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Concentrated solar power with thermal energy storage can help utilities' bottom line

The storage capacity of concentrating solar power can add significant value to a utility company's optimal mix of energy sources, a new report by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) suggests.

Dec 28th, 2012

$9m DOE grant to make rooftop solar energy systems much less expensive

Researchers will use the five-year, $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to design solar energy systems and installation and connection procedures that require little or no customization by homeowners and installers.

Dec 21st, 2012

Researchers develop a biological concrete for constructing "living" facades with lichens, mosses and other microorganisms

Scientists have developed and patented a type of biological concrete that supports the natural, accelerated growth of pigmented organisms. The material, which has been designed for the fa�ades of buildings or other constructions in Mediterranean climates, offers environmental, thermal and aesthetic advantages over other similar construction solutions.

Dec 20th, 2012

Clean air: New paints break down nitrogen oxides

Surfaces with photo-catalytic characteristics clean the air off nitrogen oxides and other health-endangering substances. Using a new test procedure, Fraunhofer researchers can find out how the coatings behave during a long-term test.

Dec 20th, 2012

Peel-and-stick solar panels

Stanford researchers have succeeded in developing the world's first peel-and-stick thin-film solar cells. Unlike standard thin-film solar cells, the peel-and-stick version from Stanford does not require any direct fabrication on the final carrier substrate.

Dec 20th, 2012

When the ice melts, the Earth spews fire

Researchers discover a link between climate and volcanic eruptions.

Dec 19th, 2012

Seeding the oceans with iron may not address carbon emissions

Present plans for seeding the oceans with iron fail to take into account several factors that could scupper those plans.

Dec 19th, 2012

E-waste recycling - at whose expense?

Shakila Umair, researcher at KTH, travelled to Pakistan to see how common electronic devices are dismantled and recycled. She investigated the harsh living conditions of people working with e-waste.

Dec 19th, 2012

Photovoltaic Industry calls on EU to take action against Member States that backtrack on support for renewables

In a letter to EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger, more than 70 solar companies and associations say retroactive measures against support schemes are unfair and damage investment climate for renewables.

Dec 19th, 2012

Countries use innovation to deal with climate change

In a pan-European contest organised by the European Commission, more than 70 organisations from across Europe have taken part in a campaign called 'A world you like. With a climate you like', which aims to find the best and most original idea for combating climate change.

Dec 18th, 2012

Novel ways of substituting critical raw materials

How to be more resourceful is a dilemma facing us all as we strive to reduce, reuse, recycle and substitute. Now an EU project is focusing on the latter with the substitution of critical raw materials.

Dec 18th, 2012

Sustainability scientist: Why don't we measure nature's capital?

While we do measure the bounty that nature provides, we fail to measure the intrinsic wealth that's found in natural goods. That's the reason why our inclusive wealth is not growing, and one of the reasons why we haven't achieved sustainability.

Dec 18th, 2012

Heat trading warms up

A new heat-trading simulation tool could help create the kind of open-market for heat trading as a means to avoid dumping useful heat and save energy while reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Dec 18th, 2012

Warm sea water is melting Antarctic glaciers faster than expected

Inland ice in West Antarctica is melting faster than expected. New observations published by oceanographers from the University of Gothenburg and the US may improve our ability to predict future changes in relation to melting ice.

Dec 18th, 2012

New European grant to search for new resources for biorefineries

EU grant totaling 5,770,922 euros to exploit poplar and tobacco tree for possible new bio-materials.

Dec 18th, 2012

Action by 2020 key for limiting climate change

Limiting climate change to target levels will become much more difficult to achieve, and more expensive, if action is not taken soon, according to a new analysis from IIASA, ETH Zurich, and NCAR.

Dec 17th, 2012

Australia funds new solar research initiative with A$87 million

The eight year collaboration will form the Australian solar thermal research initiative, which aims to lower the cost of solar thermal power from 25 to around 10 cents a kilowatt hour.

Dec 15th, 2012

Will climate change cause water conflict?

A team of international researchers from 14 institutions have met this week to present and debate the results of a 3-year study on water, conflict and security in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Sahel region in Africa.

Dec 14th, 2012