Climate Change Technologies

Technologies for Getting to Zero Emissions by 2060

Technologies are only one way to address climate. Other mechanisms include lifestyle changes, economics, and policies. That said, there is a major role for technologies to save us from the ravages of climate change.

How can we go about having an evidence based approach to answering this question? Here we outline an approach

Specifically, we look at reports from Science Daily, a daily, science news reporting organization. Science Daily scans the scientific and technological literature for science-related information, and provides short scientific and technological reports. We look at a key sectors - grid development, nitrogen fixing fertilizers, energy storage, electrical vehicles and wind energy - over the eighteen month period December 2018 to May 2020 time period to determine what progress, if any, is occurring. Titles, summaries and links to the relevant articles are provided, so you can make your own judgments based on factors such as number of reports, and the quality and relevance of the reported findings.

Electrical Grid

Resarchers develop viable sodium battery 21 Apr 2020: Researchers have created a sodium-ion battery that holds as much energy and works as well as some commercial lithium-ion battery chemistries, making for a potentially viable battery technology out of abundant and cheap materials.
Engineers develop way to improve efficiency and heat tolerance of devices 20 Apr 2020: Using ...small, engineered materials also called metamaterials,... the researchers altered the dielectric capacitor to increase storage capacity while also increasing electric charge efficiency, meaning the capacitor can withstand greater voltage with very little energy loss at temperatures higher than 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Households in Switzerland could feasibly be energy self-sufficient by 2050 3 Mar 2020: By 2050, photovoltaic technologies that convert sunlight into electricity could enable many single- and multi-family buildings in Switzerland to produce enough energy to meet their own consumption needs, including the charging of electric vehicles.
Say goodbye to power outages: Researchers shine a light on ways to keep the energy flowing 27 Feb 2020: New research is redesigning how electricity is distributed within power grids. The research describes a power system operation that will consist of multiple microgrids -- separate grids operating like individual islands that can disconnect from the main power supply and run independently.
Could every country have a Green New Deal? Report charts paths for 143 countries 19 Dec 2019: Researchers offer an updated vision of the steps that 143 countries around the world can take to attain 100% clean, renewable energy by the year 2050. The new roadmaps project that transitioning to clean, renewable energy could reduce worldwide energy needs by 57%, create 28.6 million more jobs than are lost, and reduce energy, health, and climate costs by 91% compared with a business-as-usual analysis.
Grid reliability under climate change may require more power generation 20 Nov 2019: Researchers applied a new modeling approach for long-term planning of the U.S. power grid under future climate and water resource conditions. The new approach shows the grid may need an additional 5.3% to 12% of power-generating capacity to meet demand and reliability requirements.
Big plans to save the planet depend on nanoscopic materials 20 Nov 2019: Scientists present a comprehensive analysis of two decades of energy storage research involving nanomaterials. The authors lay out a roadmap for how this technology can enable the world's urgent shift toward better energy storage devices and sustainability.
Go with the flow: Scientists design new grid batteries for renewable ... 6 Nov 2019: Scientists have designed an affordable 'flow battery' membrane that could accelerate renewable energy for the electrical grid.
To rid electric grid of carbon, shore up green energy support 27 Oct 2019: Engineers, along with an economist, have created an energy model that helps to remove carbon-generated power from the US electric grid -- replacing it with a greener, financially feasible wind, solar and hydro energy system.
Are we underestimating the benefits of investing in renewable energy? 15 Oct 2019: Scientists have estimated the emissions intensity of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants from a major electricity distributor and highlighted key consequences - essential information for policymakers shaping decisions to reduce electricity system emissions.
New electrolyte stops rapid performance decline of next-generation lithium batteries 9 Oct 2019: Researchers have designed and tested a new electrolyte composition that could greatly accelerate the adoption of the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
Using high energy density material in electrode design enhances lithium sulfur batteries 29 Sep 2019: To develop higher capacity batteries, researchers have looked to lithium sulfur batteries because of sulfur's high theoretical capacity and energy density...To ... improve lithium sulfur battery performance, the researchers created a sandwich-structured electrode using a novel material that traps polysulfides and increases the reaction kinetics.
How buildings can cut 80 percent of their carbon emissions by 2050 14 Aug 2019: Slashing building CO2 emissions 80% by 2050 would ... contribute significantly to combatting climate change. A new model developed by researchers at two U.S. national laboratories suggests that reaching this target will require the installation of highly energy-efficient building technologies, new operational approaches, and electrification of building systems that consume fossil fuels directly, alongside increases in the share of electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
Researchers use blockchain to drive electric-vehicle infrastructure 13 Aug 2019: ...researchers found that there is a lack of trust among charging service providers, property owners and owners of electric vehicles (EVs). With an open blockchain platform, all parties will have access to the data and can see if it has been tampered with.
High-performance flow batteries offer path to grid-level renewable energy storage 24 Jul 2019: A low-cost, high-performance battery chemistry could one day lead to scalable grid-level storage for wind and solar energy that could help electrical utilities reduce their dependency on fossil fuels.
Hackproofing smart meters 5 Jun 2019: Smart electricity meters are useful because they allow energy utilities to efficiently track energy use and allocate energy production. But because they're connected to a grid, they can also serve as back doors for malicious hackers... Cybersecurity researchers have developed an automated program aimed at foiling smart meter hacking and boosting security in the smart grid.
New approach optimizes use of future wave electricity generators during disaster 3 Jun 2019: When hurricanes strike, electricity loss ranks as one of the top concerns. New work looks to develop a strategy for how floating devices that harness the energy of ocean waves might be able to provide this much needed aid.
Helping cities make power grids safer, more reliable: More data is required to better predict and understand how solar energy can be integrated into the power grid 27 May 2019: Solar power researchers have traditionally used the power measurements from single residential solar photovoltaic systems to estimate the power generated within a city...Data from systems across a city is desperately needed to fully understand how this energy source can be integrated into the power grid. Engineers have provided a freely available quality-controlled and tuned dataset from 1,287 residential installations across Australia.
New York state winters could pose solar farm 'ramping' snag for power grid 27 May 2019: By adding utility-scale solar farms throughout New York state, summer electricity demand from conventional sources could be reduced by up to 9.6 percent in some places...With low energy demand around midday in the winter, combined with solar-electricity production, New York's power system could face volatile swings of "ramping" -- which is how power system operators describe quick increases or decreases in demand.
100% renewables doesn't equal zero-carbon energy, and the difference is growing 22 May 2019: While 160 companies around the world have committed to use '100% renewable energy,' that does not mean '100% carbon-free energy.' The difference will grow as power grids become less reliant on fossil power, according to a new study. Entities committed to fighting climate change can and should measure the environmental benefits of their renewable strategies accurately, the authors write.
Underwater power generation: Energy from seawater12 May 2019: Underwater vehicles, diving robots, and detectors require their own energy supply to operate for long periods independent of ships. A new, inexpensive system for the direct electrochemical extraction of energy from seawater offers the advantage of also being able to handle short spikes in power demand, while maintaining longer term steady power. To do so, the system can autonomously switch between two modes of operation.
A step for a promising new battery to store clean energy12 May 2019: Researchers have built a more efficient, more reliable potassium-oxygen battery, a step toward a potential solution for energy storage on the nation's power grid and longer-lasting batteries in cell phones and laptops.
Peer-to-peer 'free trade' in excess energy29 Apr 2019: People who generate their own power through solar panels and wind turbines may soon be able to decide where to distribute their excess energy, rather than the national grid.
New discovery makes fast-charging, better performing lithium-ion possible: Materials could boost battery performance in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and more15 Apr 2019: Creating a lithium-ion battery that can charge in a matter of minutes but still operate at a high capacity is possible. This development has the potential to improve battery performance for consumer electronics, solar grid storage, and electric vehicles.
Energy stealthily hitches ride in global trade20 Mar 2019: Fulfilling the world's growing energy needs summons images of oil pipelines, electric wires and truckloads of coal. But research shows a lot of energy moves nearly incognito, embedded in the products, and leaves its environmental footprint home.
Good news! Europe's electric grid will still work even as the world crumbles5 Mar 2019: Temperatures may climb and seas may rise, but the lights (and, undoubtedly, the air conditioning) will still be on in nations with high capacities for wind and solar energy. New research suggests that these electricity systems should work almost equally well in both historical and future European climates despite changing weather patterns.
Signals from distant lightning could help secure electric substations25 Feb 2019: Side channel signals and bolts of lightning from distant storms could one day help prevent hackers from sabotaging electric power substations and other critical infrastructure, a new study suggests.
Flags that generate energy from wind and sun10 Feb 2019: Scientists have created flags that can generate electrical energy using wind and solare power...The newly developed energy harvesting flags are capable of powering remote sensors and small-scale portable electronics which can be used for environmental sensing such as to monitor pollution, sound levels and heat for example.
Hybrid electricity system would reduce rates, improve service30 Jan 2019: A new distribution system would reduce electricity prices by more than five per cent while also improving service reliability...Researchers found efficiencies by designing a system that delivers both kinds of current to customers instead of the AC-only distribution systems now in use throughout the world.
Switching to a home battery won't help save the world from climate: At least until utilities charge less for energy coming from renewable power sources10 Dec 2018: Home energy storage systems might save you money, but under current policies, they would also often increase carbon emissions.
'Sun in a box' would store renewable energy for the grid: Design for system that provides solar- or wind-generated power on demand should be cheaper than other leading options4 Dec 2018: Engineers have come up with a conceptual design for a system to store renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, and deliver that energy back into an electric grid on demand. The system may be designed to power a small city not just when the sun is up or the wind is high, but around the clock.
Device could provide refrigeration for off-grid locations27 Nov 2018: A new system can provide passive cooling without the need for power, and could be used to preserve food or vaccines in hot, off-grid locations.
A faster, cheaper path to fusion energy: New, powerful magnets key to building the world's first energy-producing fusion experiment4 Nov 2018: Scientists are working to dramatically speed up the development of fusion energy ...The arrival of a breakthrough technology -- high-temperature superconductors, which can be used to build magnets that produce stronger magnetic fields than previously possible -- could help them achieve this goal. Researchers plan to use this technology to build magnets at the scale required for fusion.

