AltPwr
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Zwitterions May Be Key To Solid-State Batteries

Guy Youngs Liquid electrolytes have been key EV batteries for some time now and the lithium-ion formula is the most important component. There are a lot of different formulae that do various things such as the removal of toxic inputs from the supply chain, or reductions in weight, elimination of fire hazards, and cutting costs.
The ultimate goal is to combine all these improvements in one electrolyte, but solid state or semi solid state batteries are appearing before that goal can be achieved and they promise to revolutionize the battery market. But, getting the electrons to move about within a solid is difficult at best. And that’s where Zwitterions come in.
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Graphene Aluminum-Ion Battery Boosts Energy Density
One of the new battery technologies is graphene aluminum-ion battery which is designed specifically with rapid charging in mind. Graphene aluminum-ion batteries avoid the use of lithium and copper, instead using aluminum substrates and a newly developed chloride-free electrolyte. This enables cost and weight reduction, improved safety risks, and eliminates the need for thermal management system. The battery has similar performance characteristics as lithium titanate oxide cells, but can be produced at a much lower cost
The technology works by making atomic sized holes in the graphene, which allows the aluminum ions to penetrate and be held in the graphene to make a higher energy density, thus enabling them to outperform standard lithium batteries.
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The Fast Lane: 3 Ways To Get More Critical Minerals
In modern life, thousands of products (ranging from mobile phones to missiles, or fertilizer even) depend on a few critical minerals such as copper, cerium, rare earth elements and potash. Governments around the world consider these essential to their economy and national security, and their supply chains can be disrupted by geopolitical tensions, extreme weather, or trade restrictions.
For instance, in 2026, the U.S. critical minerals list include 60 minerals that companies in defense, agriculture, power, mining, and other industry sectors, need to get their jobs done. But spiking demand, restricted access, and rising prices can make it challenging to get these minerals
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A Closer Look at CATL’s New Sodium-Ion Battery
CATL unveiled a new sodium-ion battery for energy storage at the ESIE 2026 show in Beijing, in April. The show is the 14th Energy Storage International Conference and Expo (ESIE). ESIE was born alongside the development of China’s energy storage industry and serves as a key communication and cooperation platform in the energy storage field.
CATL’s new battery expands its sodium-ion lineup beyond passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and auxiliary power, into utility-scale and commercial storage.
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A Failed Experiment? Biofuels Under Spotlight

Guy Youngs On March 31, EU ministers met to discuss the global shortage of around 11million barrels of oil per day. At the meeting, European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen urged nations to outline measures to reduce the use of oil and gas, particularly in transportation. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused panic within Europe. As a result, the EU has been advised to consider biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Unlike America, Europe is struggling to find sources of oil that are either not in Russia nor the Middle East. As a result the European Union has been advised to look again at Biofuels.
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Sodium-Ion Battery Cell Cost Could Drop to $40/kWh
A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) notes that while it is still uncertain whether sodium-ion batteries (SIB) will become a disruptive alternative to lithium-ion (LIB) technology, they could offer significant cost-saving opportunities in applications such as electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage.
SIBs hold a potential advantage over LIBs due to the abundance and accessibility of sodium, a material that is considerably cheaper than lithium. IRENA says the price of sodium carbonate between 2020 and 2024 ranged between $100/ton and $500/ton, while the price of lithium carbonate over the same period of time ranged between $6,000/ton and $83,000/ton.
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CATL Winning Shipping Electrification Race
CATL’s batteries and energy management systems are already operating in roughly 900 ships and vessels, a figure that on its own should reframe how maritime decarbonization is discussed.
Shipping is, by its nature, conservative for structural reasons tied to safety, long asset lifetimes, and unforgiving certification regimes, so deployment at this scale signals that electrification is no longer a pilot exercise but operating infrastructure.
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EV Sales Growth Has Slowed
Over the course of the last two years or so, sales of battery electric vehicles, while continuing to grow, have posted lower year-over-year percentage growth rates than they had in years prior. EV sales used to grow at 50%+ per year, but for the last couple years, they have grown closer to about 25% per year.
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Hitachi Powers Site with Hydrogen Gen-set

Guy Youngs Hitachi Energy has successfully deployed its first-ever customer HyFlex hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) generator in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the generator will replace an equivalent diesel generator producing 500-kilovolt-amperes (kVA). In doing so, the HyFlex-powered construction site could save as much as 200,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year, and reduce the company’s carbon-dioxide emissions by about 2,900 tons
Hitachi plans to have a full zero-emission “ecosystem” on display at the…
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US Threatens Tariffs After China’s Rare Earth Curb
President Trump is threatening new tariffs (at 100%), after China introduced new restrictions on exports of rare earths and related technology.
Analysts say the export controls were an attempt to boost China’s leverage in trade talks with the United States, but Trump now says he may call off a planned meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month
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