Energy

The culprit behind the degradation of lithium-ion batteries over time is not lithium, but hydrogen atoms emerging from the electrolyte, a new study finds. This discovery could improve the performance and life expectancy of a range of rechargeable batteries.

Stanford, SLAC, and 13 other research institutions, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, seek to overcome the major limitations of a battery using water as the primary component of its electrolyte.

Charging lithium-ion batteries at high currents just before they leave the factory is 30 times faster and increases battery lifespans by 50%, according to a study at the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center.

A new method for extracting lithium from briny water offers a more efficient, cost-effective, and environmental alternative to traditional lithium production. It could also help solve lithium supply chain issues.

Researchers have developed a new thermochemical reactor that can generate the immense heat needed for industrial processes using electricity instead of fossil fuels.

U.S. Department of Energy has funded an initiative – built on Stanford Uncommon Dialogue – that seeks greater consensus among solar companies, conservation groups, agricultural interests, tribal nations and others in developing large-scale solar projects.

The study simulated the economic, environmental, and climate impacts of new hydropower projects using computer models, seeking optimal outcomes across sectors.

A new study of air pollution in U.S. homes reveals how much gas and propane stoves increase people’s exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to childhood asthma. Even in bedrooms far from kitchens, concentrations frequently exceed health limits while stoves are on and for hours after burners and ovens are turned off.

The Stanford Forum on the Science of Energy Transition brought together scientific experts, technology innovators, and industry leaders to explore practical pathways to a decarbonized future.

Yi Cui is harnessing the power of nanoscience to grow extremely small structures—which play a huge role in the clean energy transition.

 A new study finds that factory and warehouse rooftops offer a big untapped opportunity to help disadvantaged communities bridge the solar energy divide.

The massive reactors churning industrial chemicals today are fired by fossil fuels. A new approach that has received a Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Accelerator grant would use electromagnetic induction to heat with clean, renewable electricity.

Stanford-led research shows methane emissions from a large share of U.S. oil and gas facilities are three times higher on average than the level predicted by official government estimates.

Difficulties in connecting charging sites to the grid pose the biggest delays in bringing publicly accessible EV charging stations online.

Stanford researchers have discovered that the cycle life of a lithium metal battery can be improved simply by letting it rest for several hours in the discharged state.

The stakes in California’s clean energy experiment are almost unimaginable, as are the costs, but the state has successfully led the country and the world on energy before.

The four new projects aim for decarbonized cement, large-scale hydrogen storage, a reliable electric grid, and more natural ventilation in buildings.

An international team, led by Rice University, seeks to improve the synthesis of carbon nanotubes for much wider use.

“The goal of the Understand Energy Learning Hub is to demystify energy a little or a lot for, hopefully, millions of people over time,” said Jane Woodward, one of the instructors of the Understand Energy course.