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Two cations make the right layer Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-21 Pengchen Zhu, Jia Zhu
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Development of onshore wind turbine fleet counteracts climate change-induced reduction in global capacity factor Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-20 Christopher Jung, Dirk Schindler
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Crystallization under control Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-16 Francesco Di Giacomo
Controlling the crystallization of perovskite films over large areas is key to the manufacturing of solar cells, but is difficult with existing fabrication methods. Now, researchers tailor the composition of the precursor ink to fabricate uniform and phase-pure perovskite layers, enabling a 15.3%-efficient photovoltaic module with an area of 205 cm2.
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Outdoor performance evaluation of a 2D materials-based perovskite solar farm Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-16
In a step towards the industrialization of perovskite photovoltaics based on 2D materials, the fabrication of numerous perovskite modules and panels and their integration into a standalone solar farm is demonstrated. Outdoor field tests provide insight into device performance under real-life conditions over 8 months.
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Liquefication for performance versatility Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-16 Nauman Mubarak, Jang-Kyo Kim
High-performance electrolytes are urgently required in the development of reversible lithium-metal batteries that offer high energy densities. Now, a versatile liquefied gaseous electrolyte is demonstrated with inherent safety, temperature resilience, high recyclability, and promising electrochemical properties.
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Evidence of multidimensional gender inequality in energy services from a large-scale household survey in India Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-16 Alice Tianbo Zhang, Sasmita Patnaik, Shaily Jha, Shalu Agrawal, Carlos F. Gould, Johannes Urpelainen
Energy access delivers broad socio-economic benefits, but few studies have examined how benefits are allocated within the household. Here we conduct a large-scale survey with 4,624 respondents across six Indian states to provide results on intra-household differences across multiple outcome dimensions of energy service, including knowledge, satisfaction, utilization and opinion. Using a Women’s Empowerment
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Fire-extinguishing, recyclable liquefied gas electrolytes for temperature-resilient lithium-metal batteries Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-16 Yijie Yin, Yangyuchen Yang, Diyi Cheng, Matthew Mayer, John Holoubek, Weikang Li, Ganesh Raghavendran, Alex Liu, Bingyu Lu, Daniel M. Davies, Zheng Chen, Oleg Borodin, Y. Shirley Meng
High-energy density, improved safety, temperature resilience and sustainability are desirable properties for lithium-battery electrolytes, yet these metrics are rarely achieved simultaneously. Inspired by the compositions of clean fire-extinguishing agents, we demonstrate inherently safe liquefied gas electrolytes based on 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and pentafluoroethane that maintain >3 mS cm−1 ionic
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Integration of two-dimensional materials-based perovskite solar panels into a stand-alone solar farm Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-16 Sara Pescetelli, Antonio Agresti, George Viskadouros, Stefano Razza, Konstantinos Rogdakis, Ioannis Kalogerakis, Emmanuel Spiliarotis, Enrico Leonardi, Paolo Mariani, Luca Sorbello, Marco Pierro, Cristina Cornaro, Sebastiano Bellani, Leyla Najafi, Beatriz Martín-García, Antonio Esaú Del Rio Castillo, Reinier Oropesa-Nuñez, Mirko Prato, Simone Maranghi, Maria Laura Parisi, Adalgisa Sinicropi, Riccardo
As a vital step towards the industrialization of perovskite solar cells, outdoor field tests of large-scale perovskite modules and panels represent a mandatory step to be accomplished. Here we demonstrate the manufacturing of large-area (0.5 m2) perovskite solar panels, each containing 40 modules whose interfaces are engineered with two-dimensional materials (GRAphene-PErovskite (GRAPE) panels). We
