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Lower-impact lithium extraction cuts process costs
CategoriesSustainable News

Lower-impact lithium extraction cuts process costs

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Lithium is a vital component in rechargeable batteries, including the batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs). However, the conventional process for extracting the element from its ore involves high levels of dangerous chemicals such as sulphuric acid. These are not only environmentally harmful, but also expensive.

As a more sustainable alternative, Novalith Technologies has developed a process that uses carbonic acid in carbonated water to extract lithium from rocks and clays in the form of lithium carbonate, leaving inert, CO2-infused rock as a by-product. This method, called LiCAL, cuts process costs by 65 per cent and plant costs by 50 per cent, while using 90 per cent less water than conventional processes.

If the energy for Novalith’s extraction process is taken from renewable sources, the overall production can even be made carbon-negative. The company also claims the process can achieve higher recovery rates and can operate at a much faster rate than other extraction methods.

Following seed funding in August 2021, Novalith built an R&D facility in Sydney, Australia, to demonstrate the process across several different ore resources. In April 2023, the company raised AU$23 million (around €13.9 million) in a series A funding round led by Lowercarbon Capital, with participation from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and others. The funding will go towards a new pilot facility in Sydney, and help the company scale and commercialise LiCAL.

With the world’s demand for lithium batteries rising, more and more innovations in the Springwise Library are working to make their production greener. These include a cleaner way to recycle lithium batteries and a lithium extraction technique that uses far less land than conventional methods.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Aerogels freeze the costs of cold chain logistics
CategoriesSustainable News

Aerogels freeze the costs of cold chain logistics

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: An efficient cold chain is vital for ensuring maximum agricultural efficiency and reducing post-harvest losses, as well as for keeping delicate pharmaceutical products safe. However, refrigeration uses a lot of energy. In fact, according to the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the refrigeration sector is currently responsible for around 17 per cent of global electricity consumption. To reduce this, KrossLinker has developed what it claims is the world’s most insulating nanomaterial.

Earlier this year, the startup released its first commercial aerogel product, called Cryar Aerogel Board. This is a water-based, Silicon Aerogel composite board designed to reduce the energy needed to keep pharmaceutical and food products cold during shipping, with its nano-porous structure providing excellent thermal insulation.

The company’s aerogel is lightweight, non-toxic, and reusable. It is made using a novel drying technique that reduces the energy consumption of the finished product while speeding up production. KrossLinker claims that its product is made at half the cost of traditional aerogels.

KrossLinker has collaborated with a number of packaging logistic companies to accelerate the adoption of Cryar aerogel shipping containers. Beyond the cold chain, KrossLinker’s technology also has applications in the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) and building construction.

The energy consumption of the cold chain industry is the subject of a number of recent innovations spotted by Springwise. These include solar-powered cooling for the livestock industry and the use of compostable materials for cold chain packaging.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

New net-zero glass reduces heating costs
CategoriesSustainable News

New net-zero glass reduces heating costs

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: The energy crisis is impacting everyone, and the situation has only gotten worse with the invasion of Ukraine. What has become apparent over the years is that as energy prices have risen, inefficient designs and techniques have played an increasingly big part in contributing to the financial costs of living and working in older buildings. For instance, a building with inefficient windows will lose around two-thirds of its heat through the glass.  

Now, a patent-pending innovation by LuxWall called Net Zero Glass reduces building carbon emissions and energy consumption by up to 45 per cent. The windows consist of two vacuum-insulated coated glass (VIG) panes that are installed from inside the building, making it much quicker and easier to retrofit as tenants experience minimal disruption.  

The panes act like a thermos bottle, reducing the transfer of heat and cool air via convection, conduction, and radiation. Heat from the sun’s rays is reflected, and HVAC conditions inside the structure are blocked from leaving the space.  

The company recently closed a Series A funding round that raised $33 million (around €30.8 million). The funds will be used to scale production at the business’s first purpose-built commercial factory. If the glass technology is used widely throughout the world, the company could support an annual global carbon emission reduction of more than half a gigatonne.  

