An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Washington Post: In sunny California, solar panels are everywhere. They sit in dry, desert landscapes in the Central Valley and are scattered over rooftops in Los Angeles's urban center. By last count, the state had nearly 47 gigawatts of solar power installed -- enough to power 13.9 million homes and provide over a quarter of the Golden State's electricity. But now, the state and its grid operator are grappling with a strange reality: There is so much solar on the grid that, on sunny spring days when there's not as much demand, electricity prices go negative. Gigawatts of solar are "curtailed" -- essentially, thrown away. In response, California has cut back incentives for rooftop solar and slowed the pace of installing panels. But the diminishing economic returns may slow the development of solar in a state that has tried to move to renewable energy. And as other states build more and more solar plants of their own, they may soon face the same problems. Curtailing solar isn't technically difficult -- according to Paul Denholm, senior research fellow at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, it's equivalent to flipping a switch for grid operators. But throwing away free power raises electricity prices. It has also undercut the benefits of installing rooftop solar. Since the 1990s, California has been paying owners of rooftop solar panels when they export their energy to the grid. That meant that rooftop solar owners got $0.20 to $0.30 for each kilowatt-hour of electricity that they dispatched. But a year ago, the state changed this system, known as "net-metering," and now only compensates new solar panel owners for how much their power is worth to the grid. In the spring, when the duck curve is deepest, that number can dip close to zero. Customers can get more money back if they install batteries and provide power to the grid in the early evening or morning. The change has sparked a huge backlash from Californians and rooftop solar companies, which say that their businesses are flagging. Indeed, Wood Mackenzie predicts that California residential solar installations in 2024 will fall by around 40 percent. Some state politicians are now trying to reverse the rule. "Under the CPUC's leadership California is responsible for the largest loss of solar jobs in our nation's history," Bernadette del Chiaro, the executive director of the California Solar and Storage Association, said in a statement referring to California's public utility commission. But experts say that it reflects how the economics of solar are changing in a state that has gone all-in on the technology. [...] To cope, [California's grid operator, known as CAISO] is selling some excess power to nearby states; California is also planning to install additional storage and batteries to hold solar power until later in the afternoon. Transmission lines that can carry electricity to nearby regions will also help -- some of the lost power comes from regions where there simply aren't enough power lines to carry a sudden burst of solar. Denholm says the state is starting to take the steps needed to deal with the glut. "There are fundamental limits to how much solar we can put on the grid before you start needing a lot of storage," Denholm said. "You can't just sit around and do nothing." Further reading: The Energy Institute discusses this problem in a recent blog post. Since 2020, the residential electricity rates in California have risen by as much as 40% after adjusting for inflation. While there's been "a lot of finger-pointing about the cause of these increases," the authors note that the impact on rates is multiplied when customers install their own generation and buy fewer kilowatts-hours from the grid because those households "contribute less towards all the fixed costs in the system." These fixed costs include: vegetation management, grid hardening, distribution line undergrounding, EV charging stations, subsidies for low income customers, energy efficiency programs, and the poles and wires that we all rely on whether we are taking electricity off the grid or putting it onto the grid from our rooftop PV systems. "Since those fixed costs still need to be paid, rates go up, shifting costs onto the kWhs still being bought from the grid."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

California Is Grappling With a Growing Problem: Too Much Solar

An anonymous reader shares a report: To accommodate tech companies' pivots to artificial intelligence, tech companies are increasingly investing in ways to power AI's immense electricity needs. Most recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman invested in Exowatt, a company using solar power to feed data centers, according to the Wall Street Journal. That's on the heals of OpenAI partner, Microsoft, working on getting approval for nuclear energy to help power its AI operations. Last year Amazon, which is a major investor in AI company Anthropic, said it invested in more than 100 renewable energy projects, making it the "world's largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy for the fourth year in a row."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

AI Needs So Much Electricity That Tech Companies Are Getting Into Energy Business