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Low-solvation electrolytes for high-voltage sodium-ion batteries Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-16 Yan Jin, Phung M. L. Le, Peiyuan Gao, Yaobin Xu, Biwei Xiao, Mark H. Engelhard, Xia Cao, Thanh D. Vo, Jiangtao Hu, Lirong Zhong, Bethany E. Matthews, Ran Yi, Chongmin Wang, Xiaolin Li, Jun Liu, Ji-Guang Zhang
Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) have attracted worldwide attention for next-generation energy storage systems. However, the severe instability of the solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed during repeated cycling hinders the development of NIBs. In particular, the SEI dissolution in NIBs with a high-voltage cathode is more severe than in the case of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) and leads to continuous side
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Carrier control in Sn–Pb perovskites via 2D cation engineering for all-perovskite tandem solar cells with improved efficiency and stability Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-13 Jinhui Tong, Qi Jiang, Andrew J. Ferguson, Axel F. Palmstrom, Xiaoming Wang, Ji Hao, Sean P. Dunfield, Amy E. Louks, Steven P. Harvey, Chongwen Li, Haipeng Lu, Ryan M. France, Samuel A. Johnson, Fei Zhang, Mengjin Yang, John F. Geisz, Michael D. McGehee, Matthew C. Beard, Yanfa Yan, Darius Kuciauskas, Joseph J. Berry, Kai Zhu
All-perovskite tandem solar cells are promising for achieving photovoltaics with power conversion efficiencies above the detailed balance limit of single-junction cells, while retaining the low cost, light weight and other advantages associated with metal halide perovskite photovoltaics. However, the efficiency and stability of all-perovskite tandem cells are limited by the Sn–Pb-based narrow-bandgap
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Accounting for finance in electrification models for sub-Saharan Africa Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-09 Churchill Agutu, Florian Egli, Nathaniel J. Williams, Tobias S. Schmidt, Bjarne Steffen
Electrifying 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa will require substantial investments. Integrated electrification models inform key policy decisions and electricity access investments in many countries. While current electrification models apply sophisticated geospatial methods, they often make simplistic assumptions about financing conditions. Here we establish cost of capital values, reflecting
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Hydrogel protection strategy to stabilize water-splitting photoelectrodes Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-09 Jeiwan Tan, Byungjun Kang, Kyungmin Kim, Donyoung Kang, Hyungsoo Lee, Sunihl Ma, Gyumin Jang, Hyungsuk Lee, Jooho Moon
Photoelectrochemical water splitting is an attractive solar-to-hydrogen pathway. However, the lifetime of photoelectrochemical devices is hampered by severe photocorrosion of semiconductors and instability of co-catalysts. Here we report a strategy for stabilizing photoelectrochemical devices that use a polyacrylamide hydrogel as a highly permeable and transparent device-on-top protector. A hydrogel-protected
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Flexible all-perovskite tandem solar cells approaching 25% efficiency with molecule-bridged hole-selective contact Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-09 Ludong Li, Yurui Wang, Xiaoyu Wang, Renxing Lin, Xin Luo, Zhou Liu, Kun Zhou, Shaobing Xiong, Qinye Bao, Gang Chen, Yuxi Tian, Yu Deng, Ke Xiao, Jinlong Wu, Makhsud I. Saidaminov, Hongzhen Lin, Chang-Qi Ma, Zhisheng Zhao, Yingju Wu, Lijun Zhang, Hairen Tan
Lightweight flexible perovskite solar cells are promising for building integrated photovoltaics, wearable electronics, portable energy systems and aerospace applications. However, their highest certified efficiency of 19.9% lags behind their rigid counterparts (highest 25.7%), mainly due to defective interfaces at charge-selective contacts with perovskites on top. Here we use a mixture of two hole-selective
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Putting proof of work to work Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-02 Mahmoud N. Mahmoud
Blockchains offer a lot of opportunities for efficiency and decentralized management in energy systems. Researchers now show the electricity dispatch is a useful problem uniquely suited to serve as proof of work in a new consensus mechanism for decentralized grid management.
