevor Memmott; Sanya Carley; Michelle Graff; David M. Konisky
Energy insecurity is a growing public health threat among low-income populations in the United States. Prior research has shown that energy insecurity is associated with adverse health effects and can lead people to engage in risky coping strategies. Here we evaluate rates of energy insecurity, which factors contribute to it, and how the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem
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A machine-learning approach to predicting Africa’s electricity mix based on planned power plants and their chances of success Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-11 Galina Alova; Philipp A. Trotter; Alex Money
Energy scenarios, relying on wide-ranging assumptions about the future, do not always adequately reflect the lock-in risks caused by planned power-generation projects and the uncertainty around their chances of realization. In this study we built a machine-learning model that demonstrates high accuracy in predicting power-generation project failure and success using the largest dataset on historic
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Extending energy system modelling to include extreme weather risks and application to hurricane events in Puerto Rico Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-11 Jeffrey A. Bennett; Claire N. Trevisan; Joseph F. DeCarolis; Cecilio Ortiz-García; Marla Pérez-Lugo; Bevin T. Etienne; Andres F. Clarens
Energy system optimization models often incorporate climate change impacts to examine different energy futures and draw insights that inform policy. However, increased risk of extreme weather events from climate change has proven more difficult to model. Here, we present an energy system optimization model that incorporates hurricane risks by combining storm probabilities with infrastructure fragility
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Efficient bifacial monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells via bandgap engineering Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-11 Michele De Bastiani; Alessandro J. Mirabelli; Yi Hou; Fabrizio Gota; Erkan Aydin; Thomas G. Allen; Joel Troughton; Anand S. Subbiah; Furkan H. Isikgor; Jiang Liu; Lujia Xu; Bin Chen; Emmanuel Van Kerschaver; Derya Baran; Beatrice Fraboni; Michael F. Salvador; Ulrich W. Paetzold; Edward H. Sargent; Stefaan De Wolf
Bifacial monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells exploit albedo—the diffuse reflected light from the environment—to increase their performance above that of monofacial perovskite/silicon tandems. Here we report bifacial tandems with certified power conversion efficiencies >25% under monofacial AM1.5G 1 sun illumination that reach power-generation densities as high as ~26 mW cm–2 under outdoor
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Getting their days in the sun Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-06 Laura T. Schelhas; Joseph J. Berry
While metal halide perovskite solar cells are extensively investigated in the lab their performance and degradation in real-world outdoor conditions are still poorly understood. Now, researchers propose a method to analyse field data to identify how and why the outdoor device performance changes over time.
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Cleaning cars, grid and air Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Steven J. Smith
Integrated urban energy–economy–climate scenarios can be built upon bottom-up models that simulate realistic system interactions. One such model for New York shows how electrification of the vehicle fleet and grid decarbonization can reduce carbon emissions and pollution.