The Washington Post reports on a new situation in Virginia: There, massive data centers with computers processing nearly 70 percent of global digital traffic are gobbling up electricity at a rate officials overseeing the power grid say is unsustainable unless two things happen: Several hundred miles of new transmission lines must be built, slicing through neighborhoods and farms in Virginia and three neighboring states. And antiquated coal-powered electricity plants that had been scheduled to go offline will need to keep running to fuel the increasing need for more power, undermining clean energy goals... The $5.2 billion effort has fueled a backlash against data centers through the region, prompting officials in Virginia to begin studying the deeper impacts of an industry they've long cultivated for the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue it brings to their communities. Critics say it will force residents near the [West Virginia] coal plants to continue living with toxic pollution, ironically to help a state — Virginia — that has fully embraced clean energy. And utility ratepayers in the affected areas will be forced to pay for the plan in the form of higher bills, those critics say. But PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator, says the plan is necessary to maintain grid reliability amid a wave of fossil fuel plant closures in recent years, prompted by the nation's transition to cleaner power. Power lines will be built across four states in a $5.2 billion effort that, relying on coal plants that were meant to be shuttered, is designed to keep the electric grid from failing amid spiking energy demands. Cutting through farms and neighborhoods, the plan converges on Northern Virginia, where a growing data center industry will need enough extra energy to power 6 million homes by 2030... There are nearly 300 data centers now in Virginia. With Amazon Web Services pursuing a $35 billion data center expansion in Virginia, rural portions of the state are the industry's newest target for development. The growth means big revenue for the localities that host the football-field-size buildings. Loudoun [County] collects $600 million in annual taxes on the computer equipment inside the buildings, making it easier to fund schools and other services. Prince William [County], the second-largest market, collects $100 million per year. The article adds that one data center "can require 50 times the electricity of a typical office building, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. "Multiple-building data center complexes, which have become the norm, require as much as 14 to 20 times that amount." One small power company even told the grid operator that data centers were already consuming 59% of the power they produce...

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Data Centers Are Turning to an Old Source of Power: Coal

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Electrek: In a major clean energy benchmark, wind, solar, and hydro exceeded 100% of demand on California's main grid for 30 of the past 38 days. Stanford University professor of civil and environmental engineering Mark Z. Jacobson has been tracking California's renewables performance, and he shares his findings on Twitter (X) when the state breaks records. Jacobson notes that supply exceeds demand for "0.25-6 h per day," and that's an important fact. The continuity lies not in renewables running the grid for the entire day but in the fact that it's happening on a consistent daily basis, which has never been achieved before. At the two-week record mark, Ian Magruder at Rewiring America made this great point on LinkedIn: "And what makes it even better is that California has the largest grid-connected battery storage facility in the world (came online in January ...), meaning those batteries were filling up with excess energy from the sun all afternoon today and are now deploying as we speak to offset a good chunk of the methane gas generation that California still uses overnight." On April 2, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) recommended 26 new transmission projects worth $6.1 billion, with a big number being devoted to offshore wind. In response, Jacobson predicted on April 4 that California will entirely be on renewables and battery storage 24/7 by 2035.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

California Exceeds 100% of Energy Demand With Renewables Over a Record 30 Days

The Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan has won a $1.5 billion conditional federal loan to reopen after being closed for decommissioning in 2022. Canary Media reports: If the loan is granted (subject to Holtec meeting closing conditions) and the 800-megawatt reactor located on Lake Michigan is repowered, it would be the first nuclear plant in the U.S. to reopen after being closed for decommissioning. Surprisingly, it would be just the second or third reactor to restart in the history of global civil nuclear power, according to Mycle Schneider, lead author of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2023, in an interview with Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Holtec purchased Palisades a month after it shut down with plans to mothball the site, but plans changed. Now the firm, which specializes in nuclear waste management and decommissioning (as opposed to rebuilding and operating nuclear plants), intends to revive the plant instead. Holtec plans to get the power plant restarted by the end of 2025, a breathtakingly aspirational target given nuclear's history of missing construction and cost targets. The Palisades plant was closed by utility Entergy in May 2022 due to financial issues after operating for more than a half-century. And while the plant had a strong operational performance record in recent years, it also has a sobering history of shutdowns due to failures of critical equipment, as well as broken fuel rods and fuel-spill incidents. The site was shut down for the final time a few days ahead of schedule due to concerns about the reliability of a key piece of equipment. When it was operating at its peak, the plant provided more than 600 high-paying jobs, many unionized. If restarted, the plant could drive up to $363 million in regional economic impact, according to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat. That's why Whitmer and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers back resurrecting the retired reactor. Local business owners and residents are "largely supportive" of the plan as well, according to local news site MLive. The state's 2024 budget devotes $150 million to the project. Still, the revival of the dormant Palisades faces its share of headwinds.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Michigan Nuclear Plant Aims To Be First Ever To Reopen In US

