Cleantech and Environmental News – Latest Headlines

Magnetized fusion technique produces significant results

Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories' Z machine have produced a significant output of fusion neutrons, using a method fully functioning for only little more than a year.

September 23, 2014 Read more

Arctic sea ice helps remove CO2 from the atmosphere

Climate change is a fact, and most of the warming is caused by human activity. The Arctic is now so warm that the extent of sea ice has decreased by about 30 percent in summer and in winter, sea ice is getting thinner. New research has shown that sea ice removes CO2 from the atmosphere. If Arctic sea ice is reduced, we may therefore be facing an increase of atmospheric concentration of CO2, researchers warn.

September 22, 2014 Read more

Ternary blend polymer solar cells with enhanced power conversion efficiency

Researchers identified a new polymer that improved the efficiency of solar cells. They also determined the method by which the polymer improved the cells' efficiency. The polymer allows electrical charges to move more easily throughout the cell, boosting the production of electricity - a mechanism never before demonstrated in such devices.

September 22, 2014 Read more

ARPA-E grant to develop 'hot' solar cells

ARPA-E has awarded $2,540,000 to develop dual-junction solar cells that can operate efficiently at extreme temperatures above 750 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to converting a portion of the sunlight directly into electricity, the solar cells will use the remainder of the light to heat high-temperature fluids that can drive a steam turbine or be stored for later use.

September 22, 2014 Read more

Improving road safety for quad class electric vehicles

Traffic experts warn that the current safety standards of the L7E vehicle class ('quad class') are not sufficient for wide-scale deployment in traffic. Researchers of the Visio.M consortium's Safety subproject have accepted this challenge and are now demonstrating how even light and efficient electric vehicles can achieve an acceptable level of safety.

September 22, 2014 Read more

The first microbe-powered, self-sustaining wastewater treatment system

Researchers have developed a unique method to use microbes buried in pond sediment to power waste cleanup in rural areas. The first microbe-powered, self-sustaining wastewater treatment system could lead to an inexpensive and quick way to clean up waste from large farming operations and rural sewage treatment plants while reducing pollution.

September 19, 2014 Read more

Wind turbines kill around 300,000 birds annually, house cats around 3 billion

A comprehensive peer-reviewed study released today provides the most detailed analysis to date of the impact of bird fatalities at wind energy facilities in North America, and is the first to measure the relative impact of those fatalities on populations of small passerines, including songbirds.

September 18, 2014 Read more

Researchers convert carbon dioxide into a valuable resource

Researchers have opened a pilot plant that converts CO2 and slag, the by-product of steel manufacturing, into a valuable mineral product. The product, Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC), is used in e.g. plastics, papers, rubbers and paints.

September 18, 2014 Read more

Europe's largest and first commercial battery power plant opens

The commissioning of the fully automated unit marks the first time in Europe that a stand-alone battery is stabilizing fluctuations in grid frequency, thus helping to safely integrate wind and solar energy into the existing grid.

September 17, 2014 Read more

Engineers develop algorithms that allow you to switch out and recharge battery modules in electric cars

Imagine being able to switch out the batteries in electric cars just like you switch out batteries in a photo camera or flashlight. A team of engineers are trying to accomplish just that.

September 17, 2014 Read more

Megacities carbon project named 'Project to Watch' by United Nations

A greenhouse gas field measurement research program developed by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and several collaborating institutions has been named a 'Project to Watch' by a United Nations organization that focuses on harnessing big data for worldwide benefit.

September 16, 2014 Read more

Clean energy investment at risk from Scottish referendum vote

A 'yes' vote on 18 September would create uncertainty over the future of the integrated UK power market and over support for renewable energy in Scotland.

September 16, 2014 Read more

Ahoy, offshore wind: Advanced buoys bring vital data to untapped energy resource

Two massive, 20,000-pound buoys decked out with the latest in meteorological and oceanographic equipment will enable more accurate predictions of the power-producing potential of winds that blow off U.S. shores.

September 13, 2014 Read more

Cutting the cloud computing carbon cost

Researchers have investigated how cloud computing systems might be optimized for energy use and to reduce their carbon footprint.

September 12, 2014 Read more

Study: The biomethane market needs clear frame conditions for further growth

Biomethane as a substitute for the fossil energy carrier natural gas offers a variety of options and applications for a sustainable energy supply. Nevertheless, a consequent market penetration is still pending because of a lack of standardized and transnational frame conditions.

September 11, 2014 Read more

New semiconducting material works at temperatures low enough to improve fuel cell efficiency

A serendipitous finding has resulted in a semiconducting material that could enable fuel cells to operate at temperatures two-thirds lower than current technology.

September 11, 2014 Read more

How to estimate energy footprint of highways

This application software, HERA, was developed by researchers of The Transport Research Centre (TRANSyT) at the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid. This application consists of a methodology and a software tool to estimate energy consumption and green house gas of the traffic demand linked to a highway.

September 10, 2014 Read more

Experiment makes energy savings a game

An experiment this summer has shown that consumers might be willing to back off of electricity demand if there's a game of chance involved.

September 10, 2014 Read more