Rony
Moderator
The construction industry is rapidly growing and changing due to evolving tools and technologies. In today’s age, we have a type of cement that can generate its own electricity. It’s a huge step towards sustainability and solving the energy issue all over the world.
Engineers have created this type of cement to enable buildings to generate and store energy through exposure to external mechanical energy sources like waves, footsteps, and wind.
The use of a cement-based conductive composite (CBC) with carbon fibre fillers as a structural energy material is being introduced to collect and store energy.
The applications and benefits of cement that can turn concrete into an electricity-generating component are innumerable. It will mitigate the serious issue of the environment consuming more than 40% of the world's energy.
Furthermore, by using this type of cement, the cement manufacturers and cement suppliers will have the opportunity to provide world-class construction material to all types of companies.
Current tests on the newly-invented cement show that there is no danger of electrocution, and adding 1% conductive carbon fibres in the cement mixture is enough to get the electrical properties without affecting the quality of the construction material.
Professionals from Incheon National University, Kyung Hee University, and Korea University have contributed to this invention by developing a cement-based conductive composite with carbon fibres that will act as a mechanical energy harvester.
Moreover, other devices are also developed to test the capabilities related to energy storage and harvesting.
The goal behind it is to develop an energy material that can develop net-zero energy structures fully capable of producing and storing their own electricity. A similar system can also act as a self-evaluating system to determine the overall structural health of the building and determine the remaining life of the concrete structures.
It is highly expected that as more cement companies become involved in using this construction material, its applications will expand, and electricity-generating concrete will become more popular as an all-in-one energy material to construct net-zero energy structures.
The concrete panels are made of ultra-thin solar panels that are supplied to the building site in a convenient manner. According to the business behind this new creative concept, a standard 10-story structure covered with 60% solar panels could produce roughly 30% of the yearly energy demand.
The roof is made up of multiple layers of concrete, with the base, which houses the heating and cooling coils and insulation, being topped in further concrete layers.
The sun’s energy is then harvested using thin photovoltaic cells. Solar panels on your roof aren't a novel or unique concept in today's world, but different sophisticated versions of the technology have emerged in recent years, providing hope for the future of clean, inexpensive energy.
Mechanical pressure has also been used to persuade concrete into producing electricity. Laurence Kemball-Cook, a British industrial engineer, created Pavegen, a concrete paver that uses piezoelectric technology to transform applied mechanical force from footfalls into an electrical charge.
The energy-capturing surface of the pavers is made of recycled tire rubber, and it sits on top of a recycled polymer concrete foundation. The power generated may be used for a variety of purposes, including night-time lighting.
If developers are interested in such innovative construction material, they should contact the cement suppliers and cement companies to discuss their requirements and find out if they can find a suitable material.
Engineers have created this type of cement to enable buildings to generate and store energy through exposure to external mechanical energy sources like waves, footsteps, and wind.
Significance of Energy Generating Cement
The concept of a net-zero energy structure that can be self-sufficient to generate electricity and resolve the energy crisis has been a well-explored solution since buildings and infrastructures are regarded as the most critical objective for constructing an energy zero smart city.The use of a cement-based conductive composite (CBC) with carbon fibre fillers as a structural energy material is being introduced to collect and store energy.
The applications and benefits of cement that can turn concrete into an electricity-generating component are innumerable. It will mitigate the serious issue of the environment consuming more than 40% of the world's energy.
Furthermore, by using this type of cement, the cement manufacturers and cement suppliers will have the opportunity to provide world-class construction material to all types of companies.
Current tests on the newly-invented cement show that there is no danger of electrocution, and adding 1% conductive carbon fibres in the cement mixture is enough to get the electrical properties without affecting the quality of the construction material.
Professionals from Incheon National University, Kyung Hee University, and Korea University have contributed to this invention by developing a cement-based conductive composite with carbon fibres that will act as a mechanical energy harvester.
Moreover, other devices are also developed to test the capabilities related to energy storage and harvesting.
The goal behind it is to develop an energy material that can develop net-zero energy structures fully capable of producing and storing their own electricity. A similar system can also act as a self-evaluating system to determine the overall structural health of the building and determine the remaining life of the concrete structures.
It is highly expected that as more cement companies become involved in using this construction material, its applications will expand, and electricity-generating concrete will become more popular as an all-in-one energy material to construct net-zero energy structures.
Photovoltaic Concrete
Photovoltaic concrete is another revolutionary kind of concrete that can generate energy from light. It works with the help of semiconducting, which is the basic working principle of solar panels.The concrete panels are made of ultra-thin solar panels that are supplied to the building site in a convenient manner. According to the business behind this new creative concept, a standard 10-story structure covered with 60% solar panels could produce roughly 30% of the yearly energy demand.
Application of Photovoltaic Concrete
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich have successfully applied photovoltaic concrete by creating ultra-thin prototype roofs.The roof is made up of multiple layers of concrete, with the base, which houses the heating and cooling coils and insulation, being topped in further concrete layers.
The sun’s energy is then harvested using thin photovoltaic cells. Solar panels on your roof aren't a novel or unique concept in today's world, but different sophisticated versions of the technology have emerged in recent years, providing hope for the future of clean, inexpensive energy.
Mechanical pressure has also been used to persuade concrete into producing electricity. Laurence Kemball-Cook, a British industrial engineer, created Pavegen, a concrete paver that uses piezoelectric technology to transform applied mechanical force from footfalls into an electrical charge.
The energy-capturing surface of the pavers is made of recycled tire rubber, and it sits on top of a recycled polymer concrete foundation. The power generated may be used for a variety of purposes, including night-time lighting.
The Bottom Line
The good thing is that the technology is rapidly evolving and a large number of cement manufacturers are exploring various different options to provide sustainable cement and concrete. With time, it is expected that a wide range of net-zero cement and concrete options will be available in the market.If developers are interested in such innovative construction material, they should contact the cement suppliers and cement companies to discuss their requirements and find out if they can find a suitable material.