After playing/working with computers for more then 25 years I started to appreciate small but handy valuable stuff – like adapters or handlers or … yeah – all kind of stuff. With many of them I did not even knew they existed until I find out about them – mostly accidentally or after long searching for some problem solution. Today I will share them with You – so maybe they will end up handy also for You.

… and while they make my life easier – they are mostly very cheap too.

The Table of Contents is below.

• RJ45 Angle Adapters
• RJ45 Angle Cable Adapters
• RJ45 Join Adapters
• SATA to USB-C or USB-A Adapters
• Angle USB-C and USB-A Adapters
• USB-A <=> USB-C Adapters
• Tiny USB WiFi or Bluetooth Dongle
• USB-C <=> Micro USB Adapter
• USB-C <=> Laptops/Routers/5.5mmx2.5mm Adapters
• Creative BT-W2 USB-A Bluetooth Adapter
• External Microphone for SONY Headphones
• Headphones Handle
• Dual USB-C and USB-A Pendrive (SanDisk)
• Tiny USB-A Hub
• Quad USB-C / USB-A / Lightning / Micro USB Adapter with MicroSD Card Slot
• Angle Power Adapters
• C13/C14 Power Adapters with Additional C1/C2 or C5/C6 Sockets
• HDMI 3in1 Switch with Remote Control
• Cable Organizers
• Mouse Jigger
• FM Transmitter
• Summary

The whole article can ‘feel’ like a sponsored entry for the https://aliexpress.com portal – but it is not – its just the most cheap place I was able to find these gems. Feel free to share even cheaper one if You have one.

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RJ45 Angle Adapters

I mostly use laptops to do various tasks and cables sticking out on the sides perpendicularly does not help. Not many laptops today have the RJ45 LAN socket – but if they do – they are mostly on the side of the laptop.

Thanks to such angle RJ45 adapters it is no longer a problem.

You can find them for about $2 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com page – with the RJ45 ANGLE ADAPTER keywords in their search.

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RJ45 Angle Cable Adapters

The mentioned earlier RJ45 Angle Adapters are quite bulky – but as an alternative its possible to get a short 40cm cable with smaller plug.

Not sure if its noticeable on the picture below – but I also cut the top ‘cover’ with knife of the plug – so its easier to detach.

There are of course all four angles to choose from.

One may also use the end of that 40cm cable-adapter as a ‘stopper’ to not fall inside the desk hole as shown on the image below.

You can find them for about $2 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com – with the RJ45 ANGLE ADAPTER CABLE keywords in their search.

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RJ45 Join Adapters

Often I found myself in a situation that the currently available LAN cable was too short to reach and it needed a lot of work to plot another – longer one.

With these simple ‘join’ adapters it is no longer a problem. You would not use them in a serious Data Center with 10+ GE speeds – but for home 1.0-2.5 GE speeds its more then enough.

You can find them for about $1-$2 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com – with the RJ45 JOIN ADAPTER keywords in their search.

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SATA to USB-C or USB-A Adapters

Multiple times I needed to clone some old disk to new SSD – just to make an old system faster.

I usually boot from some USB drive with FreeBSD and while new SSD is attached with these adapters – I then execute dd(8) command to clone the old HDD disk to new SSD drive … and then just swap them out.

