Electricity can flow through graphene at high frequencies without energy loss

[Dexter]

This is huge. I didn't think it was possible to conduct electricity without energy loss.

http://phys.org/news/2016-03-electricity-graphene-high-frequencies-energy.html

Electrical signals transmitted at high frequencies lose none of their energy when passed through the 'wonder material' graphene, a study led by Plymouth University has shown. Discovered in 2004, graphene – which measures just an atom in thickness and is around 100 times stronger than steel – has been identified as having a range of potential uses across the engineering and health sectors. Now research has shown graphene out-performs any other known material, including superconductors, when carrying high-frequency electrical signals compared to direct current, essentially transmitting signals without any additional energy loss.

[Free Vulcan]

Most people don't realize that a big problem with our electrical distribution system is the grid itself. Line losses are on the order of 80% in rural areas from the generation plant.

If we could eliminate even half of that, we wouldn't need to build anything for a long long time.

[Dexter]

It's pretty expensive to produce right now but hopefully not for long.

http://www.graphenea.com/pages/graphene-price

In several years, bulk graphene prices may drop below that of silicon, enabling graphene to enter all markets now dominated by silicon, such as computing, chip manufacturing, sensors, solar cells, etc. In the meantime, graphene will continue to be used for applications that other materials simply cannot support. For example, silicon cannot be integrated into future flexible smartphones, because silicon is brittle and will break upon bending. Graphene offers a competitive solution.

[Sanguine]

This is huge!