Cleantech and Environmental News – Latest Headlines

Inkjet printing reduces ecological footprint of organic photovoltaics

Solliance - a cross-border research initiative on thin film photovoltaics - has achieved a world first with a new inkjet printing process for manufacturing environmentally friendly OPV cells that deliver benchmark efficiency. Completely compatible with existing manufacturing technology, the process replaces toxic chlorinated solvents with more benign alternatives.

May 7, 2013 Read more

A123 Systems LLC introduces A123 Energy Solutions

A123 Systems, LLC announced today that its businesses focused on advanced batteries for electric grid, backup power and lead-acid replacements for commercial applications will be branded A123 Energy Solutions, combining the activities of several previous groups of A123 Systems.

May 6, 2013 Read more

The Finnish hydrogen roadmap: Hydrogen to join electricity in ending traffic pollution

The Finnish hydrogen roadmap assesses the export opportunities that can be available to Finnish businesses through international development. The report envisages the kind of energy-, climate- and industrial-political opportunities offered to Finland through widespread adoption of hydrogen energy, and presents realistic recommendations for gaining access to them.

May 6, 2013 Read more

Researchers estimate a cost for universal access to energy

Universal access to modern energy could be achieved with an investment of between 65 and 86 billion US dollars a year up until 2030, new research has shown.

May 3, 2013 Read more

Charging electric vehicles cheaper and faster

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a unique integrated motor drive and battery charger for electric vehicles. Compared to today's electric vehicle chargers, they have managed to shorten the charging time from eight to two hours, and to reduce the cost by around $2,000.

April 30, 2013 Read more

'Superlattice' structure could give a huge boost to oxygen reaction in fuel cells

New research at MIT could dramatically improve the efficiency of fuel cells, which are considered a promising alternative to batteries for powering everything from electronic devices to cars and homes.

April 30, 2013 Read more

In first, electric vehicle-to-grid technology sells power back to power grid

Joined by government and industry leaders, the University of Delaware and NRG Energy are celebrating an important milestone for its eV2g projec: becoming an official resource of PJM Interconnection and proving for the first time that electric vehicle-to-grid technology can sell electricity from electric vehicles to the power grid.

April 29, 2013 Read more

Wind power - even without the wind

Innovative storage system could enable offshore wind farms to deliver power whenever it's needed.

April 26, 2013 Read more

Ceramic foam cleans up exhaust gases

Empa researchers from the Internal Combustion Engines Laboratory are working on a catalytic substrate made of ceramic foam which, in future, will replace the conventional monolithic structure.

April 25, 2013 Read more

Developing innovative technology for green air transport

The creators of a new green air transport system believe innovation is absent in the development of new models of the future, and aim to change this.

April 25, 2013 Read more

Researchers advocate a simple, affordable and accurate technology to identify threats from sea-level rise

Potential for method to be used within a network of wetland monitoring programmes in Southeast Asia and globally for assessing shoreline security and stability.

April 25, 2013 Read more

EU politicians back compromise on car emission targets

EU politicians on Wednesday backed a compromise deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles from 2020 and also called for a 2025 target that would make cars even more fuel efficient.

April 25, 2013 Read more

Working toward a more inexpensive and widespread use of solar energy

The use of solar energy is increasing rapidly, and by 2050, the share of solar electricity may even represent one fourth of all the electricity used worldwide.

April 25, 2013 Read more

New battery design could help solar and wind power the grid (w/video)

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have designed a low-cost, long-life battery that could enable solar and wind energy to become major suppliers to the electrical grid.

April 24, 2013 Read more

Startup brings fuel cells to the developing world (w/video)

Point Source Power's cheap, rugged fuel cells can provide electricity where none exists.

April 24, 2013 Read more

Speeding the search for better methane capture

Berend Smit, an international authority on molecular simulations who holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division and UC Berkeley, led a computational study that found several promising candidates for methane capture in zeolites, porous minerals widely used as alkane-cracking catalysts in oil refinement.

April 24, 2013 Read more

Researchers quantify the significant value that concentrating solar power plants can add to an electric grid

The NREL researchers evaluated the operational impacts of CSP systems with thermal energy storage within the California electric grid managed by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). NREL used a commercial production cost model called PLEXOS to help plan system expansion, to evaluate aspects of system reliability, and to estimate fuel cost, emissions, and other operational factors within the CAISO system.

April 24, 2013 Read more

Recipe for low-cost, biomass-derived catalyst for hydrogen production

Scientists describe details of a low-cost, stable, effective catalyst that could replace costly platinum in the production of hydrogen. The catalyst, made from renewable soybeans and abundant molybdenum metal, produces hydrogen in an environmentally friendly, cost-effective manner, potentially increasing the use of this clean energy source.

April 24, 2013 Read more