You can find them for about $1-$5 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com – with the SATA USB ADAPTER keywords in their search.

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Angle USB-C and USB-A Adapters

As we already talked about RJ45 angle adapters … there are also USB-C and USB-A angle adapters.

The do the same good job with cables to not stick out on a side of a laptop.

You can find them for about $1-$3 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com – with the ANGLE USB ADAPTER keywords in their search.

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USB-A <=> USB-C Adapters

In the progressing and always changing world yesterday the USB-A was king and tomorrow the USB-C will be.

There are multiple cases in which you will need these – from simple USB headphones to USB pendrives and other stuff.

You can find them for about $1-$3 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com – with the USB-C USB-A ADAPTER keywords in their search.

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Tiny USB WiFi or Bluetooth Dongle

Multiple times I have found myself in a situation where it was very convenient to just add some WiFi or Bluetooth chip over USB port and do the job instead of trying to achieve the same without such chips.

While I usually omit Bluetooth I can not say the same about WiFi … and as FreeBSD lacks a little in that department – using a very tiny chip such as Realtek RTL8188CUS often does the job done.

You can find them for about $1-$3 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com – with the WIFI USB or BLUETOOTH USB keywords in their search.

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USB-C <=> Micro USB Adapter

In the past – in the USB Micro times – I remember using an adapter to be able to charge – then new and uncommon – USB-C devices.

Fast forward several years and now the situation is the other way around (as expected). The USB-C is the standard and USB Micro devices are less and less common … but there are still here. To not have to keep separate dedicated USB Micro cables I use a small USB-C to USB Micro adapters.

Such adapter takes USB-C as input power and is able to charge USB Micro devices.

You can find them for about $1-$2 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com – with the USB-C USB MICRO ADAPTER keywords in their search.

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USB-C <=> Laptops/Routers/5.5mmx2.5mm Adapters

When it comes to delivering power to my (and not only) laptops – the new standard seems to be the USB-C connector with ‘requirement’ of 45W or more (it depends).

Not that long ago I discovered that even laptops as old as 13 years – ThinkPad X220/T420s/W520 – can be powered the same – but with simple and very cheap adapter cables – such as these below. From the left there is 5.5mm/2.5mm typical router socket – then more modern ThinkPad X270/T470s (and many more) – then oldschool models from 2011 year – ThinkPads such as X220/T420s/W520 models.

All they need is a USB-C power input.

You need to only meet two requirements – the USB charger that will make enough power for example 20V at 3.25A for 65W that would power ThinkPad X220/T420s or 20V at 6.75A for 135W that would power ThinkPad W520. While the official power supply for ThinkPad W520 is 170W – its perfectly fine to use the 135W power adapter from ThinkPad W510 to power ThinkPad W520 laptop.

This makes organizing cables (and chargers) a lot easier – for example – I would not be able to fit 3 ‘dedicated’ ThinkPad chargers in that white cable organizer behind laptops – but I will fir there two powerful 65W and 85W USB-C chargers perfectly fine.

You can find these power adapters for about $1-$3 – for example – on https://aliexpress.com – with the USB-C ADAPTER LAPTOP ROUTER keywords in their search.

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Creative BT-W2 USB-A Bluetooth Adapter

When I have to cope with Bluetooth technology – its ‘tolerable’ on Android devices such as phones/tablets and mostly nowhere else. After bad audio (just not working) Bluetooth possibilities on FreeBSD I decided to try the hardware solution instead. The audio related Bluetooth on FreeBSD have failed me too many times – to the point called enough is enough – that also means I do not want to waste any more time trying to figure the way using FreeBSD Bluetooth stack devices anymore – at least for audio related devices.

Not so long ago I got the Sony WH1000XM4 headphones. I am/was a big fan of the Technics RP-F290 cable headphones (Jack or Mini Jack based). They have so much BASS and ‘power’ that I could not ask for more … and their cost is very low – like $24 or less. The only ‘downside’ of the Technics RP-F290 headphones is that they are audio only – they do not have any microphone at all – they are dedicated for music only – and that is OK – they do GREAT in that role.

