Fascinating research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that turns concrete into batteries is continuing to make headlines. The most recent news, reported by the BBC, shows the tech powering a handheld game.
In a nutshell, the science turns concrete into supercapacitors using carbon black, water, and cement — all cheap ingredients that could lower the cost of renewable energy storage. Carbon black is a highly conductive, charcoal-like material, according to MIT.
Supercapacitors can store energy like a battery but with a little different chemistry. They can charge very quickly and have extremely long lifespans. But they discharge speedily, as well.
A crucial proof-of-concept was documented by the BBC. An approximately one-foot-tall clear cylinder with black concrete inside is shown with cables coming out of it. One of the wires is connected to a handheld game, which is being powered by the unit. In another test, an LED light is illuminated by the unique battery.
"At first I didn't believe it," MIT researcher Damian Stefaniuk told the news agency. "I thought that I hadn't disconnected the external power source, and that was why the LED was on."
It's a next step in research that could help to provide more storage capacity for intermittent renewable energy, now providing more than 20% of U.S. electricity. Innovations like the MIT concrete project could reduce dependence on lithium and other rare materials needed for common batteries.
The power-storing building material could also help to offset some of the air pollution generated by the cement industry, widely reported as spewing 5-8% of worldwide planet-warming gas pollution. Those harmful, heat-trapping fumes are contributing to a warmup that is impacting even classroom performance, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The MIT supercapacitor can power a 10-watt LED for about 30 hours, according to the report.
That "may seem low compared to conventional batteries, [but] a foundation with (1,060-1,410 cubic feet) of concrete could be sufficient to meet the daily energy needs of a residential house," Stefaniuk told the BBC. "Given the widespread use of concrete globally, this material has the potential to be highly competitive and useful in energy storage."
The innovation highlights unrealized energy-saving potential in almost every house — and you don't need a carbon black foundation to take advantage of it. For example, simply cleaning out the filters on your washer and dryer can save 10% on the cost of running the machines, as well as limit fire risk.
For now, more research needs to be completed on the MIT concrete, in part to make sure there is adequate strength. Carbon black creates more capacity, but it also weakens the mix, per the researchers.
But the vision for future application is impressive.
"A simple example would be an off-grid house powered by solar panels: using solar energy directly during the day and the energy stored in, for example, the foundations during the night," Stefaniuk told the BBC.
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