Nitrogen Fixation

Resarchers develop viable sodium battery 21 Apr 2020: Researchers have created a sodium-ion battery that holds as much energy and works as well as some commercial lithium-ion battery chemistries, making for a potentially viable battery technology out of abundant and cheap materials.
Engineers develop way to improve efficiency and heat tolerance of devices 20 Apr 2020: Using ...small, engineered materials also called metamaterials,... the researchers altered the dielectric capacitor to increase storage capacity while also increasing electric charge efficiency, meaning the capacitor can withstand greater voltage with very little energy loss at temperatures higher than 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Households in Switzerland could feasibly be energy self-sufficient by 2050 3 Mar 2020: By 2050, photovoltaic technologies that convert sunlight into electricity could enable many single- and multi-family buildings in Switzerland to produce enough energy to meet their own consumption needs, including the charging of electric vehicles.
Say goodbye to power outages: Researchers shine a light on ways to keep the energy flowing 27 Feb 2020: New research is redesigning how electricity is distributed within power grids. The research describes a power system operation that will consist of multiple microgrids -- separate grids operating like individual islands that can disconnect from the main power supply and run independently.
Could every country have a Green New Deal? Report charts paths for 143 countries 19 Dec 2019: Researchers offer an updated vision of the steps that 143 countries around the world can take to attain 100% clean, renewable energy by the year 2050. The new roadmaps project that transitioning to clean, renewable energy could reduce worldwide energy needs by 57%, create 28.6 million more jobs than are lost, and reduce energy, health, and climate costs by 91% compared with a business-as-usual analysis.
Grid reliability under climate change may require more power generation 20 Nov 2019: Researchers applied a new modeling approach for long-term planning of the U.S. power grid under future climate and water resource conditions. The new approach shows the grid may need an additional 5.3% to 12% of power-generating capacity to meet demand and reliability requirements.
Big plans to save the planet depend on nanoscopic materials 20 Nov 2019: Scientists present a comprehensive analysis of two decades of energy storage research involving nanomaterials. The authors lay out a roadmap for how this technology can enable the world's urgent shift toward better energy storage devices and sustainability.
Go with the flow: Scientists design new grid batteries for renewable ... 6 Nov 2019: Scientists have designed an affordable 'flow battery' membrane that could accelerate renewable energy for the electrical grid.
To rid electric grid of carbon, shore up green energy support 27 Oct 2019: Engineers, along with an economist, have created an energy model that helps to remove carbon-generated power from the US electric grid -- replacing it with a greener, financially feasible wind, solar and hydro energy system.
Are we underestimating the benefits of investing in renewable energy? 15 Oct 2019: Scientists have estimated the emissions intensity of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants from a major electricity distributor and highlighted key consequences - essential information for policymakers shaping decisions to reduce electricity system emissions.
New electrolyte stops rapid performance decline of next-generation lithium batteries 9 Oct 2019: Researchers have designed and tested a new electrolyte composition that could greatly accelerate the adoption of the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
Using high energy density material in electrode design enhances lithium sulfur batteries 29 Sep 2019: To develop higher capacity batteries, researchers have looked to lithium sulfur batteries because of sulfur's high theoretical capacity and energy density...To ... improve lithium sulfur battery performance, the researchers created a sandwich-structured electrode using a novel material that traps polysulfides and increases the reaction kinetics.
How buildings can cut 80 percent of their carbon emissions by 2050 14 Aug 2019: Slashing building CO2 emissions 80% by 2050 would ... contribute significantly to combatting climate change. A new model developed by researchers at two U.S. national laboratories suggests that reaching this target will require the installation of highly energy-efficient building technologies, new operational approaches, and electrification of building systems that consume fossil fuels directly, alongside increases in the share of electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
Researchers use blockchain to drive electric-vehicle infrastructure 13 Aug 2019: ...researchers found that there is a lack of trust among charging service providers, property owners and owners of electric vehicles (EVs). With an open blockchain platform, all parties will have access to the data and can see if it has been tampered with.
High-performance flow batteries offer path to grid-level renewable energy storage 24 Jul 2019: A low-cost, high-performance battery chemistry could one day lead to scalable grid-level storage for wind and solar energy that could help electrical utilities reduce their dependency on fossil fuels.
Hackproofing smart meters 5 Jun 2019: Smart electricity meters are useful because they allow energy utilities to efficiently track energy use and allocate energy production. But because they're connected to a grid, they can also serve as back doors for malicious hackers... Cybersecurity researchers have developed an automated program aimed at foiling smart meter hacking and boosting security in the smart grid.
New approach optimizes use of future wave electricity generators during disaster 3 Jun 2019: When hurricanes strike, electricity loss ranks as one of the top concerns. New work looks to develop a strategy for how floating devices that harness the energy of ocean waves might be able to provide this much needed aid.
Helping cities make power grids safer, more reliable: More data is required to better predict and understand how solar energy can be integrated into the power grid 27 May 2019: Solar power researchers have traditionally used the power measurements from single residential solar photovoltaic systems to estimate the power generated within a city...Data from systems across a city is desperately needed to fully understand how this energy source can be integrated into the power grid. Engineers have provided a freely available quality-controlled and tuned dataset from 1,287 residential installations across Australia.
New York state winters could pose solar farm 'ramping' snag for power grid 27 May 2019: By adding utility-scale solar farms throughout New York state, summer electricity demand from conventional sources could be reduced by up to 9.6 percent in some places...With low energy demand around midday in the winter, combined with solar-electricity production, New York's power system could face volatile swings of "ramping" -- which is how power system operators describe quick increases or decreases in demand.
100% renewables doesn't equal zero-carbon energy, and the difference is growing 22 May 2019: While 160 companies around the world have committed to use '100% renewable energy,' that does not mean '100% carbon-free energy.' The difference will grow as power grids become less reliant on fossil power, according to a new study. Entities committed to fighting climate change can and should measure the environmental benefits of their renewable strategies accurately, the authors write.
Underwater power generation: Energy from seawater12 May 2019: Underwater vehicles, diving robots, and detectors require their own energy supply to operate for long periods independent of ships. A new, inexpensive system for the direct electrochemical extraction of energy from seawater offers the advantage of also being able to handle short spikes in power demand, while maintaining longer term steady power. To do so, the system can autonomously switch between two modes of operation.
A step for a promising new battery to store clean energy12 May 2019: Researchers have built a more efficient, more reliable potassium-oxygen battery, a step toward a potential solution for energy storage on the nation's power grid and longer-lasting batteries in cell phones and laptops.
Peer-to-peer 'free trade' in excess energy29 Apr 2019: People who generate their own power through solar panels and wind turbines may soon be able to decide where to distribute their excess energy, rather than the national grid.
New discovery makes fast-charging, better performing lithium-ion possible: Materials could boost battery performance in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and more15 Apr 2019: Creating a lithium-ion battery that can charge in a matter of minutes but still operate at a high capacity is possible. This development has the potential to improve battery performance for consumer electronics, solar grid storage, and electric vehicles.
Energy stealthily hitches ride in global trade20 Mar 2019: Fulfilling the world's growing energy needs summons images of oil pipelines, electric wires and truckloads of coal. But research shows a lot of energy moves nearly incognito, embedded in the products, and leaves its environmental footprint home.
Good news! Europe's electric grid will still work even as the world crumbles5 Mar 2019: Temperatures may climb and seas may rise, but the lights (and, undoubtedly, the air conditioning) will still be on in nations with high capacities for wind and solar energy. New research suggests that these electricity systems should work almost equally well in both historical and future European climates despite changing weather patterns.
Signals from distant lightning could help secure electric substations25 Feb 2019: Side channel signals and bolts of lightning from distant storms could one day help prevent hackers from sabotaging electric power substations and other critical infrastructure, a new study suggests.
Flags that generate energy from wind and sun10 Feb 2019: Scientists have created flags that can generate electrical energy using wind and solare power...The newly developed energy harvesting flags are capable of powering remote sensors and small-scale portable electronics which can be used for environmental sensing such as to monitor pollution, sound levels and heat for example.
Hybrid electricity system would reduce rates, improve service30 Jan 2019: A new distribution system would reduce electricity prices by more than five per cent while also improving service reliability...Researchers found efficiencies by designing a system that delivers both kinds of current to customers instead of the AC-only distribution systems now in use throughout the world.
Switching to a home battery won't help save the world from climate: At least until utilities charge less for energy coming from renewable power sources10 Dec 2018: Home energy storage systems might save you money, but under current policies, they would also often increase carbon emissions.
'Sun in a box' would store renewable energy for the grid: Design for system that provides solar- or wind-generated power on demand should be cheaper than other leading options4 Dec 2018: Engineers have come up with a conceptual design for a system to store renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, and deliver that energy back into an electric grid on demand. The system may be designed to power a small city not just when the sun is up or the wind is high, but around the clock.
Device could provide refrigeration for off-grid locations27 Nov 2018: A new system can provide passive cooling without the need for power, and could be used to preserve food or vaccines in hot, off-grid locations.
A faster, cheaper path to fusion energy: New, powerful magnets key to building the world's first energy-producing fusion experiment4 Nov 2018: Scientists are working to dramatically speed up the development of fusion energy ...The arrival of a breakthrough technology -- high-temperature superconductors, which can be used to build magnets that produce stronger magnetic fields than previously possible -- could help them achieve this goal. Researchers plan to use this technology to build magnets at the scale required for fusion.

