News
New solar module squeezes more power from every square foot, setting world record
1+ hour, 58+ min ago (335+ words) The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems has reached a new efficiency milestone. Its III-V germanium solar module achieved 34. 4%, a step forward for a technology that could eventually squeeze more electricity and value from each panel. According to Clean Technica,…...
California's first 8-hour grid battery comes online, and peaker plants are on notice
3+ day, 10+ hour ago (490+ words) "This is proactive and not driven by the short-term energy markets." California has brought a new battery facility online in Kern County, adding a project that may reduce the need for fossil-fueled peaker plants." As Canary Media reports, the Tumbleweed…...
Energy experts break down the '5 levels of home backup power' as outages increase across US
1+ week, 6+ day ago (707+ words) Level 1 is a basic portable power station, which functions like an oversized battery bank. Power outages are no longer just an inconvenience. When the grid goes down, refrigerators, heating and cooling, Wi-Fi, and even critical medical equipment can go offline....
Hackers are turning 'I am not a robot' captchas into a trap that can hand over your passwords to scammers
2+ week, 17+ hour ago (433+ words) Real CAPTCHAs will not ask you to repair them by entering keyboard commands. Clicking an "I am not a robot" box has become such a routine part of life online that most of us barely think twice about it. But…...
Urgent recall issued for 8, 000 coin batteries sold on Amazon over child-safety danger
2+ week, 1+ day ago (382+ words) Packaging and warning labels are meant to help keep these products out of children's reach. Panasonic-branded coin batteries are being recalled due to packaging that did not meet federal child-safety requirements, according to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recalled…...
Michigan battery project sparks recall effort after farm warns noise could drive away bees
2+ week, 1+ day ago (457+ words) "Without bees, our farm goes bankrupt." A proposed battery storage site in western Michigan has become a flashpoint, with one family farm warning that noise from inverters could hurt pollinators and help drive a recall campaign against local officials. The…...
Family calls $600 backup battery overkill after one 6-day outage wiped out more than $2, 100
2+ week, 3+ day ago (495+ words) "Buying the tech to work thru a storm isn't paranoid; it's smart." A Reddit post about a $600 backup battery struck a nerve after one family's six-day outage during Hurricane Beryl two years ago led to more than $2, 100 in losses. The…...
Riders warned to stop using Ridstar e-bikes immediately as battery fires pose risk of serious injury or death
2+ week, 6+ day ago (577+ words) The model number Q20 or Q20 Pro may appear on the purchase receipt. The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning people to stop using certain Ridstar e-bikes immediately after multiple fires were linked to the products. According to the CPSC, Ridstar Q20 and…...
Chinese solid-state battery startup hits full production and readies 1 GWh factory for 2026
4+ week, 1+ day ago (353+ words) The startup has quickly expanded to focus on solid-state battery technology. A Chinese battery startup has reached full production at a 500-megawatt-hour all-solid-state battery line, a notable milestone for a technology widely viewed as a safer, longer-lasting alternative to conventional…...
Final funding unlocks massive Virginia plant for critical US battery component
4+ week, 1+ day ago (513+ words) At full capacity, the plant could support roughly 65 gigawatt-hours of lithium-ion battery manufacturing annually. A newly financed battery materials plant in Virginia could strengthen a key part of America's energy storage supply chain. Microporous has secured final funding for a…...