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China to release hourly air pollution monitoring data in 74 of its biggest cities
The new monitoring will include not only PM2.5, but also sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide, the Xinhua news agency said, citing a Friday announcement by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
January 2, 2013 Read more
Groundbreaking air-cleaner saves polluting industrials
Industries across Europe are threatened as European Union emission rules for Volatile Organic Compounds are tightened. Now an aircleaning invention from the University of Copenhagen has proven its ability to remove these compounds.
December 29, 2012 Read more
ACTIVEWINDFARMS to optimise atmospheric energy extraction
ACTIVEWINDFARMS ('Active wind farms: optimization and control of atmospheric energy extraction in gigawatt wind farms') is investigating ways to introduce optimal techniques for improved control of the interaction between large wind farms and the atmospheric boundary layer.
December 28, 2012 Read more
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.
December 28, 2012 Read more
$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.
December 21, 2012 Read more
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 façades of buildings or other constructions in Mediterranean climates, offers environmental, thermal and aesthetic advantages over other similar construction solutions.
December 20, 2012 Read more
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.
December 20, 2012 Read more
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.
December 20, 2012 Read more
When the ice melts, the Earth spews fire
Researchers discover a link between climate and volcanic eruptions.
December 19, 2012 Read more
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.
December 19, 2012 Read more
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.
December 19, 2012 Read more
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.
December 19, 2012 Read more
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.
December 18, 2012 Read more
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.
December 18, 2012 Read more
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.
December 18, 2012 Read more
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.
December 18, 2012 Read more
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.
December 18, 2012 Read more
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.
December 18, 2012 Read more