Is Blockchain Technology the Future? | The Crypto Mile explains

On this week’s show, our host Brian McGleenon is joined by founder of Cardano Charles Hoskinson, Input-Output director of Africa operations John O’Connor and Obama administration presidential appointee and executive director of the Blockchain Foundation Cleve Mesidor. This episode sees the contributors discuss the potential of blockchain technology to forge the foundation of web3 and disrupt legacy systems of government, finance and logistics across the globe.

How A Sand Battery Could Change The Energy Game

As you know, efficient energy storage systems are the conundrum of making the most out of intermittent renewable energy. Unless you’ve had your head in the sand, it’s a glaring problem we have to solve, which is why so many different battery technologies are being explored and developed. To the point that some of them are now coming out of the sand … that’s what recently happened in Finland where the world’s first commercial sand battery technology went live this past July. How does it work and is it a viable path for storing energy? Let’s see if we can come to a decision on this.

The ‘Sand Battery’ that heats your home, NOT the planet!

The global energy crisis is starting to really hurt, and the prospects for winter fuel prices are starting to look pretty bleak for millions of people in the Northern hemisphere. So how do we get ourselves off our hopeless dependence on fossil fuels? And if the alternative is intermittent renewables then how are we going to keep our homes constantly warm during the colder months? Perhaps our friends in Scandinavia can provide some answers…

Can The U.S. Overtake China’s EV Battery Dominance? Let’s Take One Apart to Find Out

As part of a broader move to onshore U.S. battery production from countries like China, The Inflation Reduction Act is calling for at least 50% of an EV battery to be “Made in America” for EVs to qualify for a federal discount. That’s going to be a challenge, as right now no vehicle would qualify, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. So what ingredients go in to America’s batteries? And can those batteries ever be fully “Made in America”?

You’ve Never Seen a Water Heater Like This

When it comes to heating and cooling our homes, or producing hot water, a heat pump is one of the most energy efficient ways to go. However, there’s a category of material that can store heat for a water heater, or in insulation to reduce your heating and cooling needs. Phase change materials (PCM) have high energy storage properties, can be easy to install, and don’t take up a lot of space. We’re essentially talking about a heat battery. Are phase change materials a good option for our homes? Let’s see if we can come to a decision on this.