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The cost of debt of renewable and non-renewable energy firms Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Karol Kempa; Ulf Moslener; Oliver Schenker
The risks imminent to younger technologies and markets may hinder renewable energy firms’ access to financing. This could curtail the investment needed for the transformation of the global energy sector. However, comprehensive analyses of the cost of debt of renewable and non-renewable energy firms are lacking. Here, we empirically analyse the differences between the costs of debt of firms developing
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Feedbacks among electric vehicle adoption, charging, and the cost and installation of rooftop solar photovoltaics Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Robert. K. Kaufmann; Derek Newberry; Chen Xin; Sucharita Gopal
Identifying feedback loops in consumer behaviours is important to develop policies to accentuate desired behaviour. Here, we use Granger causality to provide empirical evidence for feedback loops among four important components of a low-carbon economy. One loop includes the cost of installing rooftop solar (Cost) and the installation of rooftop solar (photovoltaics, PV); this loop is probably generated
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A full and heterogeneous model of the ITER tokamak for comprehensive nuclear analyses Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 R. Juarez; G. Pedroche; M. J. Loughlin; R. Pampin; P. Martinez; M. De Pietri; J. Alguacil; F. Ogando; P. Sauvan; A. J. Lopez-Revelles; A. Kolšek; E. Polunovskiy; M. Fabbri; J. Sanz
ITER is the flagship fusion project, conceived as an experiment to select and develop the technologies for the first demonstration reactor, DEMO. Nuclear analysis is a core discipline in support of the design, commissioning and operation of the machine. To date, it has been conducted with increasingly detailed partial models, which represented toroidal segments of the tokamak. However, the limitations
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Intact 2D/3D halide junction perovskite solar cells via solid-phase in-plane growth Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Yeoun-Woo Jang; Seungmin Lee; Kyung Mun Yeom; Kiwan Jeong; Kwang Choi; Mansoo Choi; Jun Hong Noh
The solution process has been employed to obtain Ruddlesden–Popper two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) halide perovskite bilayers in perovskite solar cells for improving the efficiency and chemical stability; however, the solution process has limitations in achieving thermal stability and designing a proper local electric field for efficient carrier collection due to the formation of a metastable
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High-throughput analysis of the ideality factor to evaluate the outdoor performance of perovskite solar minimodules Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Esteban Velilla; Franklin Jaramillo; Iván Mora-Seró
Halide perovskite solar cells exhibit a unique combination of properties, including ion migration, low non-radiative recombination and low performance dependence on temperature. Because of these idiosyncrasies, it is debatable whether standard procedures for assessing photovoltaic technologies are sufficient to appropriately evaluate this technology. Here, we show a low dependence of the open-circuit
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Transportation emissions scenarios for New York City under different carbon intensities of electricity and electric vehicle adoption rates Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Mine Isik; Rebecca Dodder; P. Ozge Kaplan
Like many cities around the world, New York City is establishing policies to reduce CO2 emissions from all energy sectors by 2050. Understanding the impact of varying degrees of electric vehicle adoption and CO2 intensities on emissions reduction in the city is critical. Here, using a technology-rich, bottom-up, energy system optimization model, we analyse the cost and air emissions impacts of New
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Breaking down hidden barriers Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-12-23 Betar M. Gallant
CO2 capture and its electrochemical conversion to valorized products are energy-intense processes. Now, researchers report that judicious control of the electrode interface and reactant transport unlock a lower energy pathway allowing direct conversion of CO2 from the captured state to CO.
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Practical assessment of the performance of aluminium battery technologies Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-12-14 Ehsan Faegh; Benjamin Ng; Dillon Hayman; William E. Mustain
Aluminium-based battery technologies have been widely regarded as one of the most attractive options to drastically improve, and possibly replace, existing battery systems—mainly due to the possibility of achieving very high energy density with low cost. Many reports have demonstrated primary or rechargeable Al-based battery chemistries in both aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes. However, the practical
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Author Correction: Heuristic solution for achieving long-term cycle stability for Ni-rich layered cathodes at full depth of discharge Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-12-09 Un-Hyuck Kim; Geon-Tae Park; Byoung-Ki Son; Gyeong Won Nam; Jun Liu; Liang-Yin Kuo; Payam Kaghazchi; Chong S. Yoon; Yang-Kook Sun
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
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Electrochemical upgrade of CO 2 from amine capture solution Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-12-07 Geonhui Lee; Yuguang C. Li; Ji-Yong Kim; Tao Peng; Dae-Hyun Nam; Armin Sedighian Rasouli; Fengwang Li; Mingchuan Luo; Alexander H. Ip; Young-Chang Joo; Edward H. Sargent
CO2 capture technologies based on chemisorption present the potential to lower net emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere. The electrochemical upgrade of captured CO2 to value-added products would be particularly convenient. Here we find that this goal is curtailed when the adduct of the capture molecule with CO2 fails to place the CO2 sufficiently close to the site of the heterogeneous reaction. We
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Pocket the difference Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-30 Shouheng Sun
Electrochemical reduction of CO2 is a route to synthesize carbon-based products using renewable energy, but achieving high selectivity to specific molecules remains demanding. Inspired by enzymes, a nanoparticle–ligand assembly is now reported that has a floating interlayer, which enhances CO2 to CO conversion efficiency.
