All posts tagged: storage

The Best RAM for Your PC (2025)

The Best RAM for Your PC (2025)

Published by skeptic

DDR4 vs DDR5 There are currently two standards on the market, and there probably will continue to be for a while as DDR4 phases out. Chances are, if you’re upgrading an older system, you’ll need DDR4 RAM, and if you’re building a new system, you’ll be looking for DDR5. Check your motherboard model to make sure, because they aren’t compatible with each other. You can also check out an in-depth explainer on the differences between DDR4 and DDR5 if you’re curious. Capacity Once you know whether you need DDR4 or DDR5, the next major decision is how much memory you want. Unless you really plan on just browsing the web and watching the occasional video, I recommend starting at 32GB. Most memory is sold in kits, so if you want 32GB you’ll typically buy a pair of 16GB sticks, often shown in listings as 2x16GB, and install them according to your motherboard’s instructions for dual channel memory. Some gamers may benefit from 64GB of memory, but anything more would be for special use cases. Speed …

Having sparse links in the hippocampus may maximize memory storage

Having sparse links in the hippocampus may maximize memory storage

Published by skeptic

Our brain’s memory center has a sleek design, new data show. The finding comes from looking at living human hippocampus tissue. This part of the brain plays a key role in learning and memory. The analyzed tissue revealed fairly few cell-to-cell links between the vast number of nerve cells in the hippocampus. But signals sent through those sparse links proved extremely reliable and precise. Cellular neuroscientist Peter Jonas led the new research. He works at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria in Klosterneuburg. His team shared its findings January 23 in Cell. Peeking into the memory center The brains of all mammals have two hippocampi. One’s in the brain’s left hemisphere. The other is in the right. The brain has two hippocampi (red), one in each hemisphere. Anatomography/Life Science Databases(LSDB)/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.1 JP) Each hippocampus contains a smaller region known as the CA3 area. In humans, some 1.7 million nerve cells — called pyramidal cells — reside there. But much of what we know about these cells has come from studies in mice. And …

The future of energy storage with time crystals

The future of energy storage with time crystals

Published by skeptic

The world of energy storage is undergoing a revolutionary shift with the emergence of quantum batteries. Recent research by Federico Carollo, Associate Professor at the Research Centre for Fluid and Complex Systems at Coventry University, has shed light on how time crystals could play a crucial role in the development of these cutting-edge energy storage devices. What are time crystals and how do they work? Unlike conventional crystals such as diamonds or quartz, which have a fixed atomic structure that repeats in space, time crystals exhibit a unique property where their patterns repeat over time. This continuous oscillation allows them to exist in a dynamic state, never settling into equilibrium. Because of these unique characteristics, time crystals have attracted significant interest for their potential applications in quantum computing, quantum sensors, and now quantum batteries. Unlocking the potential of quantum batteries Quantum batteries, powered by quantum mechanical principles, have the potential to store and transfer energy faster and more efficiently than traditional batteries. The research conducted by Carollo and his colleagues focused on the thermodynamics of …

Lignin-based jet fuel unlocks hydrogen storage breakthrough

Lignin-based jet fuel unlocks hydrogen storage breakthrough

Published by skeptic

This cutting-edge discovery offers a potential solution to one of the most persistent challenges in renewable energy: finding efficient, safe, and cost-effective hydrogen storage and transportation methods. A game-changing hydrogen storage solution Hydrogen, often referred to as the fuel of the future, is a clean and high-energy carrier that holds immense promise for decarbonising industries and achieving zero-emission goals. However, its low density and highly volatile nature make conventional storage methods, such as pressurised tanks, inefficient and expensive. Researchers at Washington State University (WSU), in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the University of New Haven, and Natural Resources Canada, have demonstrated a novel approach to storing hydrogen chemically in a stable liquid form. The key lies in lignin-based jet fuel – an experimental fuel derived from lignin, a naturally occurring polymer found in plants. This innovative material allows hydrogen to bind chemically, enabling high-density storage without the need for cumbersome pressurised systems. Harnessing the power of lignin-based jet fuel The research highlights the dual potential of lignin-based jet fuel. Not only does it act …

Puerto Rico just got .2B in DOE financing to boost its grid with solar + storage

Puerto Rico just got $1.2B in DOE financing to boost its grid with solar + storage

Published by skeptic

Photo: Convergent Energy The US Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $1.2 billion in financing to replace Puerto Rico’s fossil fuel plants with solar and battery storage through 2032. The DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced two conditional commitments and one loan closing to power producers in Puerto Rico. Each supports a project contracted with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The announcements include: The closing of a $584.5 million loan guarantee to subsidiaries of Convergent Energy to finance a 100 MW solar farm with a 55 MW (55 MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the municipality of Coamo and BESS installations in the municipalities of Caguas (25MW/100MWh), Peñuelas (100MW/400MWh), and Ponce (up to 100MW/400MWh) A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $133.6 million to a subsidiary of Infinigen for a 32.1 MW solar farm with an integrated 14.45 MW (4.76 MWh) BESS, and a co-located standalone 50 MW (200 MWh) BESS expansion in the municipality of Yabucoa A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $489.4 million to a …

