ORNL Archives – The Green Optimistic

Moth Eyes and Lotus Leaves Inspire New Ultra-Efficient Solar Panel Coating

Mila Luleva — Tue, 19 May 2015 18:53:33 +0000

Moths’ eyes and lotus leaves inspire scientists from Oak Ridge National Lab to develop a water repellent solar panel coating that boosts the efficiency by up to six percent. A team from Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) developed an anti-reflective, water repellent, self-cleaning, highly durable and fog resistant coating for solar panels. The coating comprises of nanoscale […]

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Do Electric Cars Have Gears? No. Here’s Why

Benji Jerew — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 07:43:14 +0000

Here’s a conversation that piqued my interest today: “Are electric vehicle transmissions necessary?”, or “Do electric cars have gears?”. Really, could multispeed gearing do anything for electric vehicle performance, acceleration, speed, efficiency, or otherwise? (For the purposes of this discussion, we’re leaving out heavy-duty applications, such as delivery trucks or tractor-trailers.) After decades of driving […]

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New Low-Cost Anti-Soiling Solar Panel Coating Can Optimize Efficiency

Mila Luleva — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 17:52:22 +0000

New coating for solar panels developed by researchers from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has shown the remarkable ability to repel various types of liquids, including water, as well as solid particles, which are known to reduce energy efficiency. The development, funded by Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy SunShot Concentrating Solar Power Program of the […]

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High-Performance Superconductors Developed, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Benji Jerew — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 21:29:41 +0000

Superconductors typically find their way into power generation and transmission applications, where losses are unacceptable or great amounts of current are needed to flow. When cooled to a critical temperature, superconductors offer near zero resistance to electrical flow, eliminating heat generation. Additionally, superconductors don’t need to be nearly as robust as standard ambient-temperature conductors. For […]

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New Solid State Lithium Sulfur Battery from ORNL is Much Safer

Benji Jerew — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:09:36 +0000

Lithium-ion batteries, for the moment, are the best solution for lightweight [relatively] and reliable portable power, but various other battery formulations, such as lithium sulfur, could be a better option. As we know, lithium-ion batteries are not without their problems. The very thing that makes lithium-ion batteries so effective, the liquid electrolyte, also makes them […]

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ORNL and GM to Recycle Used Volt Batteries in Grid Backup Supply

Benji Jerew — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:00:55 +0000

After years and many thousands of miles, the hybrid and electric vehicle lithium-ion battery pack performance starts to degrade, but they can’t just be thrown into the nearest landfill. This is a problem that conscientious consumers and automakers are struggling to address. Recycling is one solution, which recovers poisonous metals and other parts of the […]

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New Solid Battery Electrolyte Prevents Fire, Increases Capacity Five Fold

Mila Luleva — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 22:02:32 +0000

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed an electrolyte, which has the potential to boost the energy storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries, while being safer than these on Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. Although the reason for the fire on the Boeing is not yet determined, if they used a safer electrolyte, the risk of fire […]

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DOE Studying How to Better Extract Uranium from Seawater

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:51:15 +0000

Although the Earth’s oceans only contain uranium in trace amounts (3 parts per billion), if someone put their mind to it and gathered all of the oceanic uranium, 4.5 billion tons would get harvested, enough to fuel our civilization’s energy needs for the next 6,500 years. This is not news, however. Japan tinkered with oceanic […]

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Bacterium Living in Yellowstone’s Hot Springs Studied for Ethanol-Producing Abilities

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:11:10 +0000

Caldicellulosiruptor obsidiansis, a bacterium that can normally be found in Yellowstone’s hot springs has opened new horizons for scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) who were studying how to produce ethanol from switchgrass in a more viable manner, without relying on plant material-breaking enzymes. A comparative analysis of proteins found in Caldicellulosiruptor obsidiansis grown on four […]

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