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Time to rethink energy research Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-30 Elizabeth Shove
Energy research works with units and concepts forged in an age of fossil fuel, leading to problem formulations that reinforce current societal practices and patterns of consumption. Achieving low-carbon energy goals depends on shifting demand to match supply and reconceptualizing interactions between time and energy.
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Empowering magnesium Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-30 Jiande Wang; Alexandru Vlad
Mg-ion diffusion in cathodes and dissociation in electrolyte complexes are sluggish processes that hinder the development of Mg batteries. Now, a new design of both the cathode and the electrolyte drastically improves the kinetics of these processes, leading to a high-power Mg battery.
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High-power Mg batteries enabled by heterogeneous enolization redox chemistry and weakly coordinating electrolytes Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-30 Hui Dong; Oscar Tutusaus; Yanliang Liang; Ye Zhang; Zachary Lebens-Higgins; Wanli Yang; Rana Mohtadi; Yan Yao
Magnesium batteries have long been pursued as potentially low-cost, high-energy and safe alternatives to Li-ion batteries. However, Mg2+ interacts strongly with electrolyte solutions and cathode materials, leading to sluggish ion dissociation and diffusion, and consequently low power output. Here we report a heterogeneous enolization chemistry involving carbonyl reduction (C=O↔C–O−), which bypasses
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Selective CO 2 electrocatalysis at the pseudocapacitive nanoparticle/ordered-ligand interlayer Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-30 Dohyung Kim; Sunmoon Yu; Fan Zheng; Inwhan Roh; Yifan Li; Sheena Louisia; Zhiyuan Qi; Gabor A. Somorjai; Heinz Frei; Lin-Wang Wang; Peidong Yang
Enzymes feature the concerted operation of multiple components around an active site, leading to exquisite catalytic specificity. Realizing such configurations on synthetic catalyst surfaces remains elusive. Here, we report a nanoparticle/ordered-ligand interlayer that contains a multi-component catalytic pocket for high-specificity CO2 electrocatalysis. The nanoparticle/ordered-ligand interlayer comprises
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It’s not about the mass Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-24 Xavier Moya; Neil D. Mathur
Electrocaloric cooling devices traditionally comprise sub-millimetre-thick ceramic working bodies surrounded by relatively massive apparatus. Now, cooling devices that are each based on a thin polymer layer have been stacked to yield a composite lightweight device that pumps heat across a wide temperature span.
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Multifaceted political and social drivers inform wind energy repowering decisions and potential Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-18 Lena Kitzing; Morten Kofoed Jensen; Thomas Telsnig; Eric Lantz
Wind energy repowering decisions are multifaceted and depend on the physical, political and social landscape, as factors such as noise regulation, aesthetics and political bargaining can significantly influence project development. Policy should recognise that a technology perspective alone cannot inform implementation pathways and should be supplemented with an understanding of the political and social
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Cutting cobalt Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-12
Renewable energy technologies do not always employ sustainable resources. The scarcity of cobalt supply must be addressed in transportation electrification.
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It’s time to focus on organic solar cell stability Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-11 Quinn Burlingame; Melissa Ball; Yueh-Lin Loo
The power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells has rapidly increased, yet significantly less attention has been paid to materials stability and device longevity. For organic solar cells to make an impact in the marketplace, researchers, funding agencies and journals should do more to address this crucial gap.
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Holistically representing women Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-09 Daniel Erian Armanios
Given the benefits of improved health and reduced cooking time, women are assumed to unequivocally prefer clean cooking fuels. Now research indicates that women using firewood and those using cleaner alternatives both believe their cooking fuel supports their well-being in several ways, suggesting more complex trade-offs in fuel choices.
