Global manufacturers of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are preparing for "one of the largest factory buildouts in world history" to meet what is expected to be massive demand, particularly for plug-in electric vehicles and stationary energy storage.

mPhase Technologies says it is in the home stretch with a "refined prototype" of a new automotive and marine battery technology, with a plan to reveal the mysterious product sometime in 1Q12.

Printed, flexible, and organic electronics enable next-gen displays and other applications; however, technical hurdles and dev cycles impede ROI. The key is partnerships sharing materials, equipment, and device development expertise, shows Jonathan Melnick, Lux Research.

A team of engineers from Northwestern University has created an electrode for lithium-ion batteries that allows the batteries to hold a charge up to 10 times greater than current technology. Batteries with the new electrode also can charge 10 times faster than current batteries.

Printed electronics can improve existing electronics and energy applications, replacing non-printed layers in displays or increasing crystalline silicon photovoltaics efficiency, among other applications shared by IDTechEx.

mPhase Technologies was granted access to the technical facilities at the Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Labs, for work on its MEMS Smart silicon membrane, a key component of the mPhase Smart NanoBattery.

VC funding in solar PV companies and projects rose modestly in 3Q11 while M&A activity is really heating up, and one sector is getting even more of investors' attention, according to a pair of analyst reports.

China's lithium ion battery market rose 38% in 2010 to RMB 27.61 billion and is expected to keep growing rapidly, thanks to the country's strong automotive industry and competitive local governments pushing to develop high-end technologies, CCID Consulting reports.

Stanford researchers have designed a sulfur-based lithium-ion battery cathode with increased energy density and improved reliability, thanks to the construction of carbon nanofibers and sulfur.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists designed a tailored polymer that enables increased energy storage in lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries with silicon anodes, maintaining the increased energy capacity in tests over a year later with many hundreds of charge-discharge cycles.

An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) consent order now permits SWeNT to manufacture and distribute multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) for commercial applications.

Using a microreactor and control software, Quantum Materials Corporation (QMC) and the Access2Flow Consortium of the Netherlands achieved a continuous flow process to mass produce quantum dots.

Ener1 Inc. (NASDAQ:HEV) will restructure its 8.25% Senior Amortizing Notes with Goldman Sachs Asset Management L.P. and other Note holders. Ener1’s primary shareholder, BzinFin S.A., has extended the maturity of its $15-million line of credit from November 2011 to July 2013.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers created a titanium dioxide compound material that increases surface area and features a fast charge-discharge capability for lithium ion batteries. The compound's manufacturing process, however, is complex.

Renewable energy power platform maker ZBB Energy Corporation (NYSE Amex: ZBB) entered into agreements to open a joint venture (JV) company in China, including a new manufacturing center in WuHu City.

Executives from PennWell and the Shenzhen Bai De Exhibition Co. gathered in Shenzhen City, China, recently to announce the highlights of Asia SOLAREXPO, to be held on 3- 5 December 2011 in Shenzhen, South China.

Rice University researchers created a solid-state, CNT-based supercapacitors, combining aspects of high-energy batteries and fast-charging capacitors with harsh-environment ruggedness.

MIT researchers developed a photovoltaic system that relies on heat to generate electricity without mechanical parts. The material's nano-surface engineering enables it to convert heat into precisely tuned light wavelengths, which are then transmitted onto matched photovoltaics cells.

Carl Zeiss Nano Technology Systems, CEOS GmbH, and the University of Ulm have completed 2 years of evaluation and are starting the second phase of the Sub Angstrom Low Voltage Electron Microscope (SALVE) project.