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Soluble catalysts such as redox mediators are promising in enhancing energy efficiency of Li–O2 batteries. Here, the authors propose a design principle for finding efficient redox mediators and demonstrate the application of such a new catalyst.
The ability of photovoltaic devices to harvest solar energy can be enhanced by tailoring the spectrum of incident light with thermophotovoltaic devices. Bierman et al. now show that one such device achieves a solar-to-electrical efficiency of 6.8%, exceeding that of the solar cell alone.
CdTe solar cells have not reached their full efficiency potential, in part because their voltages have lagged behind those of cells made from other semiconductors. Zhao et al. report monocrystalline CdTe solar cells with open-circuit voltages up to 1.1 V and conversion efficiencies up to 17%.
Organometal halide perovskites have drawn remarkable attention in photovoltaic applications due to their optoelectronic properties. In this Perspective, the authors outline the potential of these materials in a variety of energy-related applications.
Economic agents have varying expectations on oil price fluctuations that play an important role in determining the timing and magnitude of oil price shocks. A study now shows that heterogeneous expectations should be included when modelling oil price shocks to grasp their impact on macroeconomic outcomes and energy policies.
Oxygen reduction at the cathode of fuel cells typically requires a platinum-based material to catalyse the reaction, but lower-cost, more stable catalysts are sought. Now, an intrinsically conductive metal–organic framework based on cheaper elements is shown to be a durable, structurally well-defined catalyst for this reaction.
Rechargeable aqueous batteries are attractive energy storage technologies owing to their low cost and high safety, but suffer from poor electrochemical performance. Now, an aqueous mild-acid-based Zn/MnO2 battery that operates via a conversion mechanism is shown to have a long-term cycling stability.
In this issue, Nature Energy takes a closer look at some of the ways in which the social sciences are addressing problems in energy and climate change.
Scholars and practitioners have advocated for greater public participation in decisions about renewable energy technologies. Nonetheless, many questions remain regarding the role of the public and the scope, purpose and openness of these decision processes.
Current approaches to energy systems invoke individual rational consumers, despite the fact that their decision-making cannot be simplified so readily. This Perspective explores the concept of consumers as part of a wider transition, offering a typology of the users who are shaping and enacting system change.
Meeting carbon emissions commitments while providing necessary energy services means reducing fossil fuel consumption. This Review presents social science insights for increasing adoption of low-carbon and low-consumption technologies and engendering practice changes among households and organizations.
When making decisions about energy, consumers and policymakers typically overlook moral issues, which can have profound societal consequences. This Perspective explores how ideas from justice and ethics can provide a framework to reconsider energy problems and better inform decision-making processes.
The resilience of distribution power grids is put to the test by daily operations as well as by extreme weather events such as hurricanes. An analysis of blackout data in upstate New York now reveals that larger blackouts have a disproportionate effect on grid reliability.
Power grids often fail during extreme weather events such as hurricanes, leaving millions of customers without electricity. A large-scale analysis of the operation of power grids in an extended geographical area now reveals that such events exacerbate vulnerabilities that are obscured during normal operation.
