MIT researchers are breathing life into some of humanity’s oldest materials, and the potential implications for renewable energy are vast!

Using the ubiquity of cement combined with carbon black (akin to very fine charcoal), engineers have devised a supercapacitor. But what sets this apart? Imagine the foundation of your house not just supporting its structure but also storing an entire day’s worth of energy from solar panels or windmills.

Here’s the magic:
🔍 Simplicity: This supercapacitor is made up of just cement, water, and carbon black.
🏡 Versatility: MIT envisions homes with foundations made from this material that can store solar or wind energy. Plus, think of roadways that recharge your electric cars as you drive over them!
🔄 Reusability: Unlike traditional batteries, supercapacitors charge and discharge quickly, making them highly efficient.

Professor Franz-Josef Ulm from MIT shares, “There is a huge need for big energy storage. Existing batteries rely on expensive materials like lithium. Our technology, based on cement, is promising and affordable.”

These breakthroughs remind us that sometimes, the solutions to our future challenges can be found in the materials of our past. As renewable energy takes centre stage, innovations like this are a significant stride toward a greener tomorrow.

Kudos to MIT for thinking both old and new, and paving the way for a sustainable energy future!

Full article here.