https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/energy-green-tech-news/ en-us The latest news on energy sciences and green technology, energy technology, energy renovation, alternative energy, and green energy. Safer and more environmentally friendly indoor solar panels could soon help power electronics in homes and offices, thanks to University of Queensland researchers. A team of chemical engineers led by UQ's Dr. Miaoqiang Lyu and Professor Lianzhou Wang have developed a new fabrication method that eliminates the need for toxic lead and other hazardous solvents in perovskite indoor solar panels. The findings are published in the journal ACS Energy Letters. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-toxic-solar-panels-indoors.html Engineering Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:20:05 EDT news696787201 Halide perovskites are gaining ground on silicon as a critical material for solar cell technologies: A new study published in the journal Science reports a method to make perovskite-based photovoltaics more durable, allowing the films to attain the desirable black phase of crystal configuration quicker and at lower temperatures while also making it harder to degrade into the inactive yellow phase. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-perovskite-solar-cells-yellow-phase.html Engineering Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:40:09 EDT news696784261 Photreon, a start-up project at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), aims to boost the hydrogen economy with mass-produced photoreactor panels that require no electrolyzers, consume no electricity, and do not need a grid connection. With the panels, hydrogen can be produced cost-effectively in a scalable manner from sunlight and water—suitable for both distributed applications and large-scale systems in sunny regions. During the Hannover Messe, April 20–24, 2026, photreon will be presenting at the KIT booth (Hall 11, Booth B06). https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-green-hydrogen-sun.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:40:05 EDT news696769997 Researchers have identified previously unknown materials, including a new form of a widely studied clean-energy material, by carefully controlling and tracking how molecular precursors break down during heating. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-overlooked-materials-reshape-solar-fuel.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:00:05 EDT news696679756 A research team led by Dr. Nam Ki-Hun at the Battery Materials and Process Research Center of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) has successfully developed a nano-tin (Sn) interlayer control technology to address interfacial instability between the lithium metal anode and solid electrolyte, a critical hurdle to the commercialization of all-solid-state batteries, often hailed as the next generation of batteries. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-nano-tin-interlayer-steadies-solid.html Energy & Green Tech Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:20:09 EDT news696687061 Until now, fine particulate matter generated by tire and brake wear has not been addressed in European emissions legislation. Only with the introduction of the Euro 7 standard—taking effect at the end of 2026 for newly developed (type-approved) vehicles and at the end of 2027 for all newly registered passenger cars and light commercial vehicles—will binding limit values be introduced. The goal is to restrict the emission of fine particulate matter with diameters less than 10 micrometers, particles that can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract. A project consortium involving Fraunhofer IWU now presents a stainless-steel brake disk that easily meets the strict EU requirements. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-stainless-steel-disks-significantly-fine.html Engineering Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:00:13 EDT news696678744 A thermoelectric generator with a shape that no human designer would likely have imagined has now been created by a computer—and it performs more than eight times better than conventional designs. Rather than relying on intuition or repeated trial and error, the breakthrough was achieved through advanced computational optimization. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-thermoelectric-generator-efficiency.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:00:02 EDT news696613561 Imagine a display that harvests ambient light when it is not actively in use, offsetting some of its own energy consumption. Materials physics shows that this is possible; the same semiconductor material can, in principle, emit and absorb light efficiently. What has been missing is a device architecture that allows it to do both without reductions in efficiency of either application. A new study reports a perovskite diode that converts sunlight to electricity at 26.7% efficiency (a world record at the time of publication) and emits light at 31% efficiency, figures that would be high for a device designed to do only one of those things. The work is published in the journal Joule. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-solar-cell-moonlights-absorbing-emitting.html Engineering Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:40:04 EDT news696612362 Perovskite solar cells are a rapidly advancing photovoltaic technology that has seen a dramatic rise in power conversion efficiency in recent years. A key driver of this progress is the use of molecular charge-selective contacts—ultrathin interlayers only a few nanometers thick—that replace conventional bulk transport materials. These molecular layers play a critical role in extracting and transporting electrical charges at the electrode interface. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-molecular-interface-tweak-reliable-perovskite.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:00:01 EDT news696609730 Robotically assembled building blocks could be a more environmentally friendly method for erecting large-scale structures than some existing construction techniques, according to a new study by MIT researchers published in the journal Automation in Construction. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-robotically-blocks-efficient-sustainable.html Robotics Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:40:05 EDT news696605161 New research study from King's Business School argues that some circular economy strategies can increase emissions rather than reduce them. Published in the British Journal of Management, the article presents a framework which shows that efforts to cut waste and switching to alternative materials can raise energy use. This can make it harder for firms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. The framework was developed in collaboration with researchers from Imperial College London, the University of Greenwich, the University of Essex, the University of Bath and Oregon State University. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-green-solutions-emissions.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:40:07 EDT news696602042 Reliable electricity supply is vital in desert locations, where maintaining cooling systems during heat waves can be essential for human health. For communities considering a shift to renewable energy, accounting for extreme weather events can help prevent electricity shortfalls, KAUST researchers have shown. The study is published in the journal Energy Conversion and Management. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-extreme-weather-renewable-grids-power.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:00:07 EDT news696599101 A new academic study has found that newer forms of blockchain technology could significantly cut the vast energy consumption associated with digital currencies, addressing one of the sector's most persistent criticisms. Published in the Journal of Enterprise Information Management, the research compares the two leading systems used to validate transactions on blockchain networks. It finds that more recent approaches deliver substantial improvements in energy efficiency. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-blockchain-highlights-sharp-energy-shift.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:05 EDT news696595442 Scientists are advancing a promising solution to two of the world's biggest challenges—plastic pollution and clean energy—by transforming waste plastics into valuable fuels using sunlight. