Liu and colleagues made a device from protein nanowires that generates electricity from moisture in the air.
Built / tested: Air-gen
As reported in: Liu, Gao, Ward et al. (2020). Power generation from ambient humidity using protein nanowires. Nature. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2010-9
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Boteler re-examined the March 1989 magnetic storm, the largest of the 20th century, which blacked out the Hydro-Québec power system and was caused by two coronal mass ejections.
As reported in: Boteler (2019). A 21st Century View of the March 1989 Magnetic Storm. Space Weather. doi:10.1029/2019SW002278
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Veers and colleagues outlined three research challenges for wind energy: atmospheric flow physics, the engineering of very large rotating machines, and controlling fleets of wind plants within the grid.
As reported in: Veers, Dykes, Lantz et al. (2019). Grand challenges in the science of wind energy. Science. doi:10.1126/science.aau2027
Saar and colleagues raised the power density of biophotovoltaics by decoupling charge storage from power delivery.
As reported in: Saar, Bombelli, Lea-Smith et al. (2018). Enhancing power density of biophotovoltaics by decoupling storage and power delivery. Nature Energy. doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0073-0
Schroeder and colleagues built a soft, flexible power source from stacked hydrogels modelled on the eel's electric organ.
As reported in: Schroeder, Guha, Lamoureux et al. (2017). An electric-eel-inspired soft power source from stacked hydrogels. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature24670
Liu and colleagues paired water splitting with bacteria to turn CO2 into fuels and biomass more efficiently than plants.
Built / tested: bionic leaf
As reported in: Liu, Colón, Ziesack et al. (2016). Water splitting–biosynthetic system with CO 2 reduction efficiencies exceeding photosynthesis. Science. doi:10.1126/science.aaf5039
Caesium-containing triple cation perovskite solar cells with improved stability, reproducibility and efficiency.
Built / tested: solar cells
As reported in: Saliba, Matsui, Seo et al. (2016). Cesium-containing triple cation perovskite solar cells: improved stability, reproducibility and high efficiency. Energy & Environmental Science. doi:10.1039/c5ee03874j
Lund and Boyd reviewed direct use of geothermal energy worldwide as of 2015.
As reported in: Lund, Boyd (2016). Direct utilization of geothermal energy 2015 worldwide review. Geothermics. doi:10.1016/j.geothermics.2015.11.004
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McCormick and colleagues reviewed biophotovoltaic systems, which use oxygen-producing photosynthetic organisms in bioelectrochemical cells.
Publisher update notice: correction
As reported in: McCormick, Bombelli, Bradley et al. (2015). Biophotovoltaics: oxygenic photosynthetic organisms in the world of bioelectrochemical systems. Energy & Environmental Science. doi:10.1039/C4EE03875D
Zarfl and colleagues described a global boom in hydropower dam construction.
As reported in: Zarfl, Lumsdon, Berlekamp et al. (2014). A global boom in hydropower dam construction. Aquatic Sciences. doi:10.1007/s00027-014-0377-0
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Siria and colleagues measured very large osmotic energy conversion through a single boron nitride nanotube.
As reported in: Siria, Poncharal, Biance et al. (2013). Giant osmotic energy conversion measured in a single transmembrane boron nitride nanotube. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature11876
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Zhang, Baeyens and Degrève reviewed concentrated solar power plants and their design.
As reported in: Zhang, Baeyens, Degrève et al. (2013). Concentrated solar power plants: Review and design methodology. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2013.01.032
Logan and Elimelech reviewed membrane-based processes for generating power from water, including salinity gradients.
As reported in: Logan, Elimelech (2012). Membrane-based processes for sustainable power generation using water. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature11477
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Efficient hybrid solar cells based on meso-superstructured organometal halide perovskites.
Built / tested: solar cells
As reported in: Lee, Teuscher, Miyasaka et al. (2012). Efficient Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Meso-Superstructured Organometal Halide Perovskites. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1228604
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Lee and colleagues showed films of M13 phage produce electricity when pressed.
Built / tested: phage generator
As reported in: Lee, Zhang, Zueger et al. (2012). Virus-based piezoelectric energy generation. Nature Nanotechnology. doi:10.1038/nnano.2012.69
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Reece, Nocera and colleagues made a wireless silicon "artificial leaf" with cheap catalysts that splits water in sunlight.
Built / tested: artificial leaf
As reported in: Reece, Hamel, Sung et al. (2011). Wireless Solar Water Splitting Using Silicon-Based Semiconductors and Earth-Abundant Catalysts. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1209816
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Design principles for oxygen-reduction activity on perovskite oxide catalysts for fuel cells and metal-air batteries.
Publisher update notice: erratum
As reported in: Suntivich, Gasteiger, Yabuuchi et al. (2011). Design principles for oxygen-reduction activity on perovskite oxide catalysts for fuel cells and metal–air batteries. Nature Chemistry. doi:10.1038/nchem.1069
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Blankenship and colleagues compared photosynthesis with solar-powered water splitting: photovoltaics are more efficient annually, but photosynthesis comes within a factor of 2–3 under optimal short-term conditions.
As reported in: Blankenship, Tiede, Barber et al. (2011). Comparing Photosynthetic and Photovoltaic Efficiencies and Recognizing the Potential for Improvement. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1200165
Pittman, Dean and Osundeko reviewed using wastewaters to grow microalgae for biofuel while treating the water.
As reported in: Pittman, Dean, Osundeko (2011). The potential of sustainable algal biofuel production using wastewater resources. Bioresource Technology. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2010.06.035
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A review of technologies to produce, process and extract biofuels and co-products from microalgae.
