Do you remember when the iPhone retired the glorious (and absurd) history of Nokia? Well, the same thing is about to happen to the energy industry. Three energy discoveries, three seemingly unrelated technologies are converging to create the perfect storm that will wipe out oil, gas, and coal. The related research (more on that in a bit) is already showing incredible results in the labs. It will be a quick trip: let's get it started right away. Ready?
1. Perovskite Solar Cells: Photovoltaics at the Speed of Light
The first energy discovery that is about to change everything concerns perovskite solar cells. This synthetic mineral, based on the crystalline structure of natural perovskite discovered in Russia in 1839, is literally revolutionizing the photovoltaic industry.
The numbers are impressive: in just over ten years, the efficiency of perovskites jumped from 3,8% to over 25%. But the real stroke of genius comes when are combined with silicon in tandem cells, reaching 29,2% efficiency and approaching the theoretical limit of 33%.
The secret lies in the production costs reduced to the bone. While traditional silicon requires temperatures above 1000°C to be purified, Perovskites are satisfied with less than 150°C. A 90% reduction in energy consumption which translates into panels up to 75% cheaper. As Japanese researchers demonstrate, perovskites can be printed like newspapers using roll-to-roll techniques.
The only Achilles heel was durability, but even this problem is about to be solved with carbon nanotube electrodes that guarantee long-term stability. We'll talk about this again soon, okay?
2. Room Temperature Superconductors: Zero Energy Waste
The second of the energy discoveries concerns superconductors that work without extreme refrigeration.. Imagine electrical cables that transport energy without losing a single watt, ultra-light engines and storage systems that recharge instantly.
Currently, superconductors require temperatures of -196°C, limiting its use to specialized applications such as CERN accelerators. Researchers at the University of Rochester they managed to achieve superconductivity at 14,5°C, although a pressure of 2,5 million bar is still required.
The most promising idea comes from two-dimensional materials. Three new two-dimensional superconductors that challenge traditional theories were discovered in 2024. These materials, which can be manipulated “at the touch of a button,” are dramatically accelerating research.
Italy does not sit back and watch: the startup Suprema, a spin-off of ENEA, is building the largest European plant for high-critical-temperature superconductors, reducing the gap with Asia which controls 90% of world production.
3. Efficient Hydrogen Electrolysis: The Ultimate Battery
Third Energy Discovery Solves Seasonal Storage ProblemHydrogen produced by electrolysis of water could become the perfect “battery” to store renewable energy when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.
Until yesterday, electrolysis was inefficient: 58 kWh of electricity was needed to produce 1 kg of hydrogen, which returned only 33 kWh. An energy bloodbath that made green hydrogen economically unsustainable.
Australian startup Hysata has developed a “capillary” electrolyzer which reaches 98% efficiency by eliminating gas bubbles that hinder the process. The electrolyte is kept at the bottom and rises by capillary action, avoiding interference in electrical conduction.
But there is more: RMIT researchers have discovered that by bombarding water with high-frequency sound waves, electrolysis becomes 14 times more efficient. Sonoelectrochemistry speeds up reactions and dramatically reduces the energy required.
As highlighted in the Italian research, AEM electrolyzers can replace expensive platinum catalysts with inexpensive nickel-iron, maintaining 70% efficiency.
The point of no return is approaching
These three energy discoveries are converging at the perfect time. Perovskites will make solar unbeatable on cost. Room-temperature superconductors will eliminate waste in power grids. Efficient electrolysis will turn hydrogen into the ideal storage for renewables.
Individually, each of these energy discoveries would already be revolutionary. Together, they could be the final blow to the fossil fuel era.. No longer a slow and tiring transition, but a rapid and unstoppable paradigm shift.
As we have already analyzed, the road is still full of technical challenges, but every week progress is being made that seemed impossible until recently.
Perhaps ten years from now we will look back on this period as the moment when everything changed. When three seemingly separate energy discoveries joined forces to truly make the fossil fuel industry obsolete and pave the way for a clean, abundant, affordable energy future.
