Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 08, 2026 A lithium ion battery experiment has been completed aboard China's Tiangong space station, focusing on basic electrochemical processes that govern performance and lifetime. Researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported the work, which was carried out by the three astronauts of the Shenzhou XXI crew. The experiment is designed to clar

London, UK (SPX) Jan 09, 2026 Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a semi-transparent, flexible perovskite solar cell that generates electricity while allowing control over both light transmission and perceived color for use in windows, building facades, and curved surfaces. The research was led by Prof. Lioz Etgar and Prof. Shlomo Magdassi from the Institute of Chemistry and the Center for

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 31, 2025 The intermittent output of solar power creates challenges for grid operators who must keep supply and demand in balance. Traditional numerical weather prediction models often handle cloud initialization poorly, which degrades ultra-short-term solar irradiance forecasts over time. Researchers Min Chen and Liangchen Guo of the Institute of Urban Meteorology at the China Meteorological Admini

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 09, 2026 Generating hydrogen from sunlight offers a route to low carbon fuel production by converting solar energy into chemical energy stored in hydrogen. Researchers use photocatalysts to absorb light and drive water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen, but many existing systems only harvest part of the visible spectrum, leaving much of the incoming solar energy unused. To increase solar-to-hydrogen eff

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 05, 2026 Perovskite solar cells are attracting interest as lower-cost, high-efficiency alternatives to silicon photovoltaics, but defects in their thin films hinder charge transport, waste energy, and reduce device stability. One approach to mitigate these defects is passivation treatment, in which simple salts or organic molecules are introduced into the perovskite film so that small molecules or

Berlin (AFP) Jan 5, 2026 The share of renewables in German power production almost stagnated in 2025, data showed Monday, as concerns grow about a shift away from green policies under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The figure had increased strongly in previous years as Europe's biggest economy aims to reach a goal of green power accounting for 80 percent of its energy mix by 2030. But last year power fr

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 01, 2026 A team of materials scientists has developed a bio based carbon aerogel derived from chitin that improves thermal energy storage in shape stabilized phase change materials while addressing leakage during melting. Phase change materials store and release heat as they melt and solidify, so they are used in building temperature control, solar thermal storage, and electronic thermal management

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 01, 2026 Researchers at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have engineered an optimized electron transport layer for inverted perovskite solar cells that raises both power conversion efficiency and operational stability. The work, led by Prof. Pan Xu at the Institute of Solid State Physics, focuses on controlling the behavior of the fullerene derivative PCBM at th

Ganzhou, China (AFP) Dec 21, 2025 Buried in the reddish soil of southern China lies latent power: one of the largest clusters of crucial rare earths is mined around the clock by a secretive and heavily guarded industry. The hills of Jiangxi province are home to most of China's rare earth mines, with the materials used in a wide range of products including smartphones and missile guidance technology. The flourishing indus

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 26, 2025 Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a covalently bridged fullerene framework that allows carbon-based lithium-ion battery anodes to store lithium in a more stable configuration while supporting fast charging. The new material, designated Mg4C60, connects fullerene (C60) molecules through covalent bridges, creating a layered structure that resists structural collapse and loss of activ

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 19, 2025 Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a vapour-deposition process that significantly enhances the long-term and high-temperature stability of perovskite-silicon (Si) tandem solar cells. The work demonstrates vapour deposition on industrial micrometre-textured silicon wafers, matching the wafer structures used in commercial solar manufacturing and moving tandem

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 18, 2025 Researchers in South Korea have demonstrated that a bilayer tin oxide electron transport layer can raise the efficiency and stability of back-contact perovskite solar cells while addressing key interfacial loss mechanisms. Back-contact perovskite solar cells place the perovskite absorber at the top of the device stack so that incoming light reaches the active layer directly, while electron