https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/element14's Power & Energy group is where an engineer or a maker can learn about AC/DC power, DC/DC converters, switching regulators, LDOs, ultra-low power, energy harvesting, energy storage, supercapacitors, and power management ICs.en-USTelligent Community 12https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/b/blog/posts/a-modeling-study-predicts-that-solar-farms-could-produce-rainfallFri, 24 Apr 2026 14:18:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:631d0452-08c9-464b-859a-50d1589a5ee4CatwellA solar farm. (Image Credit: TheOtherKev/ pixabay ) Is that bad? In the UAE, where water is harder to come by than oil, cloud seeding or desalination plants produce freshwater for everyone living there. Now, a 2024 modeling study says huge solar farms could theoretically impact the weather. In the simulations, dark solar panels absorbed sunlight and warmed the air above them. This may create stronger updrafts that lead to cloud formation and rainfall if there is sufficient moisture. A 2020 study looked into what happens if solar farms took up over 300,000 miles 2 in the Sahara Desert. The team determined solar farms of that size have the risk of making more rain fall and allowing plants to grow. However, that also means it would have a significant effect on the atmospheric circulation. As a consequence, tropical rain belts have the potential to move further north, affecting the Amazon. The 2024 modeling study team tested whether weather patterns would be changed by real-world-sized solar farms. They used a sophisticated climate model developed by the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research, which takes land surface changes into consideration. Their simulations represented solar farms as dark surfaces that soaked up 95% of the sun’s energy. Once the solar farms were larger than 9 miles 2 , the extra heat that the panels absorbed led to stronger convection, which forms clouds. Even then, atmospheric moisture must be present. The simulations revealed that the Persian Gulf’s humid, high-altitude winds fit that requirement. Given favorable conditions, the model determined that a 12 mile 2 solar farm may raise rainfall by almost 600,000 meters 3 . It’s worth noting that the solar panels in the simulation had darker surfaces than those produced by manufacturers. The researchers hope to test this concept in real-world settings. For example, China and other places have sufficiently-sized solar farms that could work for those tests. Installing them in specific areas with small adjustments, like darkening the panels and planting drought-resistant vegetation, could replicate the effects in the model. In addition, the team is validating the model against field data from solar farms to improve the simulations. They hope that other regions will notice the rainmaking potential and build more solar farms. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.researchstormstudyrainpowerenergyclimatesolarearthhttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/f/forum/42841/mosfet-recomendation-for-ltc4008-li-ion-charger-5-cells-pack/235140Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:22:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:8df2b6b7-4a03-4e3c-9e50-0809ec8099d3PradipsinhWhich use mosfethttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/f/forum/42841/mosfet-recomendation-for-ltc4008-li-ion-charger-5-cells-pack/235139Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:20:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:8fb4b905-bd46-462c-8a07-a92ef05e8d09Pradipsinh7.2 ah battery charger use Ltc4008 which mosfet runnighttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/f/forum/42841/mosfet-recomendation-for-ltc4008-li-ion-charger-5-cells-pack/235104Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:02:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:1ba314f8-9691-4481-8628-5f62e7be9e22PradipsinhSir my name is pradipsinh pl suggestions accu nimh 7.2v 9Ah battery in side mosfet fire use ltc 4008 which mosfet use in sidehttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/b/blog/posts/deep-fission-is-burying-nuclear-reactors-one-mile-deepWed, 08 Apr 2026 19:45:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:0820da56-718b-46a8-88d7-37cc9fe84f35CatwellDeep Fission is a startup focusing on the burial of nuclear reactors as a cheaper, simpler alternative to traditional above-ground power plants. (Image Credit: Deep Fission ) Nuclear power is becoming more complex and costly, and one startup wants to address that by burying reactors a mile deep underground. That’s why Elizabeth Muller and her father, physicist Richard Muller, founded Deep Fission . Rather than using large above-ground structures to contain each reactor, they hope the Earth can make it safer, cheaper, and easier to deploy. Deep Fission uses modern drilling techniques from the oil, gas, and geothermal industries to drill a mile-deep, 30” diameter cased borehole. The company then lowers a pressurized water reactor into each hole, producing 30 megawatts thermal to create steam. That steam is carried through pipes to the surface, where it generates up to 10-15 megawatts of electric power. By putting the reactors underground, Deep Fission says it can keep them away from weather hazards while reducing the physical footprint. The project also promises lower costs when it becomes fully operational. According to its estimates , expenses could shrink by up to 80% compared to traditional nuclear plants, with construction taking six months to complete. It also hopes to reach $50 to $70 per megawatt hour. Even the Department of Energy has noticed Deep Fission. In August 2025, the DoE selected the startup as one of ten firms for its Reactor Pilot Program, which fast-tracks an evaluation of new, compact reactors designed for simpler construction. Although the other reactors have something new going on, they all stick to the above-ground design. Construction progress of an underground