Energy Storage

A New Material for the Battery of the Future
July 17, 2019: Researchers have discovered a new high performance and safe battery material (LTPS) capable of speeding up charge and discharge to a level never observed so far...Researchers...recently discovered ... LiTi2(PS4)3 or LTPS. The researchers observed in LTPS the highest lithium diffusion coefficient (a direct measure of lithium mobility) ever measured in a solid. LTPS shows a diffusion coefficient much higher than known materials. ... This lithium mobility comes directly from the unique crystal structure (i.e., the arrangement of atoms) of LTPS. The understanding of this mechanism opens new perspectives in the field of lithium ion conductors and, beyond LTPS, opens an avenue towards the search for new materials with similar diffusion mechanisms.
North Sea Rocks Could Act as Large-Scale Renewable Energy Stores
Jan. 21, 2019: ... An advanced technique could be used to trap compressed air in porous rock formations found in the North Sea using electricity from renewable technologies...The pressurised air could later be released to drive a turbine to generate large amounts of electricity...Using the technique on a large scale could store enough compressed air to meet the UK's electricity needs during winter, when demand is highest, the study found...Engineers and geoscientists ...used mathematical models to assess the potential of the process, called compressed air energy storage (CAES)...A similar process storing air in deep salt caverns has been used at sites in Germany and the US ...
Fine-Tuning Renewables Could Help Texas Balance Energy Resources
Dec. 5, 2018: Timing and placement of wind and solar power facilities are critical factors for Texas electricity providers that juggle their output with other resources to provide a balanced flow of energy. University researchers ...performed an analysis of recent peaks in production from West and South Texas renewable resources and suggested that the state's power production can be made more reliable by adjusting where and when those resources are deployed....
New Catalyst Produces Cheap Hydrogen Fuel
Nov. 29, 2018: Chemistry researchers have discovered cheaper and more efficient materials for producing hydrogen for the storage of renewable energy (They) developed ... electrochemical water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen using cheap and readily available elements as catalysts. ... "What we have found is that we can use two earth-abundant cheaper alternatives -- cobalt and nickel oxide with only a fraction of gold nanoparticles -- to create a stable bi-functional catalyst to split water and produce hydrogen without emissions. ...(T)he stored hydrogen could then be used in fuel cells."

