Podcast – Boron to Combat Global Warming
Today, we’re going to talk about sodium-ion batteries. It’s no secret that batteries are a big part of our lives. They power our mobile phones, laptops, and cars. For manufacturers and consumers alike, several factors are important such as pricing durability, power density, safety, and temperature operating range.
Global warming
Welcome back to the Borates Today podcast. Each week we cover news on boron and borates that are relevant to the industry and timely with a range of topics, including the latest industry news; we answer questions about the key players in the sector.
What are the trends driving demand and supply boron? the science behind boron? Who’s doing valuable research into new boron and its benefits? How does boron decarbonization, in advanced energy? In food security and in providing nutrition? So don’t to check out boron applications and benefits on our website: borates.today Today, we’re going to look at technologies where boron is used as an ingredient to combat global warming. We all know the world is on the cusp of an energy crisis. Energy demand is rising at an alarming rate while fossil fuel suppliers rapidly decreasing. As a result, energy prices have rocketed, and the world is now experiencing significant blackouts and widespread economic collapse. Let’s look at several innovations that use boron to combat global warming.
Well, global warming can benefit from boron as a key element to combat detrimental effects on our climate. It is, for example, an essential component of solar panels and wind turbines. And it can be used to manufacture highly efficient batteries capable of storing large amounts of energy. The following five technologies can help in combating global warming.
The first of these is solar canals. Solar canals or types of solar panels are currently being developed in California in the USA. These panels are designed to be installed above the water distribution canals where they can benefit from the dry air to increase evaporation and generate more power.
This is a significant advancement for a state that frequently faces water shortages. In a 2021 research project. The University of California engineering professor. Dr. Roger Bales demonstrated that protecting all 4,000 miles of California’s canals with solar panels would help conserve over 65 billion gallons of water yearly by limiting evaporation.
And that’s enough to irrigate 50,000 acres of agricultural land or supply over 2 million people with residential water requirements. The solar canals could also generate more renewable energy whose efficiency can be increased by using an environmentally friendly element, boron. Boron is used here as an anti-reflection coating on the surface of photovoltaic cells, enhancing reflectivity.
A second technology is a geothermal power. With batteries being important components for renewable energy to fight against global warming, there’s a major issue in the distribution chain. Most of today’s electric vehicles and utility-scale storage utilize lithium-ion batteries. Most of the lithium used in the United States arrives from Argentina, Russia, and China. The geothermal Brian in California, salt and sea is a major advancement for the sector, reducing reliance on these foreign lithium sources and potentially creating a sustainable supply chain.
This liquid contains lithium, manganese, zinc, and boron. It’s usually pumped deeper, underground. However, the materials can be filtered out.
On March the 31st, 2022, President Joe Biden initiated the defense production act to improve domestic producers of critical minerals. The act encourages companies in the United States to mine and processes more lithium, boron, and other metals used in batteries.
A third technology where boron is inside is carbon capture technology. One way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is through direct air capture, which involves using various methods to collect and store the gas from power plants and other industrial facilities.
Carbon capture technology can help lower CO2 emissions before they’re admitted into the atmosphere. The captured CO2 can then be safely stored underground to help control global warming. Boron-based adsorbents have been developed for use in carbon capture systems.
These adsorbents bind with carbon dioxide molecules, preventing them from escaping into the atmosphere. The boron-based adsorbents are highly efficient at capturing carbon dioxide due to their highest thermal stability.
The fourth technology is electric vehicles and power home appliances.
As we move towards a more sustainable future, electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, and boron plays a big role in making this happen. It’s a component in producing lithium-ion batteries. It’s also used to produce lightweight, high-strength steel in the bodies of these vehicles.
High-strength steel is extremely strong and durable and can withstand high temperatures. Electric vehicles not only reduce global warming but can also save money on fuel costs.
And as EV technology continues to advance, more and more people are looking into using electric batteries to power their homes. These batteries may even be used to transform an electric vehicle into a massive mobile battery, able to power your home.
The fifth and last technology is green hydrogen and boron as energy storage materials. While moving away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy, new challenges are arising regarding energy storage.
Green hydrogen can play a crucial role in solving this problem. It’s a clean and versatile energy carrier that can be used to store excess renewable energy and then convert it back into electricity when needed. It’s generated through electrolysis, which splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using energy produced by renewable sources, such as solar or wind.
Boron-based materials are also being investigated as potential energy storage devices. Due to their high capacity for storing electrical charge, these materials could be used to create supercapacitors that could store large amounts of energy and discharge quickly, making them ideal for use in electric vehicles or other applications requiring quick power bursts.
And that’s all from Borates Today. For more information on topics related to boron and borates, forget to check out our website. borates.today our YouTube channel and podcasts. Thanks for listening.