As reported in: Brennan, Owende (2010). Biofuels from microalgae—A review of technologies for production, processing, and extractions of biofuels and co-products. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2009.10.009
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Gutfleisch and colleagues reviewed magnetic materials, including rare-earth magnets, for efficient energy technology.
As reported in: Gutfleisch, Willard, Brück et al. (2010). Magnetic Materials and Devices for the 21st Century: Stronger, Lighter, and More Energy Efficient. Advanced Materials. doi:10.1002/adma.201002180
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Drew, Plummer and Sahinkaya reviewed wave energy converter designs and found no convergence yet on the best way to extract energy from waves.
As reported in: Drew, Plummer, Sahinkaya (2009). A review of wave energy converter technology. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A: Journal of Power and Energy. doi:10.1243/09576509JPE782
Weiland reviewed the state and future of biogas production from organic waste.
Built / tested: biogas plants
As reported in: Weiland (2009). Biogas production: current state and perspectives. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. doi:10.1007/s00253-009-2246-7
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Bell reviewed thermoelectric systems for cooling, heating and turning waste heat into electricity, including uses in car seats and electronics cooling.
As reported in: Bell (2008). Cooling, Heating, Generating Power, and Recovering Waste Heat with Thermoelectric Systems. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1158899
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Chisti reviewed producing biodiesel from microalgae.
As reported in: Chisti (2007). Biodiesel from microalgae. Biotechnology Advances. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2007.02.001
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Himmel and colleagues described "biomass recalcitrance," the natural resistance of plant cell walls to breakdown, as the main reason cellulosic biofuels are costly.
As reported in: Himmel, Ding, Johnson et al. (2007). Biomass Recalcitrance: Engineering Plants and Enzymes for Biofuels Production. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1137016
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Stamenkovic and colleagues showed a Pt3Ni surface greatly improves the oxygen reaction used in fuel cells.
As reported in: Stamenkovic, Fowler, Mun et al. (2007). Improved Oxygen Reduction Activity on Pt 3 Ni(111) via Increased Surface Site Availability. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1135941
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Logan and colleagues reviewed materials, methods and reporting standards for microbial fuel cells.
As reported in: Logan, Hamelers, Rozendal et al. (2006). Microbial Fuel Cells: Methodology and Technology. Environmental Science & Technology. doi:10.1021/es0605016
Turner reviewed routes to producing hydrogen sustainably.
As reported in: Turner (2004). Sustainable Hydrogen Production. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1103197
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Miklosovic and colleagues showed in wind-tunnel tests that leading-edge tubercles on a model humpback flipper delayed stall by about 40% while increasing lift and reducing drag.
As reported in: Miklosovic, Murray, Howle et al. (2004). Leading-edge tubercles delay stall on humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) flippers. Physics of Fluids. doi:10.1063/1.1688341
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Bond and Lovley grew Geobacter sulfurreducens with an electrode as its only electron acceptor, the first evidence that electrode reduction alone can support this organism's growth while it produces current.
As reported in: Bond, Lovley (2003). Electricity Production by Geobacter sulfurreducens Attached to Electrodes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. doi:10.1128/AEM.69.3.1548-1555.2003
Sloan reviewed natural gas hydrates: a pipeline flow and safety problem, a largely untapped energy resource, and a possible factor in climate change.
As reported in: Sloan (2003). Fundamental principles and applications of natural gas hydrates. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature02135
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Schlapbach and Züttel reviewed materials for storing hydrogen in vehicles.
As reported in: Schlapbach, Züttel (2001). Hydrogen-storage materials for mobile applications. Nature. doi:10.1038/35104634
Melis and colleagues got green algae to produce hydrogen gas for days by starving them of sulfur.
Built / tested: biohydrogen
As reported in: Melis, Zhang, Forestier et al. (2000). Sustained Photobiological Hydrogen Gas Production upon Reversible Inactivation of Oxygen Evolution in the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Plant Physiology. doi:10.1104/pp.122.1.127
Khaselev and Turner built a combined solar cell and electrode that split water at record efficiency.
Built / tested: photoelectrochemical cell
As reported in: Khaselev, Turner (1998). A Monolithic Photovoltaic-Photoelectrochemical Device for Hydrogen Production via Water Splitting. Science. doi:10.1126/science.280.5362.425
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Yu and colleagues blended a polymer with C60 fullerenes, raising efficiency to about 2.9%, over two orders of magnitude better than the pure polymer.
As reported in: Yu, Gao, Hummelen et al. (1995). Polymer Photovoltaic Cells: Enhanced Efficiencies via a Network of Internal Donor-Acceptor Heterojunctions. Science. doi:10.1126/science.270.5243.1789
Tang made a two-layer organic cell from copper phthalocyanine and a perylene derivative with about 1% efficiency, showing the organic–organic interface is key.
As reported in: Tang (1986). Two-layer organic photovoltaic cell. Applied Physics Letters. doi:10.1063/1.96937
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Sagawa and colleagues introduced Nd-Fe-B, now the strongest common permanent magnet.
Built / tested: permanent magnets
As reported in: Sagawa, Fujimura, Togawa et al. (1984). New material for permanent magnets on a base of Nd and Fe (invited). Journal of Applied Physics. doi:10.1063/1.333572
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Fujishima and Honda showed sunlight on a titanium dioxide electrode could split water.
As reported in: FUJISHIMA, HONDA (1972). Electrochemical Photolysis of Water at a Semiconductor Electrode. Nature. doi:10.1038/238037a0
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Chapin, Fuller and Pearson at Bell Labs reported a silicon p-n junction photocell for turning sunlight into electrical power.
As reported in: Chapin, Fuller, Pearson (1954). A New Silicon p-n Junction Photocell for Converting Solar Radiation into Electrical Power. Journal of Applied Physics. doi:10.1063/1.1721711
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