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Interfacial engineering to achieve an energy density of over 200 Wh kg−1 in sodium batteries Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-02 Yuqi Li, Quan Zhou, Suting Weng, Feixiang Ding, Xingguo Qi, Jiaze Lu, Yu Li, Xiao Zhang, Xiaohui Rong, Yaxiang Lu, Xuefeng Wang, Ruijuan Xiao, Hong Li, Xuejie Huang, Liquan Chen, Yong-Sheng Hu
Sodium-based batteries have attracted wide interests in the academic and industrial fields. However, their energy density is still lower than that of Li-based batteries. Here we report an initial anode-free Na battery with an energy density of over 200 Wh kg−1, which is even higher than that of the commercial LiFePO4||graphite battery. Through introducing graphitic carbon coating on the Al current
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Origin and regulation of oxygen redox instability in high-voltage battery cathodes Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-02 Xiang Liu, Gui-Liang Xu, Venkata Surya Chaitanya Kolluru, Chen Zhao, Qingtian Li, Xinwei Zhou, Yuzi Liu, Liang Yin, Zengqing Zhuo, Amine Daali, Jing-Jing Fan, Wenjun Liu, Yang Ren, Wenqian Xu, Junjing Deng, Inhui Hwang, Dongsheng Ren, Xuning Feng, Chengjun Sun, Ling Huang, Tao Zhou, Ming Du, Zonghai Chen, Shi-Gang Sun, Maria K. Y. Chan, Wanli Yang, Minggao Ouyang, Khalil Amine
Oxygen redox at high voltage has emerged as a transformative paradigm for high-energy battery cathodes such as layered transition-metal oxides by offering extra capacity beyond conventional transition-metal redox. However, these cathodes suffer from voltage hysteresis, voltage fade and capacity drop upon cycling. Single-crystalline cathodes have recently shown some improvements, but these challenges
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Modulating crystal growth of formamidinium–caesium perovskites for over 200 cm2 photovoltaic sub-modules Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-02 Tongle Bu, Luis K. Ono, Jing Li, Jie Su, Guoqing Tong, Wei Zhang, Yuqiang Liu, Jiahao Zhang, Jingjing Chang, Said Kazaoui, Fuzhi Huang, Yi-Bing Cheng, Yabing Qi
Upscalable fabrication of efficient and stable perovskite solar modules is urgently needed for commercialization. Here we introduce methylammonium chloride additives in the co-solvent system of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone/N,N-dimethylformamide to control the formation of intermediate phases during the growth of formamidinium–caesium lead triiodide perovskite films. We achieve high-quality films upon drying
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A blockchain consensus mechanism that uses Proof of Solution to optimize energy dispatch and trading Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-06-02 Sijie Chen, Hanning Mi, Jian Ping, Zheng Yan, Zeyu Shen, Xuezhi Liu, Ning Zhang, Qing Xia, Chongqing Kang
Traditional centralized optimization and management schemes may be incompatible with a changing energy system whose structure is becoming increasingly distributed. This challenge can hopefully be addressed by blockchain. However, existing blockchains have not been well prepared to integrate mathematical optimization, which plays a key role in many energy system applications. Here we propose a blockchain
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Secure the electrodes Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-30 Jingjing Xue
The instability of the rear electrodes in perovskite solar cells limits the long-term durability of the devices. Now, researchers have developed a composite electrode consisting of Cu–Ni alloy sandwiched between graphene layers to considerably improve the operational stability of perovskite solar cells.
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In situ growth of graphene on both sides of a Cu–Ni alloy electrode for perovskite solar cells with improved stability Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-30 Xuesong Lin, Hongzhen Su, Sifan He, Yenan Song, Yanbo Wang, Zhenzhen Qin, Yongzhen Wu, Xudong Yang, Qifeng Han, Junfeng Fang, Yiqiang Zhang, Hiroshi Segawa, Michael Grätzel, Liyuan Han
The instability of rear electrodes undermines the long-term operational durability of efficient perovskite solar cells. Here, a composite electrode of copper–nickel (Cu–Ni) alloy stabilized by in situ grown bifacial graphene is designed. The alloying makes the work function of Cu suitable for regular perovskite solar cells. Cu–Ni is the ideal substrate for preparing high-quality graphene via chemical
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The US role in securing the European Union’s near-term natural gas supply Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-26 Arvind P. Ravikumar, Morgan Bazilian, Michael E. Webber
The European Union’s plan to phase out Russian natural gas imports by 2027 rests partly on increasing near-term imports of US liquefied natural gas. This will require a coordinated policy response that includes securing supplies from major exporters, global diplomacy, expanding import capacity, and alignment with Europe’s climate goals.
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Winterizing power plants pays off for risk-neutral investors in Texas Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-25 Katharina Gruber, Tobias Gauster, Gregor Laaha, Peter Regner, Johannes Schmidt
Considering the probability of occurrence of an extreme cold event similar to that in February 2021, winterization of the Texan power system pays off for risk-neutral utilities in the medium term. Risk aversion can cause under-investment, and policymakers should therefore take into account extreme event risks in decision-making and implement measures that increase winterization efforts.
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The myth of US energy independence Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-25 Jun Ukita Shepard, Lincoln F. Pratson
The Russia–Ukraine crisis has exposed vulnerabilities in US energy security. The US may import only a small amount of Russian oil but it is tied to Russian energy via its participation in highly globalized supply chains.
