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Direct ethanol from microalgae

A team of European scientists is on a mission to prove that microalgae can be used to produce bioethanol as a biofuel for less than EUR 0.40 a litre.

Sep 3rd, 2013

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Desalination to secure water in the desert

Murdoch University researchers are working with the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia (NCEDA) on an innovative project to secure water supplies in desert communities.

Sep 2nd, 2013

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Mapping the renewable energy potential below our feet (w/video)

Easy-to-access visualisation of the 'very shallow geothermal potential' of Europe has been made possible thanks to an EU-funded project. By harmonising pre-existing data relating to geological, hydrogeological, soil and climate, the THERMOMAP project has developed an open source web service, accessible to all.

Sep 2nd, 2013

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Modular battery concept for short-distance traffic

Electric mobility may be economically efficient today. Battery-based electric drives can be applied efficiently in urban buses, for instance. Frequent acceleration and slow-down processes as well as a high utilization rate in short-distance traffic make their use profitable even when considering current battery costs. At the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) will present an e-city bus demonstrator to illustrate the concept.

Sep 2nd, 2013

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Solar energy for sensor nodes

Tiny solar cells applied directly to a silicon chip are a potential way of efficiently and reliably powering wireless sensor networks in the future. Above all, this would simplify large-scale applications, for instance in agriculture.

Sep 2nd, 2013

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ASU LightWorks, Sandia partner to tackle renewable energy challenges

Arizona State University and Sandia National Laboratories have signed a formal partnership agreement on important renewable energy challenges. The goals of the memorandum of understanding are to encourage collaborative research, build educational and workforce development programs and inform policy endeavors.

Aug 31st, 2013

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More efficient production of biofuels from waste with the help of modified yeasts

A significant portion of the petroleum consumed by the transport sector must be replaced in the long term by renewable energy. Therefore, it is of the utmost economic and ecological importance to optimise the production of biofuels from renewable raw materials. Researchers have now developed yeast strains that produce bio-ethanol from waste with an unprecedented efficiency.

Aug 29th, 2013

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China's power sector heads towards a cleaner future

China's power capacity will more than double by 2030 and renewables including large hydro will account for more than half of new plants, eroding coal's dominant share and attracting investment of $1.4 trillion. China's power sector carbon emissions could be in decline by 2027.

Aug 27th, 2013

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The next 'black gold' could be green

Recent decades have witnessed several cycles of interest in being able to exploit these organisms. Research has examined the use of algae for remediating waste water or nutrient-overloaded coastal seas, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or directly from industrial chimneys, in beneficial products such as proteins and antioxidants, and to produce oil and liquid fuels. Given its indisputable virtues, why has microalgae not been put to use in these ways?

Aug 27th, 2013

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