Scientists make incredible breakthrough that could dramatically shift the energy industry: ‘Very exciting’

Researchers at Penn State University have made an incredible breakthrough that could have a huge impact on the future of clean energy. According to Tech Xplore, the researchers have developed a way to manufacture a critical component much faster than was previously possible.

Bipolar plates are essential components in fuel cell systems that can be used in various clean energy sectors, whether it be electric vehicles, solar panels, or hydrogen fuel cells. They can be made using different kinds of metals, but the production requires laser welding two metal panels together.

Until now, the laser welding of stainless steel plates, often used in solar panels and wind turbines, could go no faster than 20 meters (66 feet) per minute without resulting in what’s called humping, or irregularities in the surface of the plates.

That’s a snail’s pace compared to what these researchers have accomplished.

The researchers used high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging to gain a better understanding of what caused humping and adjusted the welding process. They can now laser weld the steel plates at a rate of 75 meters (246 feet) per minute with no humps.

“Something very exciting about this work for me is that it shows people that this type of engineering is not just related to hands-on manufacturing,” said one of the study’s authors, Jingjing Li, a professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering at Penn State. “This work is a good example of combining traditional manufacturing with fundamental research and showing how fundamental knowledge can improve a process and a real-world problem.”

Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home’s indoor air quality?

Bipolar plates are responsible for the conduction of electrical current from one fuel cell to another in a stacked system, and the strength of the metal also plays a part in the structural support, so they’re integral in the energy generation process.

The ability to produce bipolar plates faster could have a huge impact going forward. The use of solar and wind power has steadily grown in the U.S., and the expansion of clean energy worldwide has continued to grow at an incredible pace, including massive solar farms in China and wind farms in the North Sea.

While the ability to manufacture bipolar plates at an increased speed alone won’t solve the problem of the planet overheating, it could go a long way in ensuring the materials necessary to do so are available.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.