Scientists achieve mind-blowing energy breakthrough with discarded sawdust: 'It is important to further this line of research'
Battery researchers from Spain's University of the Basque Country have combined a couple of different forms of energy storage tech — along with pine sawdust — to create something new.
Cue the Frankenstein tropes.
The innovation, which has the potential to lower sustainable and intermittent renewable energy storage costs, was detailed by the university's magazine.
"In the field of renewable energies, we cannot control the wind, heat, light, etc. that nature offers us. And the energy demand sometimes does not coincide with the energy supply; so resources need to be developed to store that energy produced by renewable systems," Basque researcher Eider Goikolea said in the report.
The project involves supercapacitors and lithium-ion technology. Supercapacitors are garnering research attention in labs around the world, even as part of foundations that can store energy. Yarn-like versions that can be incorporated into clothing to power wearable devices are also in development.
While supercapacitors can provide a lot of juice, it's only for a short period of time, according to the Basque team. In response, they developed a hybrid device — a supercapacitor with battery-type components in the electrode. It's combination tinkering that might make Mary Shelley proud.
"This offers the advantages of both systems: high-power energy can be stored [as in batteries], it can operate at high-power levels and is able to withstand many charge-discharge cycles [like supercapacitors]," Goikolea said in the report.
High-carbon pine-mill waste entered the scene during electrode development. The experts were searching for a carbon source, and pine was found to work well. It's an abundant, cost-efficient sawmill byproduct. The process to make the electrode requires a manageable 1,292-degree Fahrenheit heat setting and "economical additives," all per the magazine.
"Not all biomass provides the right carbon for this application, but we have shown that very satisfactory results can be obtained from the biomass of the insignis pine," researcher Idoia Ruiz de Larramendi added.
By combining the best parts of batteries and supercapacitors, the team could be on the cusp of better storage that provides for greater renewable energy use, which is critical to avoiding worst-case scenarios from our planet's overheating, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The World Health Organization and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that air pollution is a factor for nearly everyone on Earth, causing increased risks for severe weather and health concerns.
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The United Nations added that about 29% of the world's electricity is already generated from renewable sources, calling it the "cheapest" electricity option in most parts of the world. A breakthrough sodium-ion battery made in China can energize about 12,000 homes. Tesla's lithium-ion Megapacks are already deployed, as well.
At home, you can combine solar panels with a battery, like a Powerwall or another brand. By linking them to a virtual power plant, you can sell some of the excess electricity they store back to the grid. A government research project in the U.S. found that most people save around $700 per year by adding panels, even after expenses. And tax breaks remain available to help cover a large chunk of the cost.
What's more, EnergySage is a free service that can help you unlock the most savings and find an installer.
In the meantime, the Basque team intends to keep experimenting with their unique combination in Spain, perhaps realizing the hidden power of sawdust.
"It is important to further this line of research," the experts said, per the magazine.
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