Category: Energy storage

Over 70% of the world's cobalt supply originates from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), creating a highly concentrated and geopolitically sensitive market. This reality, coupled with cobalt’s indispensable properties in modern applications, forces the urgent question: is cobalt essential?

Creatine phosphate and ATP stores provide enough immediate energy to fuel muscle contractions for roughly 15 seconds, making them a crucial initial short-term energy source in storage for high-intensity activity. These rapid-response systems exist in both biological and technological contexts, addressing immediate energy demands efficiently.

According to research, organic electrolytes are widely used in advanced battery systems like lithium-ion batteries, enabling higher voltage stability and greater energy density compared to their aqueous counterparts. So, what is an organic electrolyte, and why are these carbon-based compounds so critical to the next generation of energy storage technology?

Liquid hydrogen fuel has a much lower volumetric energy density than gasoline, even though it possesses a higher gravimetric energy density or specific energy. This illustrates a key principle: the factors influencing energy density are complex and vary depending on whether the metric is based on mass or volume. A material’s composition, its physical state, and the overall system design are all critical determinants.

Over 90% of the world's vanadium is historically used to strengthen steel alloys, yet its role in large-scale energy storage is rapidly becoming its most crucial application for a sustainable future. This once little-known element is now central to many modern technological advancements.

The global energy storage market is projected to reach $620B by 2025, underscoring the growing need for solutions that can balance variable renewable energy sources. The key challenge lies in developing robust systems for long-term energy storage to ensure grid reliability and support decarbonization efforts.

Approximately 90% of the body's energy reserves are stored as lipids within adipose tissue, highlighting their crucial role in long-term energy management. The remarkable efficiency of lipids as an energy store is a fundamental concept in A-level biology, rooted in their unique biochemical properties.

According to the Department of Energy, the energy density of lithium-ion batteries has steadily increased over the last few decades, powering innovations from smartphones to electric vehicles. While this sounds like an undeniable benefit, is a higher energy density better in all applications? Not always, as this metric presents a complex set of advantages and disadvantages.

Plants naturally produce starch to store excess glucose, and research is now exploring if this biological process can be replicated or adapted for modern power systems. Yes, modified starch can be used for energy storage as a key component in emerging green electrochemical devices like batteries and supercapacitors. Scientists are developing novel applications for this abundant biopolymer to create more sustainable and biodegradable energy storage solutions for the future.

According to a 2025 analysis, the energy density of advanced lithium-ion batteries has enabled a new generation of more efficient devices. What does a high energy density mean in practical terms, and why is it so vital for modern advancements like electric vehicles and portable electronics?