I have tried some Bluetooth based headphones in the past – and they were SHIT to say the least. Not enough ‘power’ – not enough BASS etc. After reading multiple reviews I decided to give Sony WH1000XM4 headphones a chance … and I was not disappointed. Its the first time after Technics RP-F290 cable headphones that ANY Bluetooth based headphone delivered. I was (and I still am) really satisfied with them.

This is where the USB powered Creative BT-W2 comes handy. Its also relatively cheap as the cost of used unit is less then $20 – at least that is the price I payed for mine in Poland. The Creative BT-W2 allows to connect Bluetooth audio devices everywhere – even on OpenBSD – on the system that cut off Bluetooth stack entirely – and it works well on FreeBSD too. The ‘downside’ of the Sony WH1000XM4 headphones is that they do have microphone – but only in Bluetooth node – they have Mini Jack connector – but for audio only …

This is also only downside of the Creative BT-W2 solution – it transmits only audio – but w/o microphone. Its more then OK for listening music – but if You have to do live conferencing/meetings on FreeBSD as I do – its a dead end.

I have tried to find a solution to this problem – to the point that I wanted to abandon Sony WH1000XM4 headphones entirely and find some Mini Jack (or Jack) based BASS oriented headphones that will also have a working microphone.

On my journey I have found a solution that I did not expected at all – and that was the solution that solved all my problems – and allowed me to enjoy the Sony WH1000XM4 headphones – but more about that in the next ‘subsection’.

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External Microphone for SONY Headphones

You already know the downsides of the Sony WH1000XM4 headphones that were giving me headaches. Now its time to address them.

After many hours of searching the Internet I have found a very ‘usable’ Mini Jack cable. A cable that came with microphone and a one that perfectly integrated with Sony WH1000XM4 headphones … and FreeBSD as well.

Its available to buy for $22 on amazon.de (and possible other locations) and its called Boom Microphone Cable. Thanks to the knowledge that Sony WH1000XM4 headphones have Mini Jack port with microphone part – the Boom Microphone Cable cable even comes with volume controls and even come with physical kill switch for microphone.

After You attach this Boom Microphone Cable to the Sony WH1000XM4 headphones it looks (and works) like a natural solution.

The only ‘downside’ is generally the downside of the Sony WH1000XM4 headphones – that You CAN NOT disable their silencing while you speak – so using them in ‘passive’ mode with Boom Microphone Cable is preferred to meet all needs.

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Headphones Handle

I got used to the fact that I just put my headphones on the desk … but I wanted something more useful – after some searching it was obvious to me that I needed just some headphones handle that I could attach somewhere.

After another several hours of browsing I have found a ‘part’ that would fit perfectly – a $4-5 part from https://aliexpress.com that I could find with the HEADPHONES HOLDER keywords in their search.

Here is how it works on my desk.

… and its 360 degrees adjustable as well.

Above the headphones handle You can see the ‘hero’ of the AMD Based FreeBSD Desktop article.

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Dual USB-C and USB-A Pendrive (SanDisk)

With all my ‘bad’ experiences with PTP connections for Android based devices (and other places) I really liked the SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive.

Its really handy for many transfers … and its more fast then slow as well.

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Tiny USB-A Hub

When You need to connect several USB-A devices the USB ports count often come short fast – this is where this tiny USB-A hub comes handy.

With its dirt cheap $1-2 price (at https://aliexpress.com with USB HUB keywords) its a ‘steal’ … and it is a 3 port hub – there is another USB-A port at the end of it – the one that is not visible.

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Quad USB-C / USB-A / Lightning / Micro USB Adapter with MicroSD Card Slot

… as we are talking various USB-A or USB-C solutions I could not mention this quad port adapter with MicroSD card slot.

I do not even remember how many times I have used it to copy/backup contents of my phone(s) and/or tablet(s).

