Researchers developed renewable energy storage device
The researchers, including those from Queen Mary institute of London in United Kingdom (UK) have developed a new dielectric capacitor, a device that stores energy (like battery). The study was published in journal Nature Communications.
Key Findings about Device
Working: The researchers found that by pressing and folding a polymer film capacitor, they were able to store 30 times more energy than best-performing commercially available dielectric capacitor. The researchers took the inspiration for this new energy storage device from a French pastry called croissant which is made by folding multiple layers of dough.
Function: The study noted that dielectric capacitors in general have ultrahigh power density which makes them suitable for technologies that require accumulating energy over a period of time and then releasing it very quickly like motor drives and even space vehicle power systems. Until now, such capacitors had limitation of storing low amounts of energy but this new finding promise a significant impact on the field of pulse power applications and could produce a step-change in field of dielectric capacitors, which was so far limited by their low energy storage density.
Significance: As this is the highest energy density ever reported in a polymer film capacitor, so the advances in technology may pave a way for low-cost, efficient, and environmentally-friendly electric energy storage systems for wind as well as solar sources. Even though storing energy can be tricky and expensive, especially with renewable energy sources, but with this technique, large amounts of renewable energy can be stored.
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Month: Current Affairs - October, 2019