battery

NASA has announced they are seeking proposals to replace battery technology with advanced energy storage solutions.  There are two types of proposals being requested: high specific energy system level concepts and very high specific energy devices.

Sony is recommending its consumers who own a Sony VAIO Fit 11A laptop to stop using it and unplug it due to the non-removable battery possibly overheating and causing damage to the laptop’s housing.

USC Viterbi School of Engineering researchers have developed a better-performing and less expensive lithium battery for use in anodes and cathodes. The new design features a silicon anode that is three times more powerful and lasts longer than traditional anodes.

Lenovo has recalled over 35,000 battery backs for their ThinkPad notebook computers due to the possibility that the packs can overheat, causing a fire hazard. There have been two reports of the battery packs overheating damaging the computer and nearby property.

Part of a program to reduce fuel consumption and pollution, Sea-Tac Airport has replaced diesel-powered service vehicles with a new convoy of electric-powered vehicles that will transfer baggage and move planes.

The inaugural season of Formula E, the world’s first fully-electric racing series, is scheduled to start in September 2014 with 10 teams consisting of 2 drivers each and will compete in 10 cities around the world.

The AAA Automotive Research Center in Southern California performed a research study to better understand the effects of climate on electric vehicle batteries. The study concluded driving range could be reduced on an average of 57% depending on the temperature.

$1.4 million in funding has been awarded by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to six companies that are advancing battery and energy storage technology. The funding will help develop prototypes that prove the ability of advanced energy storage systems.

A team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a new technology that generates power every time an electronic device is touched or rubbed. The team created a new material called triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that harnesses static electricity.