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The impact of policies and business models on income equity in rooftop solar adoption Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-09 Eric O’Shaughnessy; Galen Barbose; Ryan Wiser; Sydney Forrester; Naïm Darghouth
Low- and moderate-income (LMI) households are less likely to adopt rooftop solar photovoltaics (PVs) than higher-income households in the United States. As the existing literature has shown, this dynamic can decelerate rooftop PV deployment and has potential energy justice implications, in light of the cost-shifting between PV and non-PV households that can occur under typical rate structures and incentive
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Differences in firewood users’ and LPG users’ perceived relationships between cooking fuels and women’s multidimensional well-being in rural India Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-09 Yuwan Malakar; Rosie Day
Clean cooking fuels are generally assumed to bring health and other benefits for women compared with solid fuels, which suggests they should be preferred. However, despite the availability of clean cooking fuels, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the scale of solid fuel use in rural India remains large. Here we examine women’s positions on fuel transition and multidimensional well-being through
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Two-dimensional Ruddlesden–Popper layered perovskite solar cells based on phase-pure thin films Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-09 Chao Liang; Hao Gu; Yingdong Xia; Zhuo Wang; Xiaotao Liu; Junmin Xia; Shouwei Zuo; Yue Hu; Xingyu Gao; Wei Hui; Lingfeng Chao; Tingting Niu; Min Fang; Hui Lu; Han Dong; Hui Yu; Shi Chen; Xueqin Ran; Lin Song; Bixin Li; Jing Zhang; Yong Peng; Guosheng Shao; Jianpu Wang; Yonghua Chen; Guichuan Xing; Wei Huang
Two-dimensional Ruddlesden–Popper layered metal-halide perovskites have attracted increasing attention for their desirable optoelectronic properties and improved stability compared to their three-dimensional counterparts. However, such perovskites typically consist of multiple quantum wells with a random well width distribution. Here, we report phase-pure quantum wells with a single well width by introducing
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Combining information on others’ energy usage and their approval of energy conservation promotes energy saving behaviour Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Jacopo Bonan; Cristina Cattaneo; Giovanna d’Adda; Massimo Tavoni
Households reduced their electricity use the most when they learnt both that they were using more energy than their neighbours and that energy conservation was socially approved. This suggests that efforts to use social information to nudge conservation should combine different types of social feedback to maximize impact.
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Three thumbs up for social norms Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Jon M. Jachimowicz
Social norm interventions are widely used to foster residential resource conservation. Now researchers have shown that the effectiveness of providing information about others’ energy use alongside messages of social approval for energy savings behaviour depends on the strength and consistency of these messages.
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Cool water splitting by microwaves Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Daniel R. Slocombe
Microwave heating has become a useful tool in catalysis to obtain chemical products under unconventional reaction conditions. Now, researchers have demonstrated low-temperature water splitting to produce hydrogen using microwave catalysis and revealed the important role of reduced oxides in the process.
