Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Read our Oct issue This issue showcases research spanning solar energy, batteries and hydrogen, as well as carbon-capture technologies, electric-vehicle infrastructure and renewable power planning. Family dynamics are a missing piece in understanding residential solar adoption Household-wide coordination capacity underpins residential solar adoption. In-sync households share goals, actively deliberate and act collectively to adopt. Oppositional households are misaligned, face coordination snags and do not adopt. Nicole D. Sintov Naseem H. Dillman-Hasso Kristin F. Hurst Article 09 Jul 2026 Family dynamics are a missing piece in understanding residential solar adoption Household-wide coordination capacity underpins residential solar adoption. In-sync households share goals, actively deliberate and act collectively to adopt. Oppositional households are misaligned, face coordination snags and do not adopt. Nicole D. Sintov Naseem H. Dillman-Hasso Kristin F. Hurst A 250-kilowatt system for co-production of hydrogen and fresh water from seawater Given its abundance, seawater is an attractive feedstock for hydrogen production, but direct electrolysis is hindered by side reactions and corrosion. Here the authors couple alkaline electrolysis with low-temperature desalination, using waste electrolyser heat to distil seawater into a fresh water feed, enabling stable, scalable performance. Shang Jiang Peixin Zhu Dehui Deng Article 15 Sept 2026 A 250-kilowatt system for co-production of hydrogen and fresh water from seawater Given its abundance, seawater is an attractive feedstock for hydrogen production, but direct electrolysis is hindered by side reactions and corrosion. Here the authors couple alkaline electrolysis with low-temperature desalination, using waste electrolyser heat to distil seawater into a fresh water feed, enabling stable, scalable performance. Industrializing reactive capture of CO 2 Reactive capture of CO 2 integrates capture and conversion, bypassing regeneration and potentially simplifying upstream–downstream process integration, but its deployment readiness is unclear. In this Perspective the authors argue that reactive capture of CO 2 could be industrially viable at present levels of selectivity and voltage if stability and scale barriers are addressed. Yurou Celine Xiao Siyu Sonia Sun David Sinton Perspective 01 Sept 2026 Industrializing reactive capture of CO 2 Reactive capture of CO 2 integrates capture and conversion, bypassing regeneration and potentially simplifying upstream–downstream process integration, but its deployment readiness is unclear. In this Perspective the authors argue that reactive capture of CO 2 could be industrially viable at present levels of selectivity and voltage if stability and scale barriers are addressed. Yurou Celine Xiao Scaling vanadium flow battery for long-duration energy storage Despite early promise, vanadium flow batteries struggled to move beyond pilot projects due to bottlenecks that emerged at scale. Overcoming these barriers to enable reliable, cost-effective long-duration energy storage at multi-hundred-megawatt scale is discussed by Xianfeng Li and colleagues. Wenjing Lu Xianfeng Li Down to Business 23 Jun 2026 Scaling vanadium flow battery for long-duration energy storage Despite early promise, vanadium flow batteries struggled to move beyond pilot projects due to bottlenecks that emerged at scale. Overcoming these barriers to enable reliable, cost-effective long-duration energy storage at multi-hundred-megawatt scale is discussed by Xianfeng Li and colleagues. Rethink data centre planning Editorial 21 Sept 2026 Rethink data centre planning Towards technology-smart green industrial policy Tobias S. Schmidt Comment 21 Jul 2026 Towards technology-smart green industrial policy Tobias S. Schmidt Scaling vanadium flow battery for long-duration energy storage Wenjing Lu Xianfeng Li Down to Business 23 Jun 2026 Scaling vanadium flow battery for long-duration energy storage Industrializing reactive capture of CO 2 Yurou Celine Xiao Siyu Sonia Sun David Sinton Perspective 01 Sept 2026 Industrializing reactive capture of CO 2 Yurou Celine Xiao Family dynamics are a missing piece in understanding residential solar adoption Nicole D. Sintov Naseem H. Dillman-Hasso Kristin F. Hurst Article 09 Jul 2026 Family dynamics are a missing piece in understanding residential solar adoption Nicole D. Sintov Naseem H. Dillman-Hasso Kristin F. Hurst Coordinated planning of European charging infrastructure and energy system for optimal V1G and V2G deployment Francesco Sanvito Francesco Lombardi Stefan Pfenninger-Lee Article 14 Jul 2026 Coordinated planning of European charging infrastructure and energy system for optimal V1G and V2G deployment Francesco Sanvito Francesco Lombardi Stefan Pfenninger-Lee Latest Research articles Stable anode-free sodium batteries enabled by controlled oligomerization Anode-free sodium batteries are limited by irreversible sodium loss during cycling. Here the authors introduce a moderate-strain cyclic ether that redirects electrolyte decomposition to form a thin, robust interphase, thereby minimizing sodium consumption and extending cycling stability. Shuicen Ding Xijie Chen Weijiang Xue Article 02 Nov 2026 Stable anode-free sodium batteries enabled by controlled oligomerization Anode-free sodium