Sources &
corrections

Elastocaloric prototypes using nitinol have demonstrated temperature differentials near 30 degrees C, sufficient in principle for residential air conditioning, with no liquid refrigerant.

A high-performance multimode elastocaloric cooling system was published in Science by a University of Maryland-led team.

Nitinol suffers large superelastic hysteresis, high transformation stress and limited cyclic stability, which remain the principal barriers to commercial elastocaloric products.

Exergyn, a Dublin company, has built an L12 elastocaloric prototype heat pump using hydraulic actuation of nitinol plates at tens of kilowatts output.

Most domestic refrigerators manufactured from roughly 2015 onward use R-600a (isobutane) as refrigerant, in charges typically between 30 and 70 grams, rather than R-134a.

Sodium-ion cell costs in 2026 are reported in the range of 50 to 70 dollars per kWh, compared with roughly 52 to 55 dollars per kWh for lithium iron phosphate.

CATL's Naxtra sodium-ion cells are reported at 175 Wh/kg, and the grid-scale variant targets 15000 cycles to 80 percent capacity retention.

Natron Energy is a US sodium-ion manufacturer using Prussian-blue-type electrode materials, targeting data centres, telecom backup and industrial sites.

LONGi reported a perovskite-silicon tandem cell efficiency of 34.85 percent, NREL-validated, exceeding the single-junction Shockley-Queisser limit of 33.7 percent.

Oxford PV is shipping commercial perovskite-silicon tandem modules at approximately 24.5 percent efficiency to US utility customers.

Remaining barriers to perovskite commercialisation are moisture sensitivity, lead content, uniform large-area deposition and 25-year stability; 1000-hour accelerated stability testing remains a hurdle.

Mainstream installer-grade tandem panels carrying 25-year warranties are estimated to be 18 to 36 months away as of 2026.

Sublime Systems uses an ambient-temperature electrochemical process to produce ASTM C1157-compliant cement as a drop-in replacement for ordinary portland cement, avoiding fossil-fuelled kilns and limestone feedstock.

Sublime's first commercial facility at Holyoke, Massachusetts is sized at up to 30000 tons of cement per year.

Brimstone plans a first-of-a-kind commercial demonstration plant producing an estimated 103000 metric tons per year of ordinary portland cement from calcium silicate rocks, avoiding over 77000 metric tons of CO2 annually.

US federal funding was rescinded for Sublime Systems and Brimstone; Sublime subsequently cut approximately 10 percent of its workforce.

Achates Power built and tested four 10.6L opposed-piston engines under the Heavy Duty Diesel Demonstration Programme, reporting a 96 percent reduction in tailpipe NOx and 75 percent reduction in engine-out particulate versus benchmark diesels.

Achates Power is targeting series production of a heavy-duty opposed-piston engine in 2027. The company previously expected first commercial use by 2020.

The opposed-piston layout is not new. Fairbanks Morse 38 8-1/8 opposed-piston diesels served in US Navy submarines and remain in service in marine and stationary applications.

A consolidated class action alleges premature valve-train lifter failure in GM 5.3L and 6.2L V8 engines with Active Fuel Management or Dynamic Fuel Management. Harrison et al. v. General Motors LLC, E.D. Mich., Case No. 2:21-cv-12927-LJM-APP, pending since December 2021. No global settlement as of 2026.

In March 2026 a federal judge denied a motion to split the GM lifter litigation, keeping AFM and DFM vehicles in one proceeding.

ICON reports its construction-scale 3D printing has been used in more than 245 homes and structures across residential, commercial and military applications.

ICON states its Titan system is engineered to deliver wall systems at roughly 20 dollars per square foot, against approximately 34 dollars per square foot cited for traditional stick framing.

ICON Titan customer training is expected to begin in Q3 2026 with first system deliveries planned for early 2027. Reservations require a 5000 dollar deposit.

US DOE efficiency-standards rulemakings put average service life at 14.3 years for standard-size refrigerators, 13.4 years for clothes washers, 14 years for dryers, and 15.2 years for dishwashers.