Engineers Develop Innovative Battery Technology That Could Change the Future of Remote Devices


credit: Flickr

A team of researchers at the University of Utah is reporting in the journal Energy & Environmental Science that it has developed a new type of battery that could someday power a wide range of wireless sensors used in everything from farms to cars.

Specifically, the researchers are reporting on pyroelectrochemical cells, a type of battery that "changes electrical properties when cooled and heated, thereby powering a device based on temperature fluctuations in the environment," per a press release.

The problem with current batteries is that they're notoriously difficult to keep charged, operational, and working efficiently out in the field.

pyroelectrochemical cells, on the other hand, "can harvest ambient thermal energy and convert it directly into stored energy in the form of a super electrochemical or battery with applications for the Internet of things and distributed sensors," says co-author Shad Roundy.

The researchers say the new battery can generate enough charge for practical applications in many industries because the sensors can be distributed and do not need to be charged in the field.

"This development is a massive breakthrough because the sensors can be distributed and do not require charging in the field," says co-author Roseanne Warren.

"This means wireless sensor systems could become totally energy-independent and reduce waste from current energy-harvesting technologies."

The researchers Read the Entire Article


Selected Grant News Headlines

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

Citiesalive 2024 to Feature Pioneering Green Infrastructure

CitiesAlive 2024 will take place at various locations in Toronto on November 6 9th.Learn from the experts over two full days covering the latest designs, research, policy, and system...more

How the Innovation Fund Supports Decarbonisation

The ETS Innovation Fund is one of the world's most extensive funding programmes for demonstrating innovative low carbon technologies.Since 2020, the Innovation Fund (grant) has provided around 2.5B ...more

Huntington Local Middle School Celebrates New Smartlab

"I believe this program places Huntington Local Schools on the cutting edge of what 21st-century schools should be." So says Pete Ruby, superintendent of Ohio's Huntington Local Middle School,...more

'Find Your People' Event Helps First-Year Students Make Connections

If you're a first-year student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, you might want to stop by the school's "Find Your People" event, which is designed "to help first-year students in...more

India Lead

A major bank in India is looking for a senior analyst to help it grow its climate finance business, the BBC reports. The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance is looking for a senior analyst...more

Denmark Ramps Up Asia, Em Climate Investment Push

Denmark's government and development fund are ramping up efforts to drum up private capital for green initiatives, with a particular focus on Asia, the Guardian reports. Denmark's World Climate...more

Bosch Home Comfort Launches Ids Ultra Cold Climate Heat Pump

A Massachusetts company has become the first to take part in the Department of Energy's Cold Climate Challenge, which aims to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Bosch's IDS Ultra...more

Uh MNoa Tackles Wastewater Emissions with $2M Grant

Researchers at the University of Hawaii have received a $2 million grant to develop a process that could drastically reduce the environmental impact of wastewater treatment, the Honolulu...more

Unep Fi @ Cop29 € United Nations Environment € Finance Initiative

Global leaders are meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, this week for the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the New York Times takes a look at...more

Okc's Center For Social Innovation Offers Second Chances

Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City is offering a unique opportunity for individuals who have faced significant life challenges to pursue higher education.The Center for Social Innovation (CFSI)...more





Young at 24, Juan David Aristizabal Ospina is a social entrepreneur who founded Buena Nota, a platform that accentuates social entrepreneurs and citizens in Colombia making  positive changes and raising awareness about social problems that need to be addressed.