A recent grant from the National Science Foundation will try to spur new advances in the clean power sector by providing new storage methods for electricity generated from the sun, wind and other sources.

Storage has been a key issue long facing the renewable energy industry. For example, solar energy arrays can only generate power during the daylight hours, while wind turbines can do so only during proper conditions.

According to an announcement from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the $2 million NSF grant will be used to develop new nanotechnology-based options that use ceramic materials in place of conventional batteries.

"The transformative nature of capacitive energy storage - a totally new approach to energy storage - will have a tremendous impact on the increased use and efficiency of wind and solar power, as well as conventional coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric generation," said Rensselaer professor Doug Chrisey.

Chrisey went on to report that the planned technology aims to be lighter and more efficient than today's batteries, while also containing no moving parts that could reduce their usefulness over time.