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Multifaceted drivers for onshore wind energy repowering and their implications for energy transition Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Lena Kitzing; Morten Kofoed Jensen; Thomas Telsnig; Eric Lantz
Wind energy is anticipated to become a backbone of the future energy system. Ageing wind turbine fleets, increasing land-use constraints and rising relevance of societal factors make the deployment of land-based (onshore) wind energy ever more complicated. Consequently, repowering is expected to become a rapidly growing point of focus for the wind industry. Here we propose a more holistic and socially
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Hydrogen production via microwave-induced water splitting at low temperature Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 J. M. Serra; J. F. Borrás-Morell; B. García-Baños; M. Balaguer; P. Plaza-González; J. Santos-Blasco; D. Catalán-Martínez; L. Navarrete; J. M. Catalá-Civera
Supplying global energy demand with CO2-free technologies is becoming feasible thanks to the rising affordability of renewable resources. Hydrogen is a promising vector in the decarbonization of energy systems, but more efficient and scalable synthesis is required to enable its widespread deployment. Here we report contactless H2 production via water electrolysis mediated by the microwave-triggered
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Trapping lead in perovskite solar modules with abundant and low-cost cation-exchange resins Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Shangshang Chen; Yehao Deng; Hangyu Gu; Shuang Xu; Shen Wang; Zhenhua Yu; Volker Blum; Jinsong Huang
One major concern for the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaic technology is the toxicity of lead from the water-soluble lead halide perovskites that can contaminate the environment. Here, we report an abundant, low-cost and chemically robust cation-exchange resin (CER)-based method that can prevent lead leakage from damaged perovskite solar modules under severe weather conditions. CERs exhibit
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A systematic review of the costs and impacts of integrating variable renewables into power grids Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Philip J. Heptonstall; Robert J. K. Gross
The impact of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources on an electricity system depends on technological characteristics, demand, regulatory practices and renewable resources. The costs of integrating wind or solar power into electricity networks have been debated for decades yet remain controversial and often misunderstood. Here we undertake a systematic review of the international evidence on the
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Progress and prospects for ultrathin solar cells Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Inès Massiot; Andrea Cattoni; Stéphane Collin
Ultrathin solar cells with thicknesses at least 10 times lower than conventional solar cells could have the unique potential to efficiently convert solar energy into electricity while enabling material savings, shorter deposition times and improved carrier collection in defective absorber materials. Efficient light absorption and hence high power conversion efficiency could be retained in ultrathin
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The interaction of descriptive and injunctive social norms in promoting energy conservation Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Jacopo Bonan; Cristina Cattaneo; Giovanna d’Adda; Massimo Tavoni
Behavioural interventions that leverage social norms are widely used to foster energy conservation. For instance, home energy reports combine information on others’ behaviour (descriptive feedback) and approval for norm compliant behaviour (injunctive feedback). In a randomized controlled trial, we investigated how descriptive and injunctive feedbacks interact to affect electricity use, and evaluate
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A cascade electrocaloric cooling device for large temperature lift Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-26 Yuan Meng; Ziyang Zhang; Hanxiang Wu; Ruiyi Wu; Jianghan Wu; Haolun Wang; Qibing Pei
Cooling technology that is both compact and flexible is increasingly vital for the thermal management of wearable electronics and personal comfort. Electrocaloric (EC) cooling provides a potential solution, but the low adiabatic temperature change of EC materials has been the bottleneck in its progress. We demonstrate a cascade EC cooling device that increases the temperature change, with enhanced
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Structural transformation of highly active metal–organic framework electrocatalysts during the oxygen evolution reaction Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-26 Shenlong Zhao; Chunhui Tan; Chun-Ting He; Pengfei An; Feng Xie; Shuai Jiang; Yanfei Zhu; Kuang-Hsu Wu; Binwei Zhang; Haijing Li; Jing Zhang; Yuan Chen; Shaoqin Liu; Juncai Dong; Zhiyong Tang
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are increasingly being investigated as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Despite their promising catalytic activity, many fundamental questions concerning their structure−performance relationships—especially those regarding the roles of active species—remain to be answered. Here we show the structural transformation of a Ni0.5Co0.5-MOF-74 during
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Tandem cells under the weather Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-21 Jan Christoph Goldschmidt
The design of research solar cells is typically optimized for laboratory conditions but in the real world they are exposed to changing temperatures influencing their performance. Now, research from outdoor tests reveals how temperature alters the current of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells and how this changes the optimal bandgaps.
