A Better Battery Manufacturing Process, a Map for Improved Public Health, a Pathway to Clean Energy

03/06/24 • 11 min

This episode discusses three recent stories from NREL:

Gotham City's Dark Knight is known for his impressive gadgets, but now, NREL unveils its own cutting-edge project, known as "BatMan." This initiative harnesses laser technology to revolutionize battery manufacturing, potentially doubling electric vehicle charging rates and advancing energy sustainability.
Groundbreaking air quality research addresses the global public health crisis caused by outdoor air pollution, offering insights into the complex relationship between emissions, air quality, and human health, with the potential to save millions of lives annually. Through innovative models and analyses, NREL researchers assess air quality impacts domestically and internationally, aiding policymakers in making informed decisions to promote environmental justice and sustainable energy transitions.
There is an urgent need to mitigate degradation rates in clean energy technologies to ensure long-term viability, aligning with goals of a net-zero carbon emission economy by 2050. Recommendations highlight the critical importance of reliability data sharing, atomistic examinations, and accelerated testing to develop standards and enhance the durability of renewable energy technologies, ultimately paving the way for substantial savings and improved system performance.

This episode was hosted by Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle, written and produced by Allison Montroy and Kaitlyn Stottler, and edited by James Wilcox, Joe DelNero, and Brittany Falch. Graphics are by Brittnee Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Transforming Energy: The NREL Podcast is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. Email us at [email protected]. Follow NREL on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

This episode discusses three recent stories from NREL:

Gotham City's Dark Knight is known for his impressive gadgets, but now, NREL unveils its own cutting-edge project, known as "BatMan." This initiative harnesses laser technology to revolutionize battery manufacturing, potentially doubling electric vehicle charging rates and advancing energy sustainability.
Groundbreaking air quality research addresses the global public health crisis caused by outdoor air pollution, offering insights into the complex relationship between emissions, air quality, and human health, with the potential to save millions of lives annually. Through innovative models and analyses, NREL researchers assess air quality impacts domestically and internationally, aiding policymakers in making informed decisions to promote environmental justice and sustainable energy transitions.
There is an urgent need to mitigate degradation rates in clean energy technologies to ensure long-term viability, aligning with goals of a net-zero carbon emission economy by 2050. Recommendations highlight the critical importance of reliability data sharing, atomistic examinations, and accelerated testing to develop standards and enhance the durability of renewable energy technologies, ultimately paving the way for substantial savings and improved system performance.

Previous Episode

The Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Geothermal Heat Pump Adoption—Plus, Honoring Black Researchers

This episode discusses two recent stories from NREL:

The transformative shift toward sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), highlighting the crucial role of advanced simulations powered by supercomputers. Despite the long-standing reliance on petroleum jet fuel since the 1950s, growing concerns about carbon emissions are driving the urgent need for change. Through meticulous testing and analysis, researchers like Shashank Yellapantula are paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future in aviation.
NREL and Oak Ridge National Laboratory teamed up to analyze the potential of geothermal heat pump installations. The collaborative efforts reveal the significant energy and emissions savings these pumps could achieve, highlighting their role in decarbonizing the building sector and strengthening the electricity grid.

Also, in celebration of Black History Month, special correspondent Nataleah Small spotlights NREL's Black Employee Resource Group, featuring co-leaders and NREL researchers Kamyria Coney and Sika Gadzanku, who discuss the group's mission to promote diversity and inclusion at NREL and in the local community.

Next Episode

Energy Transitions in Alaska and Hawaii, Tackling Microplastics With The North Face, and Renewable Tech Life-Cycle Assessments

In this episode:

Sitka, Alaska, and Molokai, Hawaii, both selected for the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP), are leveraging shared challenges of remote living and energy constraints to pioneer community-driven renewable energy solutions. With Molokai's successful community engagement model inspiring Sitka's approach, both regions are collaboratively shaping resilient energy futures tailored to their unique needs and aspirations.
The Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment (BOTTLE)consortium, led by experts from national labs and universities, collaborates with companies like The North Face to replace petroleum-derived polyester with biodegradable alternatives, aiming to mitigate the environmental impact of clothing microplastics.
NREL dedicates extensive research to life-cycle assessments of renewable energy technologies, crucial for mitigating adverse environmental impacts as we advance toward a greener future. Through code-based assessment methods, NREL scales traditional evaluations to accommodate vast amounts of data, ensuring that technologies designed for sustainability don't inadvertently harm the environment throughout their life cycles.

Transforming Energy: The NREL Podcast - A Better Battery Manufacturing Process, a Map for Improved Public Health, a Pathway to Clean Energy

Transcript

Taylor: Welcome to Transforming Energy: The NREL Podcast, a podcast brought to you by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, bringing you the latest in clean energy research from the lab. It’s Wednesday, March 6. I’m Taylor Mankle.

Kerrin: And I’m Kerrin Jeromin. And today, we’re talking about BatMan.

Taylor: Woohoo! Did you say ... Bat ... man? Don’t tempt me here Kerrin, I’'ll start singing that theme song again.

Kerrin: I dar