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An amino acid is essential Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-19 Sheri Lense
Formic acid is a promising hydrogen carrier, but more effective and economical catalysis of both its synthesis from H2 and CO2 and its dehydrogenation is needed. To this end, a Mn-based complex, in the presence of an α-amino acid, is now shown to promote efficient catalysis of both reactions and enable retention and reuse of CO2.
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Counteracting electric vehicle range concern with a scalable behavioural intervention Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-19 Mario Herberz, Ulf J. J. Hahnel, Tobias Brosch
All-electric vehicles remain far from reaching the market share required to meaningfully reduce transportation-related CO2 emissions. While financial and technological adoption barriers are increasingly being removed, psychological barriers remain insufficiently addressed. Here we show that car owners systematically underestimate the compatibility of available battery ranges with their annual mobility
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Reversible hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to formic acid using a Mn-pincer complex in the presence of lysine Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-19 Duo Wei, Rui Sang, Peter Sponholz, Henrik Junge, Matthias Beller
Efficient hydrogen storage and release are essential for effective use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. In principle, formic acid could be used as a convenient hydrogen storage medium via reversible CO2 hydrogenation. However, noble metal-based catalysts are currently needed to facilitate the (de)hydrogenation, and the CO2 produced during hydrogen release is generally released, resulting in undesirable
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The heterogeneous role of energy policies in the energy transition of Asia–Pacific emerging economies Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-19 Peipei Chen, Yi Wu, Jing Meng, Pan He, Deyu Li, D’ Maris Coffman, Xi Liang, Dabo Guan
The achievement of sustainable energy systems requires well-designed energy policies, particularly targeted strategies to plan the direction of energy development, regulations monitored and executed through credible authorities and laws enforced by the judicial system for the enhancement of actions and national targets. The Asia–Pacific region (APAC), responsible for more than half of global energy
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Light-induced activation of boron doping in hydrogenated amorphous silicon for over 25% efficiency silicon solar cells Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-12 Wenzhu Liu, Jianhua Shi, Liping Zhang, Anjun Han, Shenglei Huang, Xiaodong Li, Jun Peng, Yuhao Yang, Yajun Gao, Jian Yu, Kai Jiang, Xinbo Yang, Zhenfei Li, Wenjie Zhao, Junlin Du, Xin Song, Jun Yin, Jie Wang, Youlin Yu, Qiang Shi, Zhixin Ma, Haichuan Zhang, Jiajia Ling, Lujia Xu, Jingxuan Kang, Fuzong Xu, Jiang Liu, Hanyuan Liu, Yi Xie, Fanying Meng, Stefaan De Wolf, Frédéric Laquai, Zengfeng Di, Zhengxin
Recent achievements in amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells and perovskite/SHJ tandem solar cells place hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) at the forefront of photovoltaics. Due to the extremely low effective doping efficiency of trivalent boron in amorphous tetravalent silicon, light harvesting of aforementioned devices is limited by their fill factors (FFs), a direct
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Oil majors’ slow transition Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-10 Galina Alova
The energy transition offers oil and gas companies an opportunity to shift to new business areas such as renewable energy. New research looking at four oil majors finds limited investments in and revenues from renewable energy, despite ambitious climate strategies.
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Additive engineering for robust interphases to stabilize high-Ni layered structures at ultra-high voltage of 4.8 V Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-09 Sha Tan, Zulipiya Shadike, Jizhou Li, Xuelong Wang, Yang Yang, Ruoqian Lin, Arthur Cresce, Jiangtao Hu, Adrian Hunt, Iradwikanari Waluyo, Lu Ma, Federico Monaco, Peter Cloetens, Jie Xiao, Yijin Liu, Xiao-Qing Yang, Kang Xu, Enyuan Hu
Nickel-rich layered cathode materials promise high energy density for next-generation batteries when coupled with lithium metal anodes. However, the practical capacities accessible are far less than the theoretical values due to their structural instability during cycling, especially when charged at high voltages. Here we demonstrate that stable cycling with an ultra-high cut-off voltage of 4.8 V can
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An electrolyte additive allows stable high-voltage cycling of a nickel-rich layered cathode Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-09
Using an electrolyte additive enables a nickel-rich layered cathode to be cycled at high voltages and still retain 97% of its initial capacity after 200 cycles. The decomposition of the electrolyte additive leads to the formation of a robust interphase that protects the surface of the cathode, preserving the capacity and preventing cracks.
