Inverters are devices typically used in solar power generation systems to convert electric current to a more useful type, but are prone to failure and are the main cause of malfunction in solar power systems. Using transformer-less (TL) inverters is a desirable alternative because of their higher efficiency, lower size, and lower cost. However, TL inverters...

Background With growing environmentally friendly energy consumption and increasing efficiency needs, there is an increasing need for distributed versatile energy management systems. For cutting-edge applications such as electric-vehicle power train, space station power supplies, microgrids, or wherever multiple energy resources and/or loads are connected...

Background Battery-to-Grid (B2G) integration is a pivotal step towards a cleaner, more resilient, and efficient energy system. B2G offers numerous benefits, including grid stability, cost reduction, and support for renewable energy sources. In current grid-integrated energy storage systems, multiple cells are connected in series to create a battery...

Background Solar thermochemical carbon dioxide (CO2) splitting is a process where solar energy is used to split CO2 into carbon monoxide (CO) and oxygen (O2). Conventional solar thermochemical CO2 splitting involves a metal oxide being heated to its reduction temperature using concentrated thermal energy, which liberates O2. This process also exposes...

Background The conversion of solar energy to fuels requires both water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) as feedstocks. These feedstocks provide the carbon and hydrogen atoms necessary to form hydrocarbons. By removing oxygen from one or both of these compounds, liquid hydrocarbon fuels can be produced. Water can be converted into hydrogen and oxygen...

Background Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from atmospheric air, which includes direct air capture (DAC), is essential to limit global warming to 2°C, or ideally 1.5°C. Current DAC methods based on thermal and pressure swings remain too energy intensive. Moisture-driven DAC using strong-base anion exchange resins (AER) binds CO2 from ambient air...

Background Electrified transportation and renewable energy are both rapidly growing in recent years. These demands require high-performance electrical energy storage devices such as lithium-ion batteries which currently are widely used. However, lithium-ion batteries tend to have high costs, minimal material availability and low capacity. There is...

Background The creation of effective energy conversion technologies has become essential in response to the challenges of integrating diurnally and seasonally intermittent and variable renewable energy resources. Specifically, one of the most important steps toward the economical production of sustainable fuels and organic chemicals is the conversion...

Background Recent efforts to address climate change and develop a clean-energy economy in the United States have focused on the electrification of the transportation sector. Sustainable battery manufacturing has become a critical part of these efforts, and current manufacturing practices face challenges relating to environmental impact, advancing electrode...

Background Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have drawn attention in recent years as an alternative power generation technology, due to their high efficiency and low emissions. The lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM)-yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) cathode is widely utilized in SOFCs because of its high performance and stability. The microstructure of...