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The role of adsorbed hydroxide in hydrogen evolution reaction kinetics on modified platinum Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-19 Ian T. McCrum; Marc T. M. Koper
The bifunctional mechanism that involves adsorbed hydroxide in the alkaline hydrogen oxidation and evolution reactions, important in hydrogen fuel cells and water electrolysers, is hotly debated. Hydroxide binding has been suggested to impact activity, but the exact role of adsorbed hydroxide in the reaction mechanism is unknown. Here, by selectively decorating steps on a Pt single crystal with other
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Estimation of change in house sales prices in the United States after heat pump adoption Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-19 Xingchi Shen; Pengfei Liu; Yueming (Lucy) Qiu; Anand Patwardhan; Parth Vaishnav
Electrifying most fossil-fuel-burning applications provides a pathway to achieving cost-effective deep decarbonization of the economy. Heat pumps offer a feasible and energy-efficient way to electrify space heating. Here, we show a positive house price premium associated with air source heat pump installations across 23 states in the United States. Residences with an air source heat pump enjoy a 4
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Energy innovation needs better targets Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-15
The renewal of Mission Innovation is important — but more targeted interventions are needed to deliver on necessary energy-innovation goals.
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Lighter and safer Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-15 Leif Nyholm
Current collectors are essential components in lithium-ion batteries, but are typically made of metal foils that do not contribute to the battery capacity. Now, a fire-extinguishing lightweight polymer-based current collector is developed that enhances both the energy density and safety of the battery.
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Low-bandgap mixed tin–lead iodide perovskites with reduced methylammonium for simultaneous enhancement of solar cell efficiency and stability Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-15 Chongwen Li; Zhaoning Song; Cong Chen; Chuanxiao Xiao; Biwas Subedi; Steven P. Harvey; Niraj Shrestha; Kamala Khanal Subedi; Lei Chen; Dachang Liu; You Li; Yong-Wah Kim; Chun-sheng Jiang; Michael J. Heben; Dewei Zhao; Randy J. Ellingson; Nikolas J. Podraza; Mowafak Al-Jassim; Yanfa Yan
High-performance perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells require high-efficiency and stable low-bandgap perovskite subcells. State-of-the-art low-bandgap mixed tin–lead iodide perovskite solar cells exhibit either a high power-conversion efficiency or improved stability, but not both. Here we report a two-step bilayer interdiffusion growth process to simultaneously meet both requirements for formamidinium-based
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Ultralight and fire-extinguishing current collectors for high-energy and high-safety lithium-ion batteries Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-15 Yusheng Ye; Lien-Yang Chou; Yayuan Liu; Hansen Wang; Hiang Kwee Lee; Wenxiao Huang; Jiayu Wan; Kai Liu; Guangmin Zhou; Yufei Yang; Ankun Yang; Xin Xiao; Xin Gao; David Thomas Boyle; Hao Chen; Wenbo Zhang; Sang Cheol Kim; Yi Cui
Inactive components and safety hazards are two critical challenges in realizing high-energy lithium-ion batteries. Metal foil current collectors with high density are typically an integrated part of lithium-ion batteries yet deliver no capacity. Meanwhile, high-energy batteries can entail increased fire safety issues. Here we report a composite current collector design that simultaneously minimizes
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Mental accounting mechanisms in energy decision-making and behaviour Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-12 Ulf J. J. Hahnel; Gilles Chatelain; Beatrice Conte; Valentino Piana; Tobias Brosch
Mental accounting refers to the fact that people create mental budgets to organize their resource use and to create linkages between specific acts of consumption and specific payments. Research on financial decision-making and consumer behaviour shows that these mechanisms can have a large impact on decisions and behaviours, deviating from normative economic principles. Here we introduce a theoretical
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Author Correction: Machine learning model to project the impact of COVID-19 on US motor gasoline demand Nat. Energy (IF 46.495) Pub Date : 2020-10-08 Shiqi Ou; Xin He; Weiqi Ji; Wei Chen; Lang Sui; Yu Gan; Zifeng Lu; Zhenhong Lin; Sili Deng; Steven Przesmitzki; Jessey Bouchard
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Contents have been reproduced by permission of the publishers.