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Contacts matter Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-05-05 Thomas Unold
The open-circuit voltage of CdTe solar cells is limited by energy losses across the device stack. Now, a comprehensive optical and electrical analysis reveals that the high internal voltages of state-of-the-art CdTe-based absorber layers could be translated into electrical power if charge selectivity is increased at contacts.
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Working in the cold Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-29 Leo J. Small, Travis M. Anderson
Redox flow batteries offer a readily scalable solution to grid-scale energy storage, but their application is generally limited to ambient temperatures above 0 °C. Now, a polyoxometalate-based chemistry has been developed to enable redox flow batteries to operate, and even thrive, under frigid conditions.
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Cost and potential of metal–organic frameworks for hydrogen back-up power supply Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-25 Peng Peng, Aikaterini Anastasopoulou, Kriston Brooks, Hiroyasu Furukawa, Mark E. Bowden, Jeffrey R. Long, Tom Autrey, Hanna Breunig
Hydrogen offers a route to storing renewable electricity and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Metal–organic framework (MOF) adsorbents are promising candidates for hydrogen storage, but a deep understanding of their potential for large-scale, stationary back-up power applications has been lacking. Here we utilize techno-economic analysis and process modelling, which leverage molecular simulation
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Heteropoly acid negolytes for high-power-density aqueous redox flow batteries at low temperatures Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-25 Fei Ai, Zengyue Wang, Nien-Chu Lai, Qingli Zou, Zhuojian Liang, Yi-Chun Lu
Operating aqueous redox flow batteries (ARFBs) at low temperatures is prohibited by limited solubility of redox-active materials, freezing electrolytes and sluggish reaction kinetics. Here we report a multi-electron heteropoly acid (H6P2W18O62, HPOM) negolyte that enables high-performance ARFBs at low temperatures. The proton (H+) in HPOM warrants a much higher solubility of polyoxometalates (POMs)
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Formulating energy density for designing practical lithium–sulfur batteries Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-21 Guangmin Zhou, Hao Chen, Yi Cui
The lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery is one of the most promising battery systems due to its high theoretical energy density and low cost. Despite impressive progress in its development, there has been a lack of comprehensive analyses of key performance parameters affecting the energy density of Li–S batteries. Here, we analyse the potential causes of energy loss during battery operations. We identify
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Integrated data deposition at submission Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-20
A new pilot scheme at Nature Energy will enable authors to put data into a repository as part of their manuscript submission process.
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An alcohol-based conductive formulation for printable photovoltaics Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-14
PEDOT:PSS is a water-dispersible hole-transport material commonly used in printed electronics, but its acidity, hygroscopicity and poor wetting properties can affect device performance. These issues can now be overcome by adopting an alcohol-dispersible formulation — PEDOT:F — that enables the production of efficient and stable fully printable organic solar cells.
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Planning sustainable electricity solutions for refugee settlements in sub-Saharan Africa Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-14 Duccio Baldi, Magda Moner-Girona, Elena Fumagalli, Fernando Fahl
An inadequate understanding of the energy needs of forcibly displaced populations is one of the main obstacles in providing sustainable and reliable energy to refugees and their host communities. Here, we provide a first-order assessment of the main factors determining the decision to deploy fully renewable mini-grids in almost 300 refugee settlements in sub-Saharan Africa. Using an energy assessment
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An alcohol-dispersed conducting polymer complex for fully printable organic solar cells with improved stability Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-14 Youyu Jiang, Xinyun Dong, Lulu Sun, Tiefeng Liu, Fei Qin, Cong Xie, Pei Jiang, Lu Hu, Xin Lu, Xianmin Zhou, Wei Meng, Ning Li, Christoph J. Brabec, Yinhua Zhou
Efficient and stable organic solar cells via full coating are highly desirable. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is a classic conducting polymer complex and widely used for hole collection in fully printable devices. However, PEDOT:PSS is typically dispersed in water and exhibits strong acidity that deteriorates device efficiency and stability. Here we report an alcohol-dispersed
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Energizing entrepreneurship Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-11 Nathanael Ojong
The renewable energy sector has the potential to contribute to the creation and growth of business ventures. A new study offers important insights on entrepreneurial opportunities and their gender dimensions with regard to entrepreneurial uses of electricity.
