Do biofuel policies seek to cut emissions by cutting food?
A new study finds that government biofuel policies rely on reductions in food consumption to generate greenhouse gas savings.
Mar 27th, 2015
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Cleantech and Environmental News – Latest Headlines
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New tool to improve the sustainability of the transport sector
There is no single fuel solution for the future and therefore other alternatives based on the global combination of alternative fuels need to be explored. That is why BIOLCA has been developed. It is a tool that helps to specify, select and encourage more sustainable fuels.
Mar 27th, 2015
Read moreAnalysis sees many promising pathways for solar photovoltaic power
New study identifies the promise and challenges facing large-scale deployment of solar photovoltaics.
Mar 27th, 2015
Read moreAgricultural waste could be used as biofuel
A new study pinpoints five strains of yeast capable of turning agricultural by-products, such as straw, sawdust and corncobs, into bioethanol - a well-known alcohol-based biofuel.
Mar 26th, 2015
Read moreSqueeze to remove heat: Elastocaloric materials enable more efficient, 'green' cooling
Materials that change temperature in response to mechanical stress could make possible solid-state refrigerators that are not only more efficient than traditional vapor compression cooling technology, but environmentally-friendly replacements.
Mar 24th, 2015
Read moreSewage could be a source of valuable metals and critical elements
Poop could be a goldmine - literally. Surprisingly, treated solid waste contains gold, silver and other metals, as well as rare elements such as palladium and vanadium that are used in electronics and alloys. Now researchers are looking at identifying the metals that are getting flushed and how they can be recovered.
Mar 23rd, 2015
Read moreMimicking nature's chemistry to solve global environmental problems
How do you take the sea of gases that makes up our atmosphere and convert that into liquid fuels? Or how do you remediate greenhouse gases and turn them into something usable for the chemical industry?
Mar 23rd, 2015
Read moreA molecule from plants and trees could make our roads and roofs 'greener'
Construction crews may someday use a plant molecule called lignin in their asphalt and sealant mixtures to help roads and roofs hold up better under various weather conditions. It also could make them more environmentally friendly.
Mar 22nd, 2015
Read moreAdapting to climate change will bring new environmental problems
Adapting to climate change could have profound environmental repercussions, according to a new study. It reveals that adaptation measures have the potential to generate further pressures and threats for both local and global ecosystems.
Mar 20th, 2015
Read moreHidden benefits of electric vehicles revealed
Electric vehicles are cool, research shows. Literally. A new study adds more fuel to the already hot debate about whether electric vehicles are more environmentally friendly than conventional vehicles by uncovering two hidden benefits.
Mar 19th, 2015
Read moreWhy is low-carbon energy innovation so slow? You can thank Economics 101
A new report raises a question vital for the future: what government policies are most effective at accelerating energy innovations? A study of the economic forces in energy and environment, some of which are different than other industries, can help answer this.
Mar 19th, 2015
Read moreMany plastics labeled 'biodegradable' don't break down as expected
Plastic products advertised as biodegradable have recently emerged, but they sound almost too good to be true. Scientists have now found out that, at least for now, consumers have good reason to doubt these claims.
Mar 18th, 2015
Read moreElectronic waste has energy value
Using discarded electronic boards, researchers have developed a system for obtaining clean hydrogen that can be used as fuel. The researchers have already registered the patent of the process in Japan.
Mar 18th, 2015
Read moreA better way of scrubbing CO2
A means by which the removal of carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants might one day be done far more efficiently and at far lower costs than today has been discovered by a team of researchers. By appending a diamine molecule to the sponge-like solid materials known as metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs), the researchers were able to more than triple the CO2-scrubbing capacity of the MOFs, while significantly reducing parasitic energy.
Mar 17th, 2015
Read moreThe cost of limiting global warming
Study finds real-world choices affect cost of emissions reduction, and shift them from emerging to industrialized countries.
Mar 16th, 2015
Read moreGroundbreaking research 'measures the pulse of planet Earth' to reveal hidden patterns of climate change
International research team reveals subtle changes in Europe's climate through method used by heart surgeons.
Mar 16th, 2015
Read moreNovel monitoring tools tackle chemical surface waters pollution
New report prepared in the context of the EU water framework directive.
Mar 13th, 2015
Read moreTurning smartphones into personal, real-time pollution monitors
Scientists have used smartphone and sensing technology to better pinpoint where and when pollution is at its worst.
Mar 11th, 2015
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