batteries are limited by irreversible sodium loss during cycling. Here the authors introduce a moderate-strain cyclic ether that redirects electrolyte decomposition to form a thin, robust interphase, thereby minimizing sodium consumption and extending cycling stability. Grain boundary engineering using metallomesogen in formamidinium–caesium lead triiodide for stable perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells Formamidinium–caesium lead triiodide perovskites show promise in terms of stability, yet their solar cell efficiency remains limited. Li et al. use a metallomesogen with mesophase to stabilize perovskite grain boundaries, improving both the efficiency and stability of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. Biao Li Xingtao Wang Deren Yang Article 02 Nov 2026 Grain boundary engineering using metallomesogen in formamidinium–caesium lead triiodide for stable perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells Formamidinium–caesium lead triiodide perovskites show promise in terms of stability, yet their solar cell efficiency remains limited. Li et al. use a metallomesogen with mesophase to stabilize perovskite grain boundaries, improving both the efficiency and stability of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. Durable reactive CO 2 capture exceeding 1,000 h via self-reinforcing molecular catalysts Reactive CO 2 capture integrates carbon capture and electrochemical conversion in a single process, but poor catalyst durability remains a major challenge. Here the authors show that pH-swing-driven acidification accelerates catalyst demetallation and develop a cobalt phthalocyanine catalyst that suppresses metal loss, sustaining efficient CO production for 1,000 h. Zunmin Guo Feng Li David Sinton Article 30 Oct 2026 Durable reactive CO 2 capture exceeding 1,000 h via self-reinforcing molecular catalysts Reactive CO 2 capture integrates carbon capture and electrochemical conversion in a single process, but poor catalyst durability remains a major challenge. Here the authors show that pH-swing-driven acidification accelerates catalyst demetallation and develop a cobalt phthalocyanine catalyst that suppresses metal loss, sustaining efficient CO production for 1,000 h. One-minute frequency disturbances from unintended synchronization in cyber–physical power systems Power grids on five continents show frequency oscillations with a period of exactly 1 min. The authors trace this to clock-synchronized software in devices such as uninterruptible power supplies that creates coherent, repeating demand peaks. Carsten Hartmann Edoardo De Din Dirk Witthaut Article Open Access 30 Oct 2026 One-minute frequency disturbances from unintended synchronization in cyber–physical power systems Power grids on five continents show frequency oscillations with a period of exactly 1 min. The authors trace this to clock-synchronized software in devices such as uninterruptible power supplies that creates coherent, repeating demand peaks. Carsten Hartmann Chemical-linkage-regulated single-phase crystallization and uniform gallium alloying for efficient solution-processed chalcopyrite solar cells Controlling phase evolution and composition homogeneity are challenging for chalcopyrites. Ma, Wu, Liu, Yan et al. use acetate anions to build complex networks in precursor solution, achieving single-phase crystallization and an 18.53% efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cell. Chengfeng Ma Kang Wu Hao Xin Article 29 Oct 2026 Chemical-linkage-regulated single-phase crystallization and uniform gallium alloying for efficient solution-processed chalcopyrite solar cells Controlling phase evolution and composition homogeneity are challenging for chalcopyrites. Ma, Wu, Liu, Yan et al. use acetate anions to build complex networks in precursor solution, achieving single-phase crystallization and an 18.53% efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cell. Perovskite lattice compliance enables efficient and stable bifacial perovskite/silicon tandem photovoltaics Bifacial perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells are promising for high area-normalized power output, but factors governing the photothermal stability of perovskite absorbers remains unclear. Xu et al. identify lattice compliance as a descriptor when screening stable perovskites. Fuzong Xu Jiang Liu Stefaan De Wolf Article 29 Oct 2026 Perovskite lattice compliance enables efficient and stable bifacial perovskite/silicon tandem photovoltaics Bifacial perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells are promising for high area-normalized power output, but factors governing the photothermal stability of perovskite absorbers remains unclear. Xu et al. identify lattice compliance as a descriptor when screening stable perovskites. Stefaan De Wolf Latest Reviews & Analysis Directing solvent reactivity Anode-free sodium batteries eliminate excessive sodium on the anode, maximizing cell-level energy density, but are limited by irreversible sodium loss during electroplating–stripping. Now, a low-strain cyclic solvent forms an oligomerized interphase, enabling highly reversible sodium deposition without functional additives or electrode modifications. Sanghyun Park Yong-Mook Kang News & Views 02 Nov 2026 Ironing out oxygen instability Oxygen redox in layered-oxide cathodes could facilitate the