Nowadays I believe I use the Dual USB-C / USB-A Pendrive more … but not always.

For $8-9 on its not a bad solution to have.

Batteries … I mean SD card – not included

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Angle Power Adapters

I have often found that the angle with which the power cord sticks out of a PC is definitely not ideal – this is where angle power adapters come handy.

Here is how it looks (being used) on my PC.

They are available for about $1-2 on https://aliexpress.com with ANGLE C13 CABLE keywords on the search box.

C13/C14 Power Adapters with Additional C1/C2 or C5/C6 Sockets

After You have spent some time to lay down the C13/C14 power cables just to power your PC its really annoying to do the same for another set of C1/C2 or C5/C6 cables/sockets … but not anymore.

Now with single cable adapter You are able to power more then one computer – depending on the needs with additional connectors.

They are available for $1-2 on https://aliexpress.com with DUAL C13 CABLE keywords on the search box.

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HDMI 3in1 Switch with Remote Control

I happen to have a 2010 FullHD 50 Inch TV that has ONLY ONE port of HDMI kind … and it was pretty annoying to say the least … up to the time I added a HDMI switch/hub to it.

The HDMI switch along with its remote below.

For the record – I have used the UGreen 3in1 HDMI Switch with 4K @ 30Hz Capability and Remote and I was able to get one for $16.

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Cable Organizers

To not have a mess in the cables its useful to have them organized in some way.

I use multiple solutions for that.

Lets start with simple organizers.

… and a larger/taller one for more capacity/possibilities.

They are available for $3-9 on https://aliexpress.com with CABLE ORGANIZER keywords on the search box.

I also use some IKEA containers …

… and smaller boxes in which I keep the tiny things.

I do not even remember after what product these boxes are … and that does not even matter I think.

~

Mouse Jigger

While there are many software settings or solutions to prevent screen from locking up – there is one bulletproof solution what just always works – a hardware USB mouse jigger.

I use a very simple one with 3 modes – but its more then enough for me needs.

Feel free to check other offers with USB MOUSE JIGGER at https://aliexpress.com search box.

~

FM Transmitter

Last but not least – the car FM transmitter.

My daily ‘real’ driver (I mean on the real road outside) is the 2006 Dodge Magnum car. I really love it for the simplicity and calm that it provides during the ride – but on the audio side it only has an old FM/AM radio and a CD slot … and not MP3 support in that one.

This is where the FM transmitter such as mine Blow comes really handy.

It supports two modes. One is being a Bluetooth slave of your phone – it just plays on the car speakers anything you are currently playing on your phone – it also has microphone builtin – so You can also use it as a ‘loud’ phone talking device.

I use it in a more simple mode – I just attach a tiny Lexar S47 32GB pendrive to it – and play a random song of it.

Besides these features it also has additional USB-A port available to attach a cable to it and charge some device.

I was able to get one a new one for about $19.

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Summary

The mentioned devices above are probably not the only ones that make my life easier – but definitely the most crucial ones.

Feel free to share your ‘helper’ hardware in the comments.

Regards.

An anonymous reader shared this article from Futurism: More than two years since MIT claimed its scientists achieved a breakthrough in fusion energy, the university is claiming that new research "confirms" that the magnet-based design used in those tests isn't just impressive in a lab setting, but is practical and economically viable, too. These findings come from a comprehensive report which features six separate [peer-reviewed] studies published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity this month, assessing the feasibility of the superconductor magnets used by MIT scientists in their landmark test conducted in September 2021. "Together, the papers describe the design and fabrication of the magnet and the diagnostic equipment needed to evaluate its performance," MIT announced, "as well as the lessons learned from the process. "Overall, the team found, the predictions and computer modeling were spot-on, verifying that the magnet's unique design elements could serve as the foundation for a fusion power plant." The successful test of the magnet, says Hitachi America Professor of Engineering Dennis Whyte, who recently stepped down as director of MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was "the most important thing, in my opinion, in the last 30 years of fusion research." Before the [2021] demonstration, the best-available superconducting magnets were powerful enough to potentially achieve fusion energy — but only at sizes and costs that could never be practical or economically viable. Then, when the tests showed the practicality of such a strong magnet at a greatly reduced size, "overnight, it basically changed the cost per watt of a fusion reactor by a factor of almost 40 in one day," Whyte says. "Now fusion has a chance," Whyte adds

