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Metal halide perovskites offer the potential for high-efficiency, low-fabrication-cost solar cells. This study now explores their prospects if deployed in concentrator photovoltaics and finds they perform well up to a concentration of 53 Suns and retain good stability under 10 Suns for over 150 h.
Non-radiative recombination is a critical limiting factor for perovskite solar cell performance. Stolterfoht et al. visualize the various recombination pathways in planar pin cells with photoluminescence imaging and use it to design improved solar cells with 1 cm2 areas and ~20% efficiency.
One way to overcome the theoretical efficiency limit of silicon photovoltaics is to use them as the bottom cell in a tandem photovoltaic module. Here a model for tandem module efficiency and cost is presented, based on assumed sub-cell efficiencies and costs, and used to examine possible paths for different tandem markets.
Although Pt is highly active for electrocatalytic production of H2 from water, its cost limits its wide application. Here, the authors prepare a high-performing catalyst that is supported on graphitic tubes, containing Fe, Co and Cu, and requires only a small amount of Pt.
Voltage decay is a major problem in applications of high-energy Li- and Mn-rich layer-structured battery materials. Here, the authors report the evolution of redox couples as the origin of the voltage decay and discuss strategies to suppress the problem.
In-stream flow-energy converters can produce clean power from rivers, but how their design may affect the riverbed environment is unclear. Musa et al. test a scaled demonstration system, monitoring the bed response and sediment transport, to evaluate likely real-world behaviour.
Renewable policy standards have been instrumental in the growth of renewable energy in US states. Through a ranking of policy stringency and interviews with industry stakeholders, researchers show the significance of stringency and other policy design features towards a standard’s effectiveness.
The emerging kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cell offers a potential low-cost, non-toxic, materially abundant platform for next-generation photovoltaics, yet its efficiency has been mired below 10%. Yan et al. now use post-heat treatment of the heterojunction to show device efficiencies that surpass 10%.
Voltage fade is a major obstacle for the efficient use of lithium-rich layered oxide materials in batteries. Here, the authors reveal the link between voltage fade and nucleation of a mobile dislocation network in the oxide nanoparticles, offering design ideas to restore the voltage.
Despite their high efficiencies, perovskite solar cells still suffer from degradation issues that impede their practical deployment. Saidaminov et al. explore the effect of local lattice strain on vacancy formation and show that careful choice of dopants plays a key role, enhancing the device stability.
Achieving transport decarbonization targets depends on vehicle-purchasing decisions. Non-financial consumer preferences presented in six global energy-economy models reveal that diverse policies targeting vehicle buyers are necessary for the widespread adoption of clean technologies.
Interfacial losses between device layers play a key role in determining characteristics of solar cells. Jeon et al. address this in perovskite solar cells by synthesizing a hole-transporting layer that is better matched to the surrounding layers, and show high-efficiency and high-stability devices.
There is an intensive effort in developing grid-scale energy storage means. Here, the authors present a liquid metal battery with a garnet-type solid electrolyte instead of conventional molten salt electrolytes and report promising electrochemical properties at a modest temperature of 240 °C.
Ether-based electrolytes offer many advantages compared to other electrolyte systems, but they are not stable in Li metal batteries when operating at high voltages. Here, the authors develop a concentrated ether electrolyte that enables long-term cycling stability of high-voltage Li metal batteries.
Non-flammable electrolytes such as phosphates offer safety advantages for batteries, but they are prone to decomposition when coupled with graphite anodes. Here, the authors report a phosphate with a high salt-to-solvent ratio that displays high stability as well as compatibility with graphite in a commercial 18650-type cell.
Photocatalysts use light to drive chemical reactions; the effective spatial separation of photogenerated charges is key to their performance in solar energy conversion. Here, using surface photovoltage microscopy, the authors show that charges can be separated in photocatalytic particles by asymmetric light irradiation.
The development of Ni-rich layered lithium transition metal oxides is plagued by their voltage and capacity fading on battery cycling. Here, the authors demonstrate an effective approach to treat these problems by infusing a solid electrolyte into the grain boundaries of the secondary particles of these layered materials.
The scale and nature of energy investments under diverging technology and policy futures is of great importance to decision makers. Here, a multi-model study projects investment needs under countries’ nationally determined contributions and in pathways consistent with achieving the 2 °C and 1.5 °C targets as well as certain SDGs.
Substitution across fuels is hard to study because traditional transport technologies are typically single-fuel. Using Swedish data, this study shows that fuel demand elasticities differ across fuels, and drivers exhibit high preference for fossil fuels, hindering the take-up of alternative fuels.
Lithium cobalt oxides are used as a cathode material in batteries for mobile devices, but their high theoretical capacity has not yet been realized. Here, the authors present a doping method to enhance diffusion of Li ions as well as to stabilize structures during cycling, leading to impressive electrochemical performance.