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energy

Our coverage spans conventional power generation, renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, and emerging energy technologies.

4/2/2026
Gold nanoparticle coating stops short-circuit spikes, boosts battery life to 6000 hours

Gold nanoparticle coating stops short-circuit spikes, boosts battery life to 6000 hours

New gold nanoparticle coating reduces dendrites and extends zinc battery life beyond 6000 hours.

Neetika Walter

5 hours ago

US firm advances nuclear fuel design with new assembly patent for next-gen reactors

US firm advances nuclear fuel design with new assembly patent for next-gen reactors

The allowance covers Lightbridge’s proprietary spirally twisted, multi-lobed fuel technology.

Aman Tripathi

13 hours ago

Breakthrough lithium-air battery tech promises 10x energy density, longer EV range

Breakthrough lithium-air battery tech promises 10x energy density, longer EV range

New WSe₂ catalyst activates full surface using platinum and vacancies, boosting battery performance and durability.

Jijo Malayil

19 hours ago

4/1/2026
Next-gen nuclear reactor clears key hurdle to resurrect former coal-fired power plant

Next-gen nuclear reactor clears key hurdle to resurrect former coal-fired power plant

This progress signals a major shift toward replacing aging fossil-fuel infrastructure with small modular reactors.

Aman Tripathi

2 days ago

Bill Gates-backed nuclear project cuts design time from 18 months to 8 weeks

Bill Gates-backed nuclear project cuts design time from 18 months to 8 weeks

TerraPower and its partners are positioning advanced nuclear energy as a fast-tracked solution for the world’s soaring power demands.

Aman Tripathi

2 days ago

World’s first solid-state battery-powered electric motorcycle production begins

World’s first solid-state battery-powered electric motorcycle production begins

The TS Pro features Donut Lab’s solid-state battery: 217-mile standard or 373-mile long-range with ultra-fast charging.

Jijo Malayil

2 days ago

3/31/2026
Poland files permit for first nuclear plant with three US reactors, aims 2036 launch

Poland files permit for first nuclear plant with three US reactors, aims 2036 launch

Backed by US tech, Poland’s nuclear push advances with a permit application covering safety, design, and construction plans.

Aamir Khollam

2 days ago

World’s first hydrogen-powered engine for big cargo ships tested in Japan

World’s first hydrogen-powered engine for big cargo ships tested in Japan

Hydrogen co-firing trials demonstrated stable combustion, paving the way for a future of 100% hydrogen combustion.

Chris Young

3 days ago

3/30/2026
Battery particles move like shooting stars, driving faster failure, study finds

Battery particles move like shooting stars, driving faster failure, study finds

Scientists find battery particles move dynamically, causing stress and faster degradation, changing how battery failure is understood.

Neetika Walter

3 days ago

World’s largest wind farm moves forward towards lighting up 3.3 million homes

World’s largest wind farm moves forward towards lighting up 3.3 million homes

The subsea cable installation is being carried out by Belgium’s Jan De Nul Group.

3/29/2026
US uses AI to boost efficiency, accuracy of nuclear technology licensing applications

US uses AI to boost efficiency, accuracy of nuclear technology licensing applications

Everstar’s Gordian AI solution is engineered for nuclear-grade technical work.

China’s breakthrough lithium battery could double EV range to 600+ miles, survive -94°F temp

China’s breakthrough lithium battery could double EV range to 600+ miles, survive -94°F temp

A Chinese team developed an all-weather battery electrolyte that could extend EV range and work in extreme cold.

3/28/2026
UK researchers’ lithium-ion battery design to offer higher energy storage for EVs, boost range

UK researchers’ lithium-ion battery design to offer higher energy storage for EVs, boost range

This work is an important step towards bringing CNT-silicon anodes out of the lab.

3/27/2026
US’ largest offshore wind farm: 2.6-GW facility delivers its first power to grid

US’ largest offshore wind farm: 2.6-GW facility delivers its first power to grid

CVOW will continue delivering more power on the path to full completion early next year.

First US uranium conversion plant in 70 years to fuel next-gen nuclear reactors

First US uranium conversion plant in 70 years to fuel next-gen nuclear reactors

Foreign providers currently dominate uranium conversion, the critical link between mining and enrichment.

Aman Tripathi

7 days ago

UK to build the world’s first commercial-scale hydrogen-fired brick kiln plant

UK to build the world’s first commercial-scale hydrogen-fired brick kiln plant

Project retrofits two kilns, replacing 224 gas burners with hydrogen systems, plus new supply and control upgrades.

Jijo Malayil

7 days ago

US firm validates safe disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear reactor using borehole tech

US firm validates safe disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear reactor using borehole tech

High-level waste, when disposed of in Deep Isolation’s deep borehole system, achieved long-term safety levels.

3/26/2026
Arbor Energy sells 5 GW of modular turbines as data center power demand surges

Arbor Energy sells 5 GW of modular turbines as data center power demand surges

The startup plans to connect its first turbine to the grid in 2028.

Atharva Gosavi

7 days ago

Electricity in summers, heat in winters: Harvard’s solar device does both with auto switch

Electricity in summers, heat in winters: Harvard’s solar device does both with auto switch

In heating mode, the unit turns roughly 90% of the sunlight hitting it into warmth for the room.

Aman Tripathi

8 days ago

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About Energy

Energy sits underneath almost everything, industry, transport, computing, and cities, but is often discussed only when something breaks or gets expensive. This category examines how energy is produced, stored, moved, and used in the real world, and how those systems are changing under technical, economic, and political pressures.
Coverage at Interesting Engineering spans conventional power generation, renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, and emerging energy technologies. That includes solar and wind systems, batteries, hydrogen, carbon capture, advanced reactors, transmission infrastructure, and the software increasingly used to monitor and manage them. The focus isn't on abstract targets or idealized transitions, but on the engineering decisions that determine whether new systems are reliable, scalable, and affordable.
Energy systems are defined by constraints. Power density, intermittency, materials availability, land use, safety, and cost all shape what can be deployed and where. This category examines those trade-offs, along with the reasons many promising technologies struggle to move beyond pilots or subsidies. Grid integration, permitting delays, supply chains, and long build times, matters as much as technical performance.
We also look at how energy demand is shifting, driven by electrification, data centers, AI workloads, industrial decarbonization, and transportation. These pressures are forcing upgrades to aging infrastructure and raising questions about resilience, redundancy, and long-term planning. Reliability is as central as sustainability, especially as energy systems become more complex and more interconnected.
Energy also examines who builds these systems, who pays for them, and what determines whether new energy projects survive beyond early pilots.
Rather than framing energy as a single transition, this category treats it as a series of overlapping, uneven changes. It tracks what's being deployed now, what’s quietly failing, and what still requires significant engineering work before it can operate at scale. The emphasis is on systems that endure; not just technologies that look good on paper, but those that can deliver power consistently, safely, and economically over decades.