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

'Now Fusion Has a Chance': New MIT Research Claims Fusion Power's 'Practicality' Has Been Proven

Clare Watson reports via ScienceAlert: By replacing the hazardous chemical electrolytes used in commercial batteries with water, scientists have developed a recyclable 'water battery' -- and solved key issues with the emerging technology, which could be a safer and greener alternative. 'Water batteries' are formally known as aqueous metal-ion batteries. These devices use metals such as magnesium or zinc, which are cheaper to assemble and less toxic than the materials currently used in other kinds of batteries. Batteries store energy by creating a flow of electrons that move from the positive end of the battery (the cathode) to the negative end (the anode). They expend energy when electrons flow the opposite way. The fluid in the battery is there to shuttle electrons back and forth between both ends. In a water battery, the electrolytic fluid is water with a few added salts, instead of something like sulfuric acid or lithium salt. Crucially, the team behind this latest advancement came up with a way to prevent these water batteries from short-circuiting. This happens when tiny spiky metallic growths called dendrites form on the metal anode inside a battery, busting through battery compartments. [...] To inhibit this, the researchers coated the zinc anode of the battery with bismuth metal, which oxidizes to form rust. This creates a protective layer that stops dendrites from forming. The feature also helps the prototype water batteries last longer, retaining more than 85 percent of their capacity after 500 cycles, the researchers' experiments showed. According to Royce Kurmelovs at The Guardian, the team has so far developed water-based prototypes of coin-sized batteries used in clocks, as well as cylindrical batteries similar to AA or AAA batteries. The team is working to improve the energy density of their water batteries, to make them comparable to the compact lithium-ion batteries found inside pocket-sized devices. Magnesium is their preferred material, lighter than zinc with a greater potential energy density. [I]f magnesium-ion batteries can be commercialized, the technology could replace bulky lead-acid batteries within a few years. The study has been published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

New 'Water Batteries' Are Cheaper, Recyclable, And Won't Explode

Starting today, Ford electric vehicle owners can use one of Tesla's 2,400+ superchargers, but there's a hitch. "They'll need to get an adapter that Ford will provide for free, although the company won't start shipping those until the end of March," notes the Associated Press. Product Reviewer MKBHD also notes that non-Teslas will need to park in a spot that blocks 2 spots where a Tesla would take up one. "If the charge station fills up the remaining spots with Teslas, the app will show 1 charger as available but the parking spot is blocked by the Mach-E," adds MKBHD. From the report: Last May, Ford became the first automaker to reach an agreement with the Austin, Texas-based Tesla to charge on its network, which is the largest and most well-placed in the U.S. Tesla has more than 26,000 plugs and nearly 2,400 Supercharger stations across the U.S. and Canada. Ford said its owners will have access to about 15,000 Tesla fast-charging plugs that are located strategically along travel corridors. Ford owners won't be able to use some older Tesla plugs. Most other automakers followed Ford in joining Tesla's network and agreeing to switch to Tesla's plug, called the North American Charging Standard, which is smaller and easier to use than the current plugs on most other EVs sold in the two countries. Ford said adding the Tesla plugs will double the size of the network that can be used by Ford EV owners. There are nearly 166,000 Ford EVs in the U.S. Ford is offering the adapters for free to the owners, who can sign up on the Ford.com website to reserve them between Thursday and June 30. The company will provide one free adapter per vehicle. Tesla's network was turned on Wednesday morning, and software enabling the Ford vehicles to charge at Tesla stations was to be sent out around the same time. Ford will switch to Tesla's charging connector with its second-generation EVs starting next year.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Ford EV Owners Can Now Charge On Tesla's Network