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Curbing rooftop solar is a poor way to promote equity Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-07 Eric O’Shaughnessy
Curbing subsidies to address inequalities only delays widespread and equitable adoption of rooftop solar, argues Eric O’Shaughnessy.
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Designing effective energy information Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-07 Nina Boogen
Understanding the role of different types of energy-related information on consumer purchases is important for the design of effective energy-efficiency policies. Now, a randomised experiment adds energy-cost information to conventional EU energy labels and finds a tension between energy efficiency, price and total energy cost.
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It’s time for rooftop solar to compete with other renewables Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-07 Severin Borenstein
Money spent on Californian rooftop solar subsidies can be much better spent supporting more cost-efficient emission reduction measures, argues Severin Borenstein.
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A randomized trial of energy cost information provision alongside energy-efficiency classes for refrigerator purchases Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-07 Giovanna d’Adda, Yu Gao, Massimo Tavoni
Energy-efficiency classes provide coarse but easy-to-process information designed to help complex decisions. However, they are multi-attribute indices, imprecisely related to the running costs of graded products. Here we evaluate the impact of adding simple but accurate yearly or lifetime energy cost information to the European Union energy label. We conduct a field experiment with an online retailer
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Profitability and investment risk of Texan power system winterization Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-04-04 Katharina Gruber, Tobias Gauster, Gregor Laaha, Peter Regner, Johannes Schmidt
A lack of winterization of power system infrastructure resulted in substantial rolling blackouts in Texas in 2021, but debate about the cost of winterization continues. Here we assess if incentives for winterization on the energy-only market are sufficient. We combine power demand estimates with estimates of power plant outages to derive power deficits and scarcity prices. Expected profits from winterization
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Author Correction: Degradation mechanisms of perovskite solar cells under vacuum and one atmosphere of nitrogen Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-30 Renjun Guo,Dan Han,Wei Chen,Linjie Dai,Kangyu Ji,Qiu Xiong,Saisai Li,Lennart K. Reb,Manuel A. Scheel,Shambhavi Pratap,Nian Li,Shanshan Yin,Tianxiao Xiao,Suzhe Liang,Anna Lena Oechsle,Christian L. Weindl,Matthias Schwartzkopf,Hubert Ebert,Peng Gao,Kai Wang,Mingjian Yuan,Neil C. Greenham,Samuel D. Stranks,Stephan V. Roth,Richard H. Friend,Peter Müller-Buschbaum
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Strain-induced earthquake Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-29 Nicholas S. Grundish
Severe capacity fade in layered sodium oxide cathodes hinders their commercial feasibility in sodium batteries. Now, intrinsic lattice strain is unveiled as a new origin for their short cycle life, in addition to the common belief that phase transition or parasitic reactions are solely responsible.
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Ta–TiOx nanoparticles as radical scavengers to improve the durability of Fe–N–C oxygen reduction catalysts Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-25 Hua Xie, Xiaohong Xie, Guoxiang Hu, Venkateshkumar Prabhakaran, Sulay Saha, Lorelis Gonzalez-Lopez, Abhijit H. Phakatkar, Min Hong, Meiling Wu, Reza Shahbazian-Yassar, Vijay Ramani, Mohamad I. Al-Sheikhly, De-en Jiang, Yuyan Shao, Liangbing Hu
Highly active and durable platinum group metal-free catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction, such as Fe–N–C materials, are needed to lower the cost of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. However, their durability is impaired by the attack of oxidizing radicals such as ·OH and HO2· that form from incomplete reduction of O2 via H2O2. Here we demonstrate that Ta–TiOx nanoparticle additives protect
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Radical scavengers to protect platinum group metal-free electrocatalysts Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-25
Using metal oxide nanoparticle additives can protect platinum group metal-free electrocatalysts from the attack of oxidizing radicals. Fuel cells with these radical scavengers have better durability than fuel cells without the scavengers.
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Anticipating customer-centred zero-carbon energy business models Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-23 Jeffrey Hardy, Laura Sandys
Innovative user-centred energy business models will be critical to deliver millions of zero-carbon assets in homes and businesses and to help customers with complex energy prices. These new business models require regulatory space to emerge while regulation itself will need to change to protect consumers from harm.
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Borders and pipelines Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-18 Fouad Khan
The Russia–Ukraine war highlights energy consequences and drivers of conflicts that cannot be ignored.
