From Smoky Skies to a Green Horizon: Scientists Convert Fire-Risk Wood into Biofuel
April 14th, 2021Scientists from Berkeley Lab and Sandia National Laboratories have collaborated to develop a streamlined and efficient process for converting woody plant matter like forest overgrowth and agricultural waste – material that is currently burned either intentionally or unintentionally – into liquid biofuel.
Experts’ Predictions for Future Wind Energy Costs Drop Significantly
April 15th, 2021Technology and commercial advancements are expected to continue to drive down the cost of wind energy, according to a survey led by Berkeley Lab of the world’s foremost wind power experts. Experts anticipate cost reductions of 17%-35% by 2035 and 37%-49% by 2050, driven by bigger and more efficient turbines, lower capital and operating costs, and other advancements.
U.S. Power Sector is Halfway to Zero Carbon Emissions
April 13th, 2021New research from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory analyzes historical trends to examine how much progress the power sector has already made in reducing emissions. It found that the U.S. cut power sector emissions by 52% below projected levels, or halfway to zero carbon emissions by 2050.
X-Ray Study Recasts Role of Battery Material from Cathode to Catalyst
April 9th, 2021An international team working at Berkeley Lab used a unique X-ray instrument to learn new things about lithium-rich battery materials that have been the subject of much study for their potential to extend the range of electric vehicles and the operation of electronic devices.
The Spintronics Technology Revolution Could Be Just a Hopfion Away
April 8th, 2021A research team co-led by Berkeley Lab has created and observed quasiparticles called 3D hopfions at the nanoscale (billionths of a meter) in a magnetic system. The discovery could advance high-density, high-speed, low-power, yet ultrastable magnetic memory “spintronics” devices.
Hydrogen Offers Promising Future for Long-Haul Trucking Industry
April 8th, 2021The Million-Mile Fuel Cell Truck Consortium (M2FCT) team outlined the current and future prospects and challenges of hydrogen fuel cells for heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks, buses, trains, and marine applications, in a recent Nature Energy study.
The Incredible Bacterial ‘Homing Missiles’ That Scientists Want to Harness
April 7th, 2021A Berkeley Lab-led team is digging into the bizarre bacteria-produced nanomachines that could fast-track medicine and microbiome science