development of high-energy sodium-ion batteries, but poor reversibility has limited its practical application. Now, an iron-mediated redox strategy offers a pathway to substantially improving oxygen-redox reversibility. Donggun Eum William C. Chueh News & Views 30 Oct 2026 An extra beat every minute Small deviations in the power system frequency are routinely attributed to stochastic fluctuations in load and generation. New research reveals a disturbance recurring precisely every minute in grids worldwide, caused by clock-synchronized self-tests in battery-based uninterruptible power supplies that inadvertently act in unison. Florian Dörfler News & Views 30 Oct 2026 Caloric cooling devices and systems Caloric cooling offers a promising solid-state alternative to conventional refrigeration, but system-level challenges continue to limit practical deployment. This Review evaluates the state of the art, identifies the key barriers to scalable devices and outlines a roadmap for sustainable cooling. Kun Wang Stefan Seelecke Jingyuan Xu Review Article 30 Oct 2026 Spatially informed policies can accelerate green hydrogen demand Realized green hydrogen demand lags behind policy targets but could be accelerated by accounting for spatial spillovers, which refer to demand-side interdependencies where adoption by one user encourages further adoption by nearby users. Revising EU green hydrogen policies, including Hydrogen Valleys and European Hydrogen Bank auctions, to better account for these location-specific demand-side patterns could improve their effectiveness. Christian Rumpelnik Behnam Zakeri Kavita Surana Policy Brief 17 Sept 2026 Directing solvent reactivity Anode-free sodium batteries eliminate excessive sodium on the anode, maximizing cell-level energy density, but are limited by irreversible sodium loss during electroplating–stripping. Now, a low-strain cyclic solvent forms an oligomerized interphase, enabling highly reversible sodium deposition without functional additives or electrode modifications. Sanghyun Park Yong-Mook Kang News & Views 02 Nov 2026 Directing solvent reactivity Anode-free sodium batteries eliminate excessive sodium on the anode, maximizing cell-level energy density, but are limited by irreversible sodium loss during electroplating–stripping. Now, a low-strain cyclic solvent forms an oligomerized interphase, enabling highly reversible sodium deposition without functional additives or electrode modifications.

Ironing out oxygen instability Oxygen redox in layered-oxide cathodes could facilitate the development of high-energy sodium-ion batteries, but poor reversibility has limited its practical application. Now, an iron-mediated redox strategy offers a pathway to substantially improving oxygen-redox reversibility. Donggun Eum William C. Chueh News & Views 30 Oct 2026 Ironing out oxygen instability Oxygen redox in layered-oxide cathodes could facilitate the development of high-energy sodium-ion batteries, but poor reversibility has limited its practical application. Now, an iron-mediated redox strategy offers a pathway to substantially improving oxygen-redox reversibility. William C. Chueh An extra beat every minute Small deviations in the power system frequency are routinely attributed to stochastic fluctuations in load and generation. New research reveals a disturbance recurring precisely every minute in grids worldwide, caused by clock-synchronized self-tests in battery-based uninterruptible power supplies that inadvertently act in unison. Florian Dörfler News & Views 30 Oct 2026 An extra beat every minute Small deviations in the power system frequency are routinely attributed to stochastic fluctuations in load and generation. New research reveals a disturbance recurring precisely every minute in grids worldwide, caused by clock-synchronized self-tests in battery-based uninterruptible power supplies that inadvertently act in unison. Florian Dörfler Caloric cooling devices and systems Caloric cooling offers a promising solid-state alternative to conventional refrigeration, but system-level challenges continue to limit practical deployment. This Review evaluates the state of the art, identifies the key barriers to scalable devices and outlines a roadmap for sustainable cooling. Kun Wang Stefan Seelecke Jingyuan Xu Review Article 30 Oct 2026 Caloric cooling devices and systems Caloric cooling offers a promising solid-state alternative to conventional refrigeration, but system-level challenges continue to limit practical deployment. This Review evaluates the state of the art, identifies the key barriers to scalable devices and outlines a roadmap for sustainable cooling. Stefan Seelecke Spatially informed policies can accelerate green hydrogen demand Realized green hydrogen demand lags behind policy targets but could be accelerated by accounting for spatial spillovers, which refer to demand-side interdependencies where adoption by one user encourages further adoption by nearby users. Revising EU green hydrogen policies, including Hydrogen Valleys and European Hydrogen Bank auctions, to better account for these location-specific demand-side patterns could improve their effectiveness. Christian Rumpelnik Behnam Zakeri Kavita Surana Policy Brief 17 Sept 2026 Spatially informed policies can accelerate green hydrogen demand Realized green hydrogen demand lags behind policy targets but could be