nuclear reactor site. (Image Credit: Deep Fission ) To date, Deep Fission has collected $122 million in funding, including a recent round that values the company at $1 billion. While Elizabeth owns a 19% share, Richard controls 10%, and Joe Lonsdale, Palantir cofounder, holds an 8% stake through his 8VC firm. Sometime this year, they will sell equity to help fund research and development. This also includes investing $84 million in a test reactor in hopes of reaching criticality---a self-sustaining nuclear reactor. Although the White House Administration set a July 4 th target for these new reactors to achieve criticality, the Mullers haven’t committed to that timeline. If they can obtain a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Deep Fission aims to begin commercial power sales by 2027. This puts them ahead of other startups, such as Aalo Atomics, Oklo, Valar Atomis, and Kairos Power, funded by the DoE. Drilling the first test 30”-diameter borehole is taking place in Parsons, Kansas, within the 14,000-acre Great Plains Industrial Park. Deep Fission’s plan is to insert a reactor canister holding four conventional fuel assemblies enriched to 5% uranium. They will then trigger it remotely by withdrawing neutron-absorbing control rods, which accelerates the nuclear chain reaction. Keeping the radioactive site at the bottom ensures that the steam moving to the surface remains contamination-free. With the closed-loop system, condensed steam returns underground, restricting water use. Elizabeth and Richard believe that burying the nuclear reactors underground may result in safer, simpler, and cheaper nuclear power. After all, the surrounding rock works like a barrier that contains the reactor and makes us less reliant on large, expensive above ground power plants. Plus, it uses drilling methods that speed up the construction process. Even though the approach still has major engineering and regulatory challenges, reactor deployment may become less expensive. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.nuclearreactorgeneratorpowerenergyinnovationsafetyhttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/b/alt-energy-blog/posts/chinese-researchers-replicate-photosynthesis-using-a-new-catalystFri, 03 Apr 2026 06:59:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:c091d0de-9c8f-4b7a-b0c8-0b9abc91bb8bCatwellDiagram on the left represents a natural photosynthesis system. Meanwhile, the diagram on the right represents the team’s proposed catalyst system. (Image Credit: nature communications ) Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences created a new catalyst system that harnesses sunlight and stores charge. It also helps convert water and carbon dioxide into a fuel molecule. The team says their catalyst system could have applications in solar fuel production. Inspired by natural photosynthesis, the researchers’ system uses a tungsten-based reservoir that stores and distributes electrons, leading to efficient light-generated charges. In this setup, the artificial analogue’s job involves decoupling photocarrier degeneration from carbon dioxide conversion. This enables the independent optimization of charge separation and storage. It’s also based on a tungsten oxide charge reservoir combined with a molecular CO 2 -reduction catalyst. Under hydrothermal conditions, tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) is synthesized from tungsten hexachloride (WCl 6 ) in ethanol. Afterward, it’s calcined in air for the oxide phase production. The team prepared Ag/WO 3 via photoassisted reduction. This involved irradiating the WO 3 dispersion under Ar to produce reduced W 5+ sites. They then added AgNO 3 before washing, drying, and calcining the product. With this step, the team fabricated a tungsten-oxide solution capable of storing and releasing charge while adding silver into the final material. They completed the CO 2 -reduction catalyst by coupling Ag/WO 3 with cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc). To create the composite CoPC/Ag/WO 3 , the team dissolved CoPc in ethanol, mixing it with Ag/WO 3 , before sonicating, ball milling, and drying it. These steps were carried out to prepare other catalysts like CoPc/WO 3 . Control studies used composites with Cu 2 0 and C 3 N 4 . Measurements showing that Ag/WO 3 has the correct structure, silver environment, light-induced charge behavior, and charge electrons required to function as a charge reservoir. (Image Credit: nature communications ) When the team subjected the tungsten-based charge reservoir to light, the tungsten cycled between W 6+ and W 5+ , enabling temporary electron storage rather than losing it to recombination. The stored charge then helps remove photogenerated holes from the CoPc side, preserving a high electron density at the CO 2 sites. The team used XRD, Raman, XPS, EPR, XAFS, UV-Vis, DRS, and transient absorption to verify the charge-reservoir structure and oxidation states. A charge management technique like this makes the system highly effective. Decoupling charge storage from catalytic turnover allows the reservoir to help the molecular catalyst function more efficiently under irradiation. According to the paper, the CoPc/Ag/WO 3 catalyst achieves a CO production rate of ~1.5 mmol g CoPc −1 h −1 , approximately 100 times higher than CopC alone. Additionally, the paper says that Ag/WO 3 greatly boosts CO 2 conversion when coupled with various catalysts. This suggests the charge reservoir effect is useful instead of a one-time result. The team also says the main CoPc system achieves a stable run over six cycles and three days with no deactivation. Post-reaction characterization reveals that the structure remained the same. The team believes this system could be useful for solar fuel production as it helps reduce charge loss and enhance CO 2 conversion. This may even work with other catalysts that lose efficiency due to electrons recombining too quickly. