The Energy InkTM technology is on course to exceed the energy density of solar technology – the gold standard of renewables – following a breakthrough in generating renewable energy from moisture by wholly-owned Strategic Elements Ltd (ASX:SOR) subsidiary Australian Advanced Materials Pty Ltd (AAM).
The company provided more information on its revolutionary moisture energy technology and the short-term development steps it will make to achieve the power density of solar technology.
The Energy Ink technology currently has a peak power density of 14 milliwatts per square centimetre (mW/cm2), about 70% of the power density offered by solar, and some 200-times the density of similar moisture-generated electricity technologies.
SOR and subsidiary AAM intend to leverage a breakthrough in the fundamental mechanisms that convert moisture to energy and integrate them into nanoionic inks that enable high power density – the company is targeting 20mW per square centimetre.
Power density is the measure of how much energy is generated from a given surface area.
To date, no relevant renewable energy technology has come close to exceeding solar’s density.
Development goal timeframe
Strategic Elements says developing Energy Ink to the intended density would provide “a strong, early indication of the technology’s potential; however, it should also be recognised that the technology is under development and still has risks".
SOR has set out several time frames to achieve its development goals within:
- nano-engineering of discoveries in the fundamental mechanisms that convert moisture to energy into an ink formula: six weeks;
- optimisation of the ink to produce ultra-thin cells of about 200 micrometres (two pieces of paper): a further six weeks; and
- fabrication and testing of Energy Ink cells with power density exceeding solar (>20mW per cm2) – up to a further 12 weeks.
Should development go as planned, the new technology will be successfully incorporated within about 24 weeks or about six months.