accelerated by accounting for spatial spillovers, which refer to demand-side interdependencies where adoption by one user encourages further adoption by nearby users. Revising EU green hydrogen policies, including Hydrogen Valleys and European Hydrogen Bank auctions, to better account for these location-specific demand-side patterns could improve their effectiveness. Christian Rumpelnik A unified distillation and electrolysis system Jonathan G. Love News & Views 15 Sept 2026 A hidden leak in solids Joohyeon Noh Kisuk Kang News & Views 10 Sept 2026 Halogen-assisted sulfur oxidation Marco Ricci Tao Wang Remo Proietti Zaccaria News & Views 10 Sept 2026 Ironing out the wrinkles Tomoya Nakamura Minh Anh Truong Atsushi Wakamiya News & Views 10 Sept 2026 A unified distillation and electrolysis system Jonathan G. Love News & Views 15 Sept 2026 A unified distillation and electrolysis system Jonathan G. Love A hidden leak in solids Joohyeon Noh Kisuk Kang News & Views 10 Sept 2026 A hidden leak in solids Halogen-assisted sulfur oxidation Marco Ricci Tao Wang Remo Proietti Zaccaria News & Views 10 Sept 2026 Halogen-assisted sulfur oxidation Remo Proietti Zaccaria Ironing out the wrinkles Tomoya Nakamura Minh Anh Truong Atsushi Wakamiya News & Views 10 Sept 2026 Ironing out the wrinkles Tomoya Nakamura Minh Anh Truong Atsushi Wakamiya Translating sulfur flow batteries into deployable systems Sulfur-based redox flow batteries promise low-cost, long-duration energy storage using abundant active materials, but commercial success depends on much more than low-cost materials. Yi-Chun Lu and her team explore how deployment reshapes research priorities and reveals the scientific and engineering bottlenecks that determine technology translation. Fei Ai Jiafeng Lei Yi-Chun Lu Down to Business 29 Oct 2026 Translating sulfur flow batteries into deployable systems Sulfur-based redox flow batteries promise low-cost, long-duration energy storage using abundant active materials, but commercial success depends on much more than low-cost materials. Yi-Chun Lu and her team explore how deployment reshapes research priorities and reveals the scientific and engineering bottlenecks that determine technology translation. Rethink data centre planning The rapid expansion of data centres is challenging power systems and planning processes to keep pace. Editorial 21 Sept 2026 Rethink data centre planning The rapid expansion of data centres is challenging power systems and planning processes to keep pace. Smart energy must address enshittification risks Will McDowall Michael Fell Correspondence 15 Sept 2026 Smart energy must address enshittification risks Integrated photovoltaics need design innovation and cross-sector collaboration Angèle Reinders Kaining Ding Christophe Ballif Correspondence 10 Sept 2026 Integrated photovoltaics need design innovation and cross-sector collaboration Angèle Reinders Christophe Ballif Applying causal machine learning to assess and improve cleantech policy design Effective clean technology (cleantech) policies, such as subsidies and carbon pricing, require an understanding of how interventions shape environmental and socioeconomic outcomes. To support targeted, evidence-based policy design, we discuss how causal machine learning can compare alternative policy scenarios and reveal where, how and for whom cleantech policies work. Valentina Bosetti Laura Diaz Anadon Stefan Feuerriegel Comment 08 Sept 2026 Applying causal machine learning to assess and improve cleantech policy design Effective clean technology (cleantech) policies, such as subsidies and carbon pricing, require an understanding of how interventions shape environmental and socioeconomic outcomes. To support targeted, evidence-based policy design, we discuss how causal machine learning can compare alternative policy scenarios and reveal where, how and for whom cleantech policies work. Valentina Bosetti Laura Diaz Anadon Stefan Feuerriegel Towards technology-smart green industrial policy Identifying future winning energy technologies is increasingly important as governments design green industrial policy. By evaluating technology characteristics, policymakers can strategically pick winning technologies that deliver both global cost-competitiveness and domestic economic payoffs. Tobias S. Schmidt Comment 21 Jul 2026 Towards technology-smart green industrial policy Identifying future winning energy technologies is increasingly important as governments design green industrial policy. By evaluating technology characteristics, policymakers can strategically pick winning technologies that deliver both global cost-competitiveness and domestic economic payoffs. Tobias S. Schmidt Cross-field lessons in energy research Trending - Altmetric Heat-driven elastocaloric cooling with shape memory films Heat-driven elastocaloric cooling with shape memory films One-minute frequency disturbances from unintended synchronization in cyber–physical power systems One-minute frequency disturbances from unintended synchronization in cyber–physical power systems A Ni(OH)2 symmetric battery cell for hydroxide exchange membrane-based direct air capture of CO2 A Ni(OH)2 symmetric battery cell for hydroxide exchange membrane-based direct air capture of CO2 Caloric cooling devices and systems Caloric cooling devices and systems Explore articles by subject Guide to authors Editorial policies