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.naturebiomimicrypowerenergyphotosynthesishttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/b/blog/posts/engineers-build-a-alt-energy-device-that-generates-power-at-nightWed, 04 Mar 2026 20:51:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:2f42eb75-999e-43b7-bd61-d899d47c9988CatwellRender and data show radiative cooling of the top plate to the night sky and warming of the bottom plate to the ground. This produced a temperature difference that powered the engine. (Image Credit: ScienceAdvances ) Engineers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a device that generates power at night by capturing the thermal gradient between the Earth’s warmth and the cold of space. Over time, this technology may offer fuel-free ventilation for greenhouses and other buildings. This device utilizes a Stirling engine, a device that generates mechanical motion from temperature differences. These engines operate with small thermal gradients, making them different from internal combustion engines that run on a large temperature gap. Stirling engines only need a slight temperature contrast, such as between a hot coffee cup and the air around it. "These engines are very efficient when only small temperature differences exist, whereas other types of engines work better with larger temperature differences and can produce more power," Jeremy Munday, professor of electrical and computer engineering at UC Davis, said . Sterling engines use a fuel source to heat one side, producing a temperature difference. Rather than burning fuel, the team investigated whether the cold side could be coupled to space. "It doesn't actually have to touch space physically, it can just interact radiatively with space," Munday said. Our bodies release heat toward the sky on cool nights, making our heads feel colder. The researchers used that principle as inspiration to harness radiative cooling for their system. In their setup, a basic Stirling engine (piston linked to a flywheel) is placed on a panel that functions as a thermal radiator. The panel mounts to the ground via an aluminum bracket inserted 5cm into the soil. They deployed the system outdoors at night, and it drew heat from the ground to keep one side warm. At the same time, the top panel releases heat to the sky, which cools the other side. The team coated an infrared emissive paint on the sky-facing surface, maximizing radiative heat loss. Year-round measurements show that the engine’s plate temperatures, temperature differential, and rotation rate correlate with the weather. (Image Credit: ScienceAdvances ) The team conducted tests for a year and discovered the system produced at least 400 milliwatts of mechanical power/m 2 . During demonstrations, the engine powered a small fan and generated an electric current when connected to a small electric motor. This demonstrates that sufficient energy can be harvested from the night sky. The technique is more practical in areas experiencing low humidity and clear skies. Eventually, the system could ventilate greenhouses or residential buildings without energy sources. youtu.be/5VSmBl8Rv_o Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.alternative_energyuniversity of californiaon_campusenergy_harvestingdavisuniversitypowerenergygenerationinnovationhttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/b/blog/posts/japan-s-sidewalks-converts-human-footsteps-into-useable-electricityTue, 03 Mar 2026 21:03:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:78e74c90-5a77-4015-88ef-3a1f3925824dCatwell(Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons ) Wind and sunlight are the most common sources of renewable energy, powering turbines and solar panels worldwide. Japan and other countries are now tapping a subtler source: footsteps on piezoelectric sidewalks to generate electricity. Power-generating sidewalks have special materials working with piezoelectric technology within the tiles to produce a small electric charge when someone steps on them. Each tile has piezoelectric ceramics or polymers between the electrodes, and these are protected by durable top layers for heavy foot traffic. Researchers often choose Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) as it has a high energy constant and energy conversion efficiency in the compression cycle under a typical footstep force of 0.5-5 MPa. This ceramic compound generates strong voltages from small deformations. Other compositions include Barium Titanate, which has decent dielectric properties. It also features flexible polymers, such as polyvinylidene fluoride, for enhanced bendability, and thin films of potassium sodium niobate or zinc oxide for lightweight tiles. These compositions are stacked in patches, such as PZT-PZNM at 47 mm × 32 mm × 0.2 mm, on steel substrates. Tiles work like a layered sandwich. They feature a top plate (steel or rubberized) for walking, a mechanical system with springs or levers to boost motion, a piezoelectric stack, and a fixed base plate. Stepping on it causes the top portion to flex downward by microns or millimeters, which applies force onto the piezoelectric elements for maximum power output. Afterward, onboard electronics transform those AC pulses into usable DC. Overall, efficiency ranges between 5-15%. However, these sidewalks produce very little power per step---only tenths of a watt. Installing them in high-foot traffic areas, like train stations and busy crossings, makes more sense as they produce more power. For example, hundreds of people walk through Tokyo’s Shibuya Station, and that can produce enough power for information boards or LEDs in that area. Despite the appeal, energy-generating sidewalks have some physics and practical limitations. They can only flex so much before feeling unnatural and require consistent, large crowds to produce sufficient power. So, it’s important to place them in regions with dense pedestrian flows, harvesting wasted energy from human movement. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.researchalternative_energyjapanenergy_harvestingpowerenergyinnovation