Volume 6 Issue 12, December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic led to drastic adjustments in how people live and work, resulting in substantial reductions in energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. New research shows how energy and climate policy can capitalize on these changes to achieve long-term emission reduction.

Battery development needs both scientific and engineering breakthroughs. Starting from an atomic understanding of particle growth mechanisms, a remarkable upscaling of a sub-nanometer-sized silicon-based negative electrode — from coin-sized cells to battery packs of over 100 kWh — is now presented.

The path to transition billions of people to clean cooking methods is fraught with controversy and unanswered questions. Focusing on the transition to liquefied petroleum gas, a new large-scale multi-country study offers important insights on what determinants of the transition require close attention and policy response.

The availability, facile handling and low toxicity of ethanol make direct ethanol fuel cells an attractive proposition, yet the performance of the catalysts they use is still limited. Now, the performance of palladium–nitrogen–carbon catalysts for the key reactions is improved by introduction of fluorine, which regulates the local environment of the active site.

Pacific Island Countries and Territories are seeking to improve their energy systems, which face challenges such as climate change. This Perspective discusses research priorities to support Pacific Island Countries and Territories in building energy resilience while drawing on their own unique strengths and existing community responses.

The energy-saving impact of energy-efficient technologies can be diminished by rebound resulting from post-adoption behaviour. This Review examines how behavioural regularities affect energy-relevant decisions and associated rebound effects

Major shifts in the structure, the levels and the locations of energy use were observed during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, uncertainty remains about the persistence and thus the long-term effects of these changes on the energy system. Kikstra et al. now present various energy scenarios that build on observed changes in energy use to achieve a low-emission global future.

Photoelectrodes for light-driven CO₂ reduction to fuels and chemicals often suffer drastic decreases in performance due to changes in the material under illumination. Here the authors investigate the degradation pathways that occur in Cu₂O photocathodes for ethylene synthesis and put forward strategies to mitigate them.

The traditional understanding of obstacles to climate change action highlights economic costs and free-riding. Mercure et al. show that, in contrast, climate action in many regions is economically favourable and advancing rapidly, but to avoid potentially destabilizing levels of stranded fossil fuel assets demands urgent and rapid economic diversification.

Metal- and N-coordinated carbon materials are promising electrocatalysts, but improved activity and stability are desirable for fuel cell applications. Chang et al. address this by introducing F atoms into Pd/N–C catalysts, modifying the environment around the Pd and enhancing performance for ethanol oxidation and oxygen reduction.

Carbon materials are promising for perovskite solar cells but suffer from poor interfacial energy level alignment. Now, Zhang et al. show that Ti atomically dispersed in reduced graphene reduces energy losses improving device performance.

Silicon-based anodes are a promising alternative to the graphite anodes that are widely used in today’s commercial batteries. Here the authors report a synthesis route for silicon anodes consisting of subnanometre-sized particles and demonstrate their use in an unusual large-scale battery pack system.

Graphene oxide’s permeation properties make it a promising material for purification of hydrogen, but humidity can cause deleterious swelling. Here the authors remedy this by incorporating positively charged nanodiamonds into graphene oxide membranes, stabilizing the structure and minimizing performance degradation.

A just energy transition requires consideration of the needs of all people, yet disabled people are often overlooked. Ivanova and Middlemiss analyse the energy use of disabled households in the European Union, finding that on average they consume less energy and are more likely to experience energy poverty.

Billions of people still rely on polluting fuels like wood or charcoal for cooking, which impacts health and livelihoods, despite efforts to transition to cleaner fuels. This Analysis integrates a comparison of supply- and demand-side factors that determine cooking fuel use among peri-urban households in Cameroon, Kenya and Ghana.