This long duration compressed air energy storage project just got a .76B DOE loan

This long duration compressed air energy storage project just got a $1.76B DOE loan

Published by skeptic

Image: Hydrostor Hydrostor’s GEM A-CAES has received a conditional loan guarantee of up to $1.76 billion from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to build the Willow Rock Energy Storage Center, a cutting-edge compressed air energy storage (CAES) system, in Eastern Kern County, California. If everything goes as planned, Willow Rock will bring 500 megawatts (MW) and 4,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of long-duration energy storage (LDES) to the southern California power grid. This system will lower energy costs, improve grid reliability during peak demand, and expand the rollout of renewable energy into the grid. Here’s how it works and why it’s unique. How compressed air energy storage works CAES technology is all about storing energy for later use, especially when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Here’s how it works: Storing energy: The system takes surplus energy (often from renewable sources like solar or wind) and uses it to compress air, which is stored in underground caverns. Releasing energy: When the grid needs power, the compressed air is released, passing through a turbine …

You might forget all about cloud storage when you switch to this dual USB drive in 2025

You might forget all about cloud storage when you switch to this dual USB drive in 2025

Published by skeptic

When your phone screen starts flashing the low-storage notifications a little more than usual, your first instinct is probably to grab some cloud storage. It’s the easiest option, right? Sure, but do you really want to pay a recurring fee for extra space? We definitely don’t, which is why it might be time to switch back to a thumb drive. No, it’s not the thumb drive you had in middle school. This one is a dual USB drive with USB-A and USB-C ends for double compatibility, comes with 1TB of storage, and has super-quick transfer speeds. And unlike your usual cloud storage options, you’ll never have to pay a recurring fee again once you order your flash drive for only $69.97 (reg. $109). Cloud storage, who? There’s a new thumb drive in town Your life is already overrun with subscriptions for everything from Netflix to your Equinox membership, so why would you want to pay yet another subscription for your cloud storage, too?  Imagine starting 2025 with one less subscription and actually owning your storage by investing …

Affordable Third-Party Mac Studio Storage Upgrades Coming in 2025

Affordable Third-Party Mac Studio Storage Upgrades Coming in 2025

Published by skeptic

French company Polysoft has successfully reverse-engineered Apple’s proprietary storage modules for the Mac Studio and plans to offer more affordable upgrade options starting in January 2025, following a successful Kickstarter campaign. The company’s “Studio Drive” modules will be available in 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB capacities, with pricing starting at €399 ($420) for 2TB, €799 ($843) for 4TB, and €1,099 ($1,158) for 8TB – roughly half of what Apple charges for comparable storage upgrades at the time of purchase. Unlike traditional SSDs used in PCs, Apple’s storage modules require specialized engineering because the actual storage controller is built into the M1 and M2 chips rather than being part of the removable module. To develop compatible modules, Polysoft conducted extensive reverse engineering, sacrificing an original Apple module for detailed analysis. The company removed all its small components one by one using a laser station, inventoried them and measured their characteristics, then scanned every layer with a flatbed scanner. From this work, the company then made its own schematics and designed different boards, using the same Kioxia and …

Corporate America is investing in record levels of solar and storage

Corporate America is investing in record levels of solar and storage

Published by skeptic

Corporate America is investing in clean energy at record levels, with tech giants taking the top spots for users of solar. Meta, Google, and Amazon are leading the charge in solar and battery storage adoption, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA’s) latest “Solar Means Business” report. Meta continues to hold the title of the top solar user in corporate America, with nearly 5.2 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity installed. Meanwhile, Google leads the way in energy storage, boasting 936 megawatt-hours (MWh) of installed battery capacity. Through the first quarter of 2024, these companies have added the most solar capacity to their electricity portfolios, with major players like General Motors, Toyota, and US Steel also climbing the ranks. The report reveals that US businesses have installed nearly 40 GW of solar capacity both onsite and offsite through Q1 2024, and corporate storage use now exceeds 1.8 gigawatt-hours (GWh). Even more growth is coming: Companies have over 3 GWh of battery storage under contract that will come online in the next five years. “Some of …

The Music Industry’s ’90s Hard Drives Are Dying

The Music Industry’s ’90s Hard Drives Are Dying

Published by skeptic

One of the things enterprise storage and destruction company Iron Mountain does is handle the archiving of the media industry’s vaults. What it has been seeing lately should be a wake-up call: Roughly one-fifth of the hard disk drives dating to the 1990s it was sent are entirely unreadable. Music industry publication Mix spoke with the people in charge of backing up the entertainment industry. The resulting tale is part explainer on how music is so complicated to archive now, part warning about everyone’s data stored on spinning disks. “In our line of work, if we discover an inherent problem with a format, it makes sense to let everybody know,” Robert Koszela, global director for studio growth and strategic initiatives at Iron Mountain, told Mix. “It may sound like a sales pitch, but it’s not; it’s a call for action.” Hard drives gained popularity over spooled magnetic tape as digital audio workstations, mixing and editing software, and the perceived downsides of tape, including deterioration from substrate separation and fire. But hard drives present their own …