Nature Energy最新文献

Cathodes for next-generation batteries are pressed for higher voltage operation (≥4.5 V) to achieve high capacity with long cyclability and thermal tolerance. Current cathodes fail to meet these requirements owing to structural and electrochemical strains at high voltages, leading to fast capacity fading. Here we present a cathode with a coherent architecture ranging from ordered to disordered frameworks with concentration gradient and controllable Ni oxidation activities, which can overcome voltage ceilings imposed by existing cathodes. This design enables simultaneous high-capacity and high-voltage operation at 4.5 V without capacity fading, and up to 4.7 V with negligible capacity decay. Multiscale diffraction and imaging techniques reveal the disordered surface is electrochemically and structurally indestructible, preventing surface parasitic reactions and phase transitions. Structural coherence from ordering to disordering limits lattice parameter changes, mitigating lattice strain and enhancing morphological integrity. The dual-gradient design also notably improves thermal stability, driving the advancement of high-performance cathode materials.

Transportation is undergoing rapid electrification, with electric buses at the forefront of public transport, especially in China. This transition, however, could strain electricity grids. Using a large-scale dataset with over 200 million global positioning system records from 20,992 buses in Beijing, we explore the technical, economic and environmental implications of transforming public transport depots into renewable energy hubs. Here we show that solar photovoltaic reduces the grid’s net charging load by 23% during electricity generation periods and lowers the net charging peak load by 8.6%. Integrating energy storage amplifies these reductions to 28% and 37.4%, respectively. Whereas unsubsidized solar photovoltaic yields profit 64% above costs, adding battery storage cuts profits to 31% despite offering grid benefits. Negative marginal abatement gains for CO₂ emissions underscore the economic sustainability. Our findings provide a model for cities worldwide to accelerate their commitments towards sustainable transport and energy systems.

Rapidly building utility-scale energy infrastructure requires not only public support but also political will across levels of government. Here we use a conjoint experiment to assess preferences for large-scale energy projects among residents and local elected officials in Pennsylvania—a key transition state with high solar potential where siting authority rests at the local level. We find that residents prefer solar to other energy projects, and job creation and cooperative community ownership are associated with increased support. Public and elected official support decreases when projects are owned by foreign companies. We find limited partisan differences in preferences, suggesting a path towards bipartisan support for such projects. Elected officials misperceive their constituents’ preferences, underestimating support for renewable energy and the importance of job creation. As local officials are key decision-makers regarding infrastructure development, their preferences and perceptions of constituents’ preferences may dictate which energy projects are approved and what community benefits they deliver.

All-solid-state lithium batteries typically employ heterogeneous composite cathodes where conductive additives are introduced to improve mixed conduction. These electrochemically inactive additives are not fully compatible with layered oxide cathodes that undergo large volume change, significantly reducing battery energy density and cycle life. Here we propose a cathode homogenization strategy by cold pressing a zero-strain cathode material with efficient mixed conduction throughout the (dis)charge process. Li_1.75Ti₂(Ge_0.25P_0.75S_3.8Se_0.2)₃ possesses considerable Li⁺/electronic conductivity of 0.22/242 mS cm⁻¹ when fully charged, increasing monotonically to 0.66/412 mS cm⁻¹ when fully discharged. It delivers a specific capacity of 250 mAh g⁻¹ and undergoes a 1.2% volume change. Homogeneous cathodes composed of 100% Li_1.75Ti₂(Ge_0.25P_0.75S_3.8Se_0.2)₃ enable room-temperature all-solid-state lithium batteries to achieve a cycle life of over 20,000 cycles at 2.5 C with a specific capacity retention of 70% and a high energy density of 390 Wh kg⁻¹ at the cell level at 0.1 C. This cathode homogenization strategy contrasts to the conventional cathode heterogeneous design, potentially improving the viability of all-solid-state lithium batteries for commercial applications.