Electric Vehicles

Paper-thin gallium oxide transistor handles more than 8,000 volts | 28 May 2020: Electrical engineers created a gallium oxide-based transistor that can handle more than 8,000 volts. The transistor could lead to smaller and more efficient electronic systems that control and convert electric power -- a field of study known as power electronics -- in electric cars, locomotives and airplanes. In turn, this could help improve how far these vehicles can travel.
A leap in using silicon for battery anodes: Novel nanostructure design lends extraordinary strength to a promising storage ingredient | 27 Apr 2020: Scientists have come up with a novel way to use silicon as an energy storage ingredient. They've developed a nanostructure incorporating carbon nanotubes to strengthen the material and modify the way silicon interacts with lithium, a key component in batteries used in electric cars and other devices.
Next-generation batteries take major step toward commercial viability | 27 Apr 2020: A group of researchers ... has found a way to stabilize one of the most challenging parts of lithium-sulfur batteries, bringing the technology closer to becoming commercially viable. The team's findings ... show that creating an artificial layer containing tellurium, inside the battery in-situ, on top of lithium metal, can make it last four times longer.
Engineers develop way to improve efficiency and heat tolerance of devices | 20 Apr 2020: When it comes to increasing electric storage efficiency and electric breakdown strength -- the ability of an electrical system to operate at higher voltage and temperatures with great efficiency -- increasing one traditionally has led to a decrease in the other. Researchers recently developed a scalable method that relies on engineered materials to increase both properties.
AI techniques used to improve battery health and safety | 5 Apr 2020: Researchers have designed a machine learning method that can predict battery health with 10x higher accuracy than current industry standard, which could aid in the development of safer and more reliable batteries for electric vehicles and consumer electronics.
A new battery chemistry promises safer high-voltage lithium-ion batteries | 26 Mar 2020: For the first time, researchers who explore the physical and chemical properties of electrical energy storage have found a new way to improve lithium-ion batteries. They successfully increased not only the voltage delivery of a lithium-ion battery but also its ability to suppress dangerous conditions that affect the current range of batteries. This improved lithium-ion battery could make longer journeys in electric vehicles possible and lead to the creation of a new generation of home energy storage, both with improved fire safety.
Designing lightweight glass for efficient cars, wind turbines | 25 Mar 2020: A new machine-learning algorithm for exploring lightweight, very stiff glass compositions can help design next-gen materials for more efficient vehicles and wind turbines. Glasses can reinforce polymers to generate composite materials that provide similar strengths as metals but with less weight.
Electric cars better for climate in 95% of the world | 22 Mar 2020: Fears that electric cars could actually increase carbon emissions are unfounded in almost all parts of the world, new research shows. Media reports have regularly questioned whether electric cars are really "greener" once emissions from production and generating their electricity are taken into account. But a new study ... has concluded that electric cars lead to lower carbon emissions overall, even if electricity generation still involves substantial amounts of fossil fuel.
Chasing lithium ions on the move in a fast-charging battery | 11 Mar 2020: A team of scientists ... has captured in real time how lithium ions move in lithium titanate (LTO), a fast-charging battery electrode material made of lithium, titanium, and oxygen. They discovered that distorted arrangements of lithium and surrounding atoms in LTO "intermediates" (structures of LTO with a lithium concentration in between that of its initial and end states) provide an "express lane" for the transport of lithium ions. Their discovery ... could provide insights into designing improved battery materials for the rapid charging of electric vehicles and portable consumer electronics such as cell phones and laptops.
Scientists demonstrate first non-volatile nano relay operation at 200°C: Discovery is significant step in developing electronics for extreme energy efficiency and harsh environments | 3 Mar 2020: Researchers have come up with a new type of nanoelectromechanical relay to enable reliable high-temperature, non-volatile memory. The work is an important development for all-electric vehicles and more-electric aircraft which require electronics with integrated data storage that can operate in extreme temperatures with high energy efficiency.
What to expect when you're expecting electric transportation: Study explores strategies that could help reduce emissions from the transport industry | 24 Feb 2020: While electric vehicles alone may not reduce carbon emissions, a new study reveals that when electric vehicles are powered with renewable energy and coupled with carbon policy strategies, they can help combat climate change without sacrificing economic growth ... researchers combined economic and transport models and data from 17 regions around the world to produce six scenarios for transportation into the year 2100.
Cobalt supply can meet demand for electric vehicle and electronics batteries | 18 Feb 2020: Greater use of electric vehicles might be good for the environment, but further growth hinges on continued availability of critical battery components such as cobalt. Cell phones and other electronics also depend on the element's availability. Supplies of the metal are adequate in the short term, but shortages could develop down the road if refining and recycling aren't ramped up or made more efficient, according to new research.
New machine learning method could supercharge battery development for electric vehicles | 18 Feb 2020: A new machine learning method has slashed battery testing times -- a key barrier to longer-lasting, faster-charging batteries for electric vehicles -- by nearly fifteenfold. For decades, advances in electric vehicle batteries have been limited by a major bottleneck: evaluation times. At every stage of the battery development process, new technologies must be tested for months or even years to determine how long they will last. But now, a team ... has developed a machine learning-based method that slashes these testing times by 98 percent.
Fast-charging, long-running, bendy energy storage breakthrough | 16 Feb 2020: A new bendable supercapacitor made from graphene, which charges quickly and safely stores a record-high level of energy for use over a long period, has been developed. While at the proof-of-concept stage, it shows enormous potential as a portable power supply in several practical applications including electric vehicles, phones and wearable technology. The discovery ... overcomes the issue faced by high-powered, fast-charging supercapacitors -- that they usually cannot hold a large amount of energy in a small space.