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Cool redox reactions Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-17 Kurt Engelbrecht, Nini Pryds
The ever-growing consumption of energy to cool indoor spaces calls for more efficient, environmentally friendly and grid-flexible alternatives to vapour compression. Now, researchers demonstrate electrochemical refrigeration based on the thermogalvanic effect that could potentially address these needs.
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Continuous transition from double-layer to Faradaic charge storage in confined electrolytes Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-17 Simon Fleischmann, Yuan Zhang, Xuepeng Wang, Peter T. Cummings, Jianzhong Wu, Patrice Simon, Yury Gogotsi, Volker Presser, Veronica Augustyn
The capacitance of the electrochemical interface has traditionally been separated into two distinct types: non-Faradaic electric double-layer capacitance, which involves charge induction, and Faradaic pseudocapacitance, which involves charge transfer. However, the electrochemical interface in most energy technologies is not planar but involves porous and layered materials that offer varying degrees
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Aligned for renewable power Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-15 Patric Jannasch
Alkaline membrane fuel cells can operate using nonprecious metals as catalysts, but rely on polymeric membranes with high hydroxide conductivity and alkali-resistance, which are hard to find. A new membrane is now reported comprising ferrocenium cations in magnetically aligned domains with an excellent combination of these properties.
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Generation of long-lived charges in organic semiconductor heterojunction nanoparticles for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-14 Jan Kosco, Soranyel Gonzalez-Carrero, Calvyn T. Howells, Teng Fei, Yifan Dong, Rachid Sougrat, George T. Harrison, Yuliar Firdaus, Rajendar Sheelamanthula, Balaji Purushothaman, Floriana Moruzzi, Weidong Xu, Lingyun Zhao, Aniruddha Basu, Stefaan De Wolf, Thomas D. Anthopoulos, James R. Durrant, Iain McCulloch
Organic semiconductor photocatalysts for the production of solar fuels are attractive as they can be synthetically tuned to absorb visible light while simultaneously retaining suitable energy levels to drive a range of processes. However, a greater understanding of the photophysics that determines the function of organic semiconductor heterojunction nanoparticles is needed to optimize performance.
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High power and energy density dynamic phase change materials using pressure-enhanced close contact melting Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-07 Wuchen Fu, Xiao Yan, Yashraj Gurumukhi, Vivek S. Garimella, William P. King, Nenad Miljkovic
Phase change materials show promise to address challenges in thermal energy storage and thermal management. Yet, their energy density and power density decrease as the transient melt front moves away from the heat source. Here, we propose an approach that achieves the spatial control of the melt-front location of pure phase change materials using pressure-enhanced close contact melting. Using paraffin
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Author Correction: Impact of declining renewable energy costs on electrification in low-emission scenarios Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-03 Gunnar Luderer,Silvia Madeddu,Leon Merfort,Falko Ueckerdt,Michaja Pehl,Robert Pietzcker,Marianna Rottoli,Felix Schreyer,Nico Bauer,Lavinia Baumstark,Christoph Bertram,Alois Dirnaichner,Florian Humpenöder,Antoine Levesque,Alexander Popp,Renato Rodrigues,Jessica Strefler,Elmar Kriegler
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Understanding what limits the voltage of polycrystalline CdSeTe solar cells Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-03 Arthur Onno, Carey Reich, Siming Li, Adam Danielson, William Weigand, Alexandra Bothwell, Sachit Grover, Jeff Bailey, Gang Xiong, Darius Kuciauskas, Walajabad Sampath, Zachary C. Holman
The origin of voltage deficits in polycrystalline cadmium selenide telluride (CdSeTe) solar cells is unclear. Here, we present a comprehensive voltage loss analysis performed on state-of-the-art CdSeTe devices—fabricated at Colorado State University and First Solar—using photoluminescence techniques, including external radiative efficiency (ERE) measurements. More specifically, we report the thermodynamic
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Safeguarding the energy transition against political backlash to carbon markets Nat. Energy (IF 60.858) Pub Date : 2022-03-03 M. Pahle, O. Tietjen, S. Osorio, F. Egli, B. Steffen, T. S. Schmidt, O. Edenhofer
Substantial renewable energy (RE) cost reductions have raised the prospect of a subsidy-free RE era of the energy transition. The envisaged policy cornerstones of this era are carbon markets, which create economic incentives for sustaining further RE deployment. However, this overlooks that exposing RE to market risks and increasing interest rates would result in substantially higher financing cost