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-solar-photoreforming-plastic-fuel-temperatures.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:01 EDT news696590942 With oil prices skyrocketing following the US and Israel's bombing of Iran, and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, motorists around the world have been looking for ways to save money. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-high-gasoline-prices-fueling-evs.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 27 Apr 2026 20:20:05 EDT news696505808 As global demand for lithium-ion batteries continues to surge, a team of Rice University researchers has developed a faster, more energy-efficient way to recover critical minerals from spent batteries, potentially easing supply chain pressures and reducing environmental harm. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-faster-greener-method-recycle-lithium.html Engineering Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:00:08 EDT news696523262 Connecting ships to charging stations is a bit of a hassle when you are out at sea. But with a new magnetic charging plug for boats—it is about as easy as putting a cup in a cup holder. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-play-solution-enables-offshore-electric.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:40:08 EDT news696508141 This week in New York, diplomats from almost every nation will convene for a four-week review of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the most comprehensive nuclear arms agreement in the world. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-nuclear-arms.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:20:09 EDT news696505501 Scott DeNeale is a water resources engineer whose work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Water Power Program centers on how hydropower research can be applied to water-energy systems. His specialty is bridging the gap between intellectual products, like data and theory, and real-world infrastructure solutions. Recently, he has been studying in-conduit hydropower, a type of largely unutilized energy production that harnesses the water flowing through water pipes in municipal settings and industrial plants to make energy, no dam required. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-energy-production.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:20:04 EDT news696502862 Due to the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, it is estimated that data centers will consume up to 12% of total U.S. electricity by 2028, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Improving data center energy efficiency is one way scientists are striving to make AI more sustainable. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-ai-power-bill-easier-center.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:00:06 EDT news696499082 Renewable energy technologies, such as solar cells and wind turbines, are becoming increasingly widespread in many countries worldwide. Reliably storing the electricity produced by these devices, so that it can be used later at times when sunlight or wind are scarce, would further improve their effectiveness as sustainable energy solutions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-based-zinc-batteries-tackle-barrier.html Energy & Green Tech Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:30:03 EDT news696162382 A joint study by the EHU-University of the Basque Country and the BC3 research center reveals that EVs are concentrated in households with high incomes, higher levels of education and located in urban areas, which highlights a social divide in accessing them. The study, published in Energy Economics, concludes that current government grant schemes do not address this inequality, and proposes linking grants to income levels. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-electric-vehicle-owners-higher-incomes.html Energy & Green Tech Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:00:06 EDT news696249002 Hydrogen is often described as the fuel of the future—a clean, energy-dense way to store renewable power and decarbonize industries from steelmaking to shipping. But inside the devices that produce it, a surprisingly small and familiar phenomenon is getting in the way: bubbles. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-hydrogen-highlights-outsized-impacts-tiny.html Engineering Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:40:07 EDT news696249121 New research shows how Australian energy companies and waste management firms can safely turn organic waste, such as food scraps, sewage and animal waste, into clean gas for homes and businesses. Led by Professor Mohsen Talei from the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, the research team identified the critical specifications for optimal biomethane quality, making it more cost effective to produce and informing the latest update of Australian Standards for use by energy producers. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-path-scaling-gas.html Energy & Green Tech Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:40:05 EDT news696244513 Heating with geothermal energy, lighting with solar panels, cooking with biodegradable waste: how can we live with less oil and gas? https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-sun-subsoil-countries-fossil-fuels.html Energy & Green Tech Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:40:10 EDT news696243206 Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975. Management looked at it, decided film was doing fine, and put the technology in a drawer. By the time they took it seriously, other companies had taken the market. Kodak filed for bankruptcy in 2012. Solar is winning on every metric. According to an international coalition led from the University of Twente, that's exactly why the research behind it is in trouble. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-solar-climate.html Energy & Green Tech Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:40:01 EDT news696241923 The shipping industry must cut its climate emissions, and express ferries are the means of passenger transport that causes the most pollution per kilometer. These high-speed passenger vessels with diesel engines are currently the least environmentally friendly form of passenger transport—but they do not have to be. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-coastal-ferry-route-radical-rethink.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:00:02 EDT news696162958 Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have succeeded in creating colored films with transparent cutouts, thereby producing realistic-looking designs on photovoltaic modules. In this way, roof tiles, for example, can be imitated. The film cutout patterns utilize MorphoColor technology, an invention of Fraunhofer ISE that creates a color impression without significantly impairing the efficiency of a PV module. Visitors to The Smarter E / Intersolar 2026 can view PV modules equipped with "ShadeCut" film cut patterns at the Fraunhofer ISE booth A1.440. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-enable-patterns-photovoltaic-modules.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:20:03 EDT news696176485 Metal-organic frameworks, better known as MOFs, are among the most intensely studied materials for addressing major environmental challenges. Their highly ordered, ultra-porous architecture enables applications ranging from CO2 capture and air or water purification to catalysis and hydrogen production. It is therefore no surprise that MOFs have drawn global attention in recent years, notably with their recognition by the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, as they play an increasingly central role in the development of sustainable technologies. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-green-materials-energy.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:40:07 EDT news696182461 Acrylic acid is essential for everyday products—from paints and coatings to absorbent polymers—yet almost all of it is currently made from propylene, a petrochemical. As global biodiesel production rises, so does the supply of low-value glycerol by-products, creating an opportunity for cleaner, renewable chemical manufacturing. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-boost-sustainable-acrylic-acid-production.html Engineering Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:20:05 EDT news696181681