Will the future's super batteries be made of seawater? | 22 Jan 2020: The race is on to develop even more efficient and rechargable batteries for the future. One promising option is to make batteries based on sodium, which is found in abundance in seawater...We all know the rechargeable and efficient lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries sitting in our smartphones, laptops and also in electric cars. Unfortunately, lithium is a limited resource...Therefore, researchers are now looking for alternatives to the Li-ion battery. A promising alternative is to replace lithium with the metal sodium -- to make Na-ion batteries. Sodium is found in large quantities in seawater and can be easily extracted from it.
Supercharging tomorrow: World's most efficient lithium-sulfur battery ... | 2 Jan 2020: Researchers are on the brink of commercializing the world's most efficient lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery, which could outperform current market leaders by more than four times...Imagine having access to a battery, which has the potential to ... enable an electric vehicle to drive more than 1000km without needing to "refuel." Monash University researchers are on the brink of commercialising the world's most efficient lithium-sulphur (Li-S) battery...
New aqueous lithium-ion battery improves safety without sacrificing performance | 18 Dec 2019: As the lithium-ion batteries that power ... electric vehicles become increasingly fast-charging and high-performing, they also grow increasingly expensive and flammable. Engineers have now demonstrated how they could -- by using aqueous electrolytes instead of the typical organic electrolytes -- assemble a substantially safer, cost-efficient battery that still performs well.
New electrodes could increase efficiency of electric vehicles and aircraft | 21 Nov 2019: ... the most current electric vehicle batteries and supercapacitors are incredibly heavy. ... Most of the research aimed at lowering the mass of electric vehicles has focused on increasing the energy density, thus reducing the weight of the battery or supercapacitor itself. However, a team ... believes that lighter electric vehicles and aircraft can be achieved by storing energy within the structural body panels.
UK needs to act to prevent electric vehicle battery waste mountain | 5 Nov 2019: Recycling technologies for end-of-life lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are not keeping pace with the rapid rise of electric vehicles, storing up a potentially huge waste management problem for the future ...governments and industry need to act now to develop a robust recycling infrastructure to meet future recycling need...The study identifies a number of key challenges that engineers and policy-makers will need to address,
Shedding new light on charging lithium-ion batteries | 30 Oct 2019: Researchers have discovered a photo-excitation process that speeds up the charging of lithium-ion batteries. If commercialized, such technology could be a game changer for electric vehicles...Exposing cathodes to light decreases charge time by a factor of two in lithium-ion batteries...Simply exposing the cathode to a beam of concentrated light -- for example, the white light from a xenon lamp -- lowers the battery charging time by a remarkable factor of two or more.
Mimicking body's circulatory AC could keep airplanes, cars and computers | 30 Oct 2019: Engineers report on how a computational technique they developed can quickly produce designs for 3D printing carbon-fiber composite materials with an internal vasculature optimized for active-cooling. ... Microvascular fiber-composites are currently being developed to cool everything from electric vehicles to next generation aircraft, where increasingly higher performance is turning up the heat they generate.
In and out with 10-minute electrical vehicle recharge | 29 Oct 2019: Electric vehicle owners may soon be able to pull into a fueling station, plug their car in, go to the restroom ...and in 10 minutes, drive out with a fully charged battery."We demonstrated that we can charge an electrical vehicle in ten minutes for a 200 to 300 mile range...And we can do this maintaining 2,500 charging cycles, or the equivalent of half a million miles of travel."
New electrolyte stops rapid performance decline of next-generation lithium battery | 9 Oct 2019: Researchers have designed and tested a new electrolyte composition that could greatly accelerate the adoption of the next generation of lithium-ion batteries...Researchers ...have developed a new electrolyte mixture and a simple additive that could have a place in the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
New coating brings lithium metal battery closer to reality | 25 Aug 2019: A research team invented a new coating that could finally make lightweight lithium metal batteries safe and long lasting, which could usher in the next generation of electric vehicles....Hope has been restored for the rechargeable lithium metal battery -- a potential battery powerhouse relegated for decades to the laboratory by its short life expectancy and occasional fiery demise while its rechargeable sibling, the lithium-ion battery, now rakes in more than $30 billion a year. A new coating could make lightweight lithium metal batteries safe and long lasting, a boon for development of next-generation electric vehicles. (Image credit: Shutterstock)... The biggest drag on electric vehicles is that their batteries spend about a fourth of their energy carrying themselves around.
A new material for the battery of the future | 16 Jul 2019: Researchers have discovered a new high performance and safe battery material (LTPS) capable of speeding up charge and discharge to a level never observed so far. Practically, if the first tests are confirmed, this new material could be used in the batteries of the future with better energy storage, faster charge and discharge and higher safety targeting many uses from smartphones, to electric bicycle and cars.
Expanding the temperature range of lithium-ion batteries | 18 Jun 2019: Electric cars struggle with extreme temperatures, mainly because of impacts on the electrolyte solutions in their lithium-ion batteries. Now, researchers have developed new electrolytes containing multiple additives that work better over a wide temperature range.
Powering a solution: Professor takes charge at improving lithium ion ... | 18 Jun 2019: Scientists are working to improve the safety of Li-ion batteries by creating a shear-thickening electrolyte -- a substance that can become thicker under impact, set between the battery's anode and cathode that will be impact-resistant, thus not causing a fire or an explosion upon any collision.
Electric vehicles would be a breath of fresh air for Houston | 10 Jun 2019: Researchers say replacing at least 35 percent of Houston's gasoline cars and diesel trucks with electric vehicles by 2040 will reduce pollution and improve air quality by 50 percent.
Electric car switch on for health benefits | 15 May 2019: Could the health benefits and reduced costs to healthcare systems be enough to justify subsidizing charging infrastructure to allow society to switch from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles faster than current trends predict? ...the migration from polluting vehicles that burn fossil fuels to electric vehicles, ideally using electricity generated sustainably could significantly reduce the incidence of cardiopulmonary illness due to air pollution. This would lead not only to less employee absence from work through illness but also lead to broad improvements in quality and length of life.
