Energy science

Presented by Sila Kiliccote. The grid that transmits our electrical power needs a radical transformation.  The structure of the grid has not changed fundamentally since its creation a century ago. But today’s grid faces new challenges.

SIMES scientists have developed a manganese-hydrogen battery that could fill a missing piece in the nation’s energy puzzle by storing wind and solar energy for when it is needed, lessening the need to burn carbon-emitting fossil fuels.

Research conducted at the atomic scale could help explain how electric currents move efficiently through hybrid perovskites, promising materials for solar cells.

Streamlining their journey through the electrolyte could help lithium-ion batteries charge faster.

They created a comprehensive picture of how the same chemical processes that give these cathodes their high capacity are also linked to changes in atomic structure that sap performance.

Remarkable cryo-EM images that reveal details down to the individual atom will yield new insights into why high-energy batteries fail.

Lithium ion batteries may remain tops for sheer performance, but when cost-per-storage is factored in, a design based on sodium ions offers promise; research was conducted in part at SSRL.

The early career award from SLAC’s X-ray laser recognizes Kjaer’s work in ultrafast X-ray science.

The X-ray studies performed at SLAC will help the oil industry improve guidelines for corrosion from sulfur in crude oil.

It's the first to employ AI to help the grid manage power fluctuations, resist damage and recover faster from storms, solar eclipses, cyberattacks and other disruptions.

SLAC’s X-ray laser and Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument allow researchers to examine the exotic precipitation in real time as it materializes in the laboratory.