Springwise has spotted window technology providing a range of new services, from Wi-Fi alternatives to nature scenes for rooms without access to natural light or green views.  

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

A thermal energy storage system reduces energy costs and emissions
CategoriesSustainable News

A thermal energy storage system reduces energy costs and emissions

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Today, significant energy is spent on keeping buildings warm or cool. In fact, nearly half of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings are the result of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). Buildings, in turn, account for 39 per cent of energy-related global greenhouse gas emissions. In response, buildings are increasingly fitted with thermal energy storage systems that smooth and optimise heating and cooling throughout the day. Traditionally, these systems work by changing the temperature of water in huge tanks that are expensive and inefficient. This could be set to change, however.  

Instead of water, the HeatTank system developed by Hungarian startup HeatVentors, uses phase changing materials—substances that absorb and release heat energy when they solidify or melt—to store the heating or cooling energy from a building’s HVAC system. If the system is being used for heating, excess heat is stored, melting the phase changing materials (PCM). When the heat energy is needed later on, it is discharged and the PCM solidifies. The process is exactly reversed if the system is being used for cooling. Cold air solidifies the PCM, with the cooling energy later discharged when the PCM melts. The temperature range for solidifying and melting the PCM is much narrower than for water – 20 degrees Celsius for solidifying, and 40 degrees Celsius for melting.

By storing energy when it is most abundant and releasing it at more expensive times, the HeatTank system helps organisations reduce their carbon emissions while also saving money on energy costs. In essence, the system allows organisations to bypass the most expensive times of day or night for buying or producing energy. In addition, by more steadily regulating interior temperatures, the technology reduces the overall amount of energy an organisation consumes.

Rectangular in shape, the storage unit is 90 per cent smaller than current, water-based versions, making it suitable even for relatively small buildings. What is more, the system is 20-40 per cent more efficient than others on the market.

The company currently focuses on data centres, district heating and cooling networks, commercial buildings, and gas engines, all of which rely heavily on HVAC throughout much of the year. For data centres, a gap of cooling power for even five minutes can result in significant damage, something HeatTanks can help to prevent by providing immediate backup energy in case of emergency.

Energy storage remains one of the most significant challenges in transitioning entire economies to renewable energies. Innovators are seeking myriad solutions, from reusing old EV batteries for energy storage units to using captured CO2 for long-term energy storage. 

Written by: Keely Khoury

19th August 2022

Email: hello@heatventors.com

Website: heatventors.com

Reference

Heat-emitting ‘wallpaper’ keeps fuel costs down and cuts emissions
CategoriesSustainable News

Heat-emitting ‘wallpaper’ keeps fuel costs down and cuts emissions

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Rather than huddle around a single point of heat waiting for the entire room to warm up, people can now bask in full room heating supplied by ceiling, wall, and floor panels. Made by startup NexGen, a thin film of graphene uses far infrared rays and convection to project heat. The process distributes warmth evenly throughout a space, thereby using less energy to reach the desired temperature in less time.

The rising costs of living are affecting everyone, with particularly dire effects on those with fixed incomes. The Welsh Government is trialling the graphene heat system in a number of social housing buildings to help reduce the high cost of fuel. Capable of being installed under materials such as plaster, carpet, and vinyl, the graphene films help residents better manage their heat use. For some, heating their entire living space all day is unnecessary, so a room-by-room set-up helps to more efficiently manage expenses by using only what is needed.

Installation requires a few days of work, and the system plugs into traditional electrical sockets. Solar panels and a smart battery further increase the sustainability and affordability of the system. And far infrared rays have also proven beneficial to general health.

Springwise is spotting a number of innovations seeking to make more efficient use of available heat sources, with geothermal panels in underground car parks heating the building above and disused coal mines being used to create regional heat networks.  

Written by: Keely Khoury

17th August 2022

Email: info@nexgenheating.com

Website: nexgenheating.com

Reference