Clean fuel cells could be cheap enough to replace gas engines in vehicles | 7 May 2019: Advancements in zero-emission fuel cells could make the technology cheap enough to replace traditional gasoline engines in vehicles ... The researchers have developed a new fuel cell that lasts at least 10 times longer than current technology, an improvement that would make them economically practical, if mass-produced, to power vehicles with electricity.
New discovery makes fast-charging, better performing lithium-ion: Materials could boost battery performance in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and more | 15 Apr 2019: Creating a lithium-ion battery that can charge in a matter of minutes but still operate at a high capacity is possible ...This development has the potential to improve battery performance for consumer electronics, solar grid storage, and electric vehicles... Koratkar and his team improved performance by substituting cobalt oxide with vanadium disulfide (VS2).
Electric vehicle adoption improves air quality and climate outlook: Ozone pollution reduced even when electricity is produced by combustion sources | 11 Apr 2019: A new study quantified the differences in air pollution generated from battery- powered electric vehicles versus internal combustion engines. The researchers found that even when their electricity is generated from combustion sources, electric vehicles have a net positive impact on air quality and climate change.
New 'blue-green' solution for recycling world's batteries: Rice scientists show solvent leaches cobalt, lithium for reuse from spent batteries | 31 Mar 2019: Materials scientists demonstrate an environmentally friendly solution to remove valuable cobalt and lithium metals from spent lithium-ion batteries. The metals and the eutectic solvent they use to extract them can then be recycled.
Predicting the useful life of batteries with data and AI | 24 Mar 2019:In an advance that could accelerate battery development and improve manufacturing, scientists have found how to accurately predict the useful lifespan of lithium-ion batteries, used in devices from mobile phones to electric cars. If manufacturers of cell-phone batteries could tell which cells will last at least two years, then they could sell only those to phone makers and send the rest to makers of less demanding devices. New research shows how manufacturers could do this. The technique could be used not only to sort manufactured cells but to help new battery designs reach the market more quickly...After the researchers trained their machine learning model with a few hundred million data points of batteries charging and discharging, the algorithm predicted how many more cycles each battery would last, based on voltage declines and a few other factors among the early cycles.
Cause of cathode degradation identified for nickel-rich materials | 14 Mar 2019: A team of scientists have identified the causes of degradation in a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, as well as possible remedies. Their findings could lead to the development of more affordable and better performing batteries for electric vehicles.
New wheel units could bring vehicle costs down | 14 Mar 2019: Vehicles could be affordably produced for a wide variety of specialized purposes using a sophisticated wheel unit developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo. The self-contained unit combines a wheel and an electric motor with braking, suspension, steering and a control system in a single module designed to be bolted to any vehicle frame. It would free manufacturers from making huge investments to develop those components from scratch and enable the economical production of specialized vehicles in even small quantities.
High-powered fuel cell boosts electric-powered submersibles, drones | 24 Feb 2019: Engineers have developed a high-powered fuel cell that operates at double the voltage of today's commercial fuel cells. It could power underwater vehicles, drones and eventually electric aircraft at a significantly lower cost.
'Goldilocks' thinking to cut cost of fuel cells in electric vehicles | 20 Feb 2019: Electric vehicles running on fuel cells tout zero emissions and higher efficiency, but expensive platinum is holding them back from entering a larger market. A new method increases fuel cell electrode activity at least tenfold, using 90 percent less metal...Cutting down on the platinum would also cut costs, allowing more electric cars to hit the market... The technique uses the forces on a metal's surface to identify the ideal electrode thickness.
X-rays used to understand the flaws of battery fast charging ... | 10 Feb 2019: Researchers imaged a battery as it was quickly charged and discharged, allowing for the observation of lithium plating behavior that can inhibit the battery's long-term function.
Sodium is the new lithium: Researchers find a way to boost sodium-ion battery performance | 31 Jan 2019: SCentists have found the desirable component for sodium-ion batteries (SIB), which could contribute to boost SIB performance such as speed of charge. Despite lithium-ion batteries are currently popular, it is expected to find the new energy urgently, because lithium is not only expensive but limited. The findings show the possibility that SIB will be are attractive alternative for the lithium ion batteries.
Better batteries: The energy implications of organic radical polymers: New technology could change the way we charge everything from phones to electric vehicles | 27 Jan 2019: A major hurdle to creating a metal-free, 100-percent polymer battery is finding a polymer that is electrochemically active -- meaning it has to be able to store and exchange electrons. ...Owing to their chemical structure, organic radical polymers are very stable and reactive. They have a single electron on the radical group, and this unpaired electron allows rapid charge transfer in these polymers during redox reactions...However, Lutkenhaus and her team were able to capture incredibly detailed measurements using a specialized device, an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (EQCM-D).
2D materials may enable electric vehicles to get 500 miles on a single charge | 9 Jan 2019: A number of 2D materials, when incorporated into experimental lithium-air batteries as the catalyst, enabled a battery to hold up to 10 times more energy than lithium-air batteries containing traditional catalysts, according to new research.
Lean electrolyte design is a game-changer for magnesium batteries: Chloride-free electrolyte and organic cathode boosted energy density, stability | 20 Dec 2018: Researchers have discovered a promising new version of high-energy magnesium batteries, with potential applications ranging from electric vehicles to battery storage for renewable energy systems.
US interstate highways need overhaul, says new report: System requires significant commitment for federal and state coordination and funding, says new report | 5 Dec 2018: The future of the US Interstate Highway System is threatened by a persistent and growing backlog of structural and operational deficiencies and by various looming challenges, such as the progress of automated vehicles, developments in electric vehicles, and vulnerabilities due to climate change.

