Could Energy-Storing Concrete Be a Power Source of the Future?

A new, low-cost energy concrete storage system could make sustainable power available 24/7, no batteries needed.

By Avery Hurt
Sep 6, 2023 3:00 PM
wireless electric vehicle charging while driving on road charging system.
(Credit:Audio und werbung/Shutterstock)

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Solar and wind power are excellent renewable sources, but they have one big problem: They’re not always available. The wind doesn’t always blow; the sun doesn’t always shine. To keep the power flowing whenever we need it requires batteries, but batteries are expensive and don’t last long. They’re also a waste problem and a hazardous one at that.

Fortunately, researchers at MIT have come up with a solution. In a paper published this June, they detailed how they combined cement, water and a form of charcoal called carbon black — the same stuff used to write the Dead Sea Scrolls — to create a concrete that acts as a supercapacitor, an alternative to a battery for storing energy. 

Basically, it’s an electrified concrete that can not only form the foundation of a building but also store energy simultaneously.

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