Wind Energy

US Wind Plants Show Relatively Low Levels of Performance Decline as They Age
May 13, 2020 —Wind plants in the United States remain relatively efficient over time, with only a 13% drop in performance over 17 years, researchers report. Their study also suggests that a production tax credit provides an effective incentive to maintain the plants during the 10-year window in which they are eligible to receive it. When this window closes, wind plant performance drops.
Solar and Wind Energy Sites Mapped Globally for the First Time
May 4, 2020 — Researchers have mapped the global locations of major renewable energy sites, providing a valuable resource to help assess their potential environmental impact.
Supercomputing Future Wind Power Rise
Apr. 14, 2020 — First detailed study of scenarios for how wind energy can expand to 20 percent of total US electrical supply by 2030. Results showed expansion of installed capacity makes small impact on efficiency and local climate by deploying next generation, larger wind turbines. Improved calculations of US wind resources can ensure better decision making and a better, more robust energy supply.
Designing Lightweight Glass for Efficient Cars, Wind Turbines
Mar. 26, 2020 — A new machine-learning algorithm for exploring lightweight, very stiff glass compositions can help design next-gen materials for more efficient vehicles and wind turbines. Glasses can reinforce polymers to generate composite materials that provide similar strengths as metals but with less weight.
Quadrupling Turbines, US Can Meet 2030 Wind-Energy Goals
Feb. 24, 2020 — he United States currently produces about 7% of its electricity from wind energy...A quadrupling of the installed capacity of wind turbines from 2014 levels will allow us to attain the goal of 20% of electricity from the wind, without requiring additional land, or negative impacts on systemwide efficiency or local climates.
Could Water Solve the Renewable Energy Storage Challenge?
Feb. 19, 2020 — Seasonal pumped hydropower storage (SPHS), an already established yet infrequently used technology, could be an affordable and sustainable solution to store energy and water on an annual scale... Compared with other mature storage solutions, such as natural gas, the study shows that there is considerable potential for SPHS to provide highly competitive energy storage costs.
An Early Warning System for Damage in Composite Materials: New mechanophore senses damage to fiber reinforced polymers
Feb. 18, 2020 — A team has developed a tool to monitor changes in widely used composite materials known as fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs), which can be found in everything from aerospace and infrastructure to wind turbines. The new tool, integrated into these materials, can help measure the damage that occurs as they age.
Consider Marine Life When Implementing Offshore Renewable Power
Dec. 17, 2019 — With countries adopting green energy practices, renewable energy now accounts for a third of the world's power. As this trend continues, more countries are looking to offshore energy sources to produce this renewable energy. Researchers identify situations where green technology such as wind turbines, wave energy converters, and other marine renewable energy devices (MREDs) have had negative consequences on marine life.
Supporting Structures of Wind Turbines Contribute to Wind Farm Blockage Effect
Dec. 12, 2019 — Much about the aerodynamic effects of larger wind farms remains poorly understood. New work looks to provide more insight in how the structures necessary for wind farms affect air flow. Using a two-scale coupled momentum balance method, researchers theoretically and computationally reconstructed conditions that large wind farms might face in the future, including the dampening effect that comes with spacing turbines close to one another.
Biodiversity and Wind Energy
Nov. 27, 2019 — The location and operation of wind energy plants are often in direct conflict with the legal protection of endangered species. The almost unanimous opinion of experts from local and central government authorities, environmental NGOs and expert offices is that the current mechanisms for the protection of bats in wind power projects are insufficient.
Decarbonizing the Power Sector
Nov. 19, 2019 — Electricity supply is one of the biggest CO2 emitters globally. To keep global warming well below 2°C, several paths lead to zero emissions in the energy sector, and each has its potential environmental impacts ... Using a first-time combination of multiple modelling systems, an international team of researchers led by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) has now quantified the actual benefits and downsides of three main roads to decarbonisation. They show that relying mainly on wind and solar would bring most co-benefits for the health of people and planet. Switching to carbon capture and storage in combination with fossil and biomass resources, in turn, is likely to convey significant environmental costs by devouring large areas at the cost of biodiversity, and by releasing pollutants to the environment.
Boosting Wind Farmers, Global Winds Reverse Decades of Slowing and Pick Up Speed
Nov. 19, 2019 — In a boon to wind farms, average daily wind speeds are picking up across much of the globe after about 30 years of gradual slowing. Research shows that wind speeds in northern mid-latitude regions have increased by roughly 7% since 2010.
Superconducting Wind Turbine Chalks Up First Test Success
Nov. 12, 2019 — A superconducting rotor has been successfully tested on an active wind turbine for the first time. The researchers designed, developed, manufactured a full-size superconducting generator for a 3.6 megawatt wind turbine, and field-tested it.
Study Shows Where Global Renewable Energy Investments Have Greatest Benefits: New metrics can guide investors and policymakers working to reach sustainable development goals
Nov. 12, 2019 — New study finds that the amount of climate and health benefits achieved from renewable energy depends on the country where it is installed. Countries with higher carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and more air pollution, such as India, China, and areas in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, achieve greater climate and health benefits per megawatt (MW) of renewable energy installed than those operating in areas such as North America, Brazil, and parts of Europe.
Where to Install Renewable Energy in US to Achieve Greatest Benefits: Models offer guidance for state and national policymakers designing climate action plans
Oct. 29, 2019 — A new study shows that to achieve the biggest improvements in public health and the greatest benefits from renewable energy, wind turbines should be installed in the Upper Midwest and solar power should be installed in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions.
To Rid Electric Grid of Carbon, Shore Up Green Energy Support
Oct. 28, 2019 — Engineers, along with an economist, have created an energy model that helps to remove carbon-generated power from the US electric grid -- replacing it with a greener, financially feasible wind, solar and hydro energy system.
Replacing Coal With Gas or Renewables Saves Billions of Gallons of Water
Oct. 21, 2019 — The transition from coal to natural gas in the US electricity sector is reducing the industry's water use, research finds. For every megawatt of electricity produced using natural gas instead of coal, the water withdrawn from rivers and groundwater drops by 10,500 gallons, and water consumed for cooling and other plant operations and not returned to the environment drops by 260 gallons. Switching to solar or wind power could boost these savings even more.
Computer Models Show Clear Advantages in New Types of Wind Turbines
Oct. 16, 2019 — Researchers have modeled the fluid dynamics of multi-rotor wind turbines via high-resolution numerical simulations. The simulations demonstrate a clear advantage for a turbine model with four rotors. The researchers found, that the wind turbine wake recovers much faster with multi-rotor turbines, that multi-rotor turbines produce slightly more energy than single-rotor turbines, and that a turbine with four rotors as far apart as possible is the optimal construction.
Model Helps Choose Wind Farm Locations, Predicts Output
Sep. 24, 2019 — The wind is always blowing somewhere, but deciding where to locate a wind farm is a bit more complicated than holding up a wet finger. Now a team of researchers has a model that can locate the best place for the wind farm and even help with 24-hour predictions of energy output.
New Report Deepens Understanding of Wind-Wildlife Interactions
Sep. 23, 2019 — The report examines wind-wildlife interactions and places them within the larger context of climate change challenges, citing the need to balance wildlife conservation with the urgent need for rapid and deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. It summarizes what is known about wind energy impacts on sensitive wildlife and on where these species live, and it identifies areas where further research is needed.
Europe Has the Untapped Onshore Capacity to Meet Global Energy Demand
Aug. 14, 2019 — Europe has the capacity to produce more than 100 times the amount of energy it currently produces through onshore windfarms...In an analysis of all suitable sites for onshore wind farms, the new study reveals that Europe has the potential to supply enough energy for the whole world until 2050.
Growth of Wind Energy Points to Future Challenges, Promise
Aug. 13, 2019 — Advances in adapting the technology for cold climates and offshore use and better methods for predicting wind conditions have fanned significant growth of the use of wind turbines for electricity in the last 40 years. A new report ... report notes dramatic improvements in the technology, thanks in part to economies of scale, and foresees even larger, more cost-effective turbines in the future.
Supercomputers Use Graphics Processors to Solve Longstanding Turbulence Question
July 25, 2019 — Turbulence is extremely difficult to study but is important for many fields of engineering, such as air flow past wind turbines.... Understanding turbulence better would allow engineers to design more efficient turbine blades...(C)urrent engineering models of turbulence often rely upon 'empirical' relationships based on previous observations of turbulence to predict what will happen, rather than a full understanding of the underlying physics.This is because the underlying physics is immensely complicated, leaving many questions that seem simple unsolved.Now, researchers at Imperial College London have used supercomputers, running simulations on graphics processors originally developed for gaming, to solve a longstanding question in turbulence. Their result...means empirical models can be tested and new models can be created, leading to more optimal designs in engineering.
Offshore Wind Farm Increased Tourism on Block Island
May 6, 2019 — Researchers who analyzed AirBnB rental data before and after construction of the Block Island Wind Farm have found that, contrary to some concerns, the turbines have been linked with increased tourism on the island.
Mapping Industrial 'Hum' in the US
Apr. 26, 2019 — Using a dense sensor network that scanned the United States between 2003 and 2014, researchers have identified areas within the country marked by a persistent seismic signal caused by industrial processes...They realized that part of the infrasound signal they were detecting was coming from wind farms tens of kilometers away from the detectors
Renewables Are a Better Investment Than Carbon Capture for Tackling Climate Change
Apr. 8, 2019 — Solar panels and wind turbines coupled with energy storage offer a better hope for tackling climate change than trying to capture carbon from fossil fuel power stations, according to new research. New research shows that resources that would be spent on developing and installing carbon capture technologies would be better invested in creating more solar panels and wind turbines and focusing on developing energy storage options to support these instead.
Good News! Europe's Electric Grid Will Still Work Even as the World Crumbles
Mar. 6, 2019 — Temperatures may climb and seas may rise, but the lights (and, undoubtedly, the air conditioning) will still be on in nations with high capacities for wind and solar energy. New research suggests that these electricity systems should work almost equally well in both historical and future European climates despite changing weather patterns.
How Power-to-Gas Technology Can Be Green and Profitable
Feb. 26, 2019 — Hydrogen production based on wind power can already be commercially viable today...Economists ... have now described ...how flexible production facilities could make this technology a key component in the transition of the energy system...In an environmentally friendly energy system, however, hydrogen could play a different role: as an important storage medium and a means of balancing power distribution networks: excess wind and solar energy can be used to produce hydrogen through water electrolysis. This process is known as power-to-gas. The hydrogen can recover the energy later, for example by generating power and heat in fuel cells...
Upwind Wind Plants Can Reduce Flow to Downwind Neighbors
Dec. 18, 2018 — New ...research highlights a previously unexplored consequence of the global proliferation of wind energy facilities: a wake effect from upwind facilities that can reduce the energy production of their downwind neighbors....The study uses atmospheric modeling along with economic and legal analysis to demonstrate that wind facility wake effects -- which occur when groups of turbines reduce wind speed for miles behind them -- are measurable and predictable.

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