Cleantech and Environmental News – Latest Headlines

Microplastics increase the toxicity of organic pollutants in the environment by a factor of 10

The study suggests that increased toxicity may cause severe damage to the digestive system and to human health.

February 17, 2022 Read more

Breakthrough in converting CO2 into fuel using solar energy

Scientists show how solar power can convert carbon dioxide into fuel, by using advanced materials and ultra-fast laser spectroscopy.

February 16, 2022 Read more

Strong and elastic, yet degradable: protein-based bioplastics

A research team has introduced a new method for the production of protein-based plastics that are easily processable, biodegradable, and biocompatible, as well as having favorable mechanical properties.

February 15, 2022 Read more

Sustainable chemistry based on wood

Researchers are working on producing materials for solar cells, light-emitting diodes and other organic electronics applications as sustainably as possible.

February 15, 2022 Read more

A new, sustainable way to make hydrogen for fuel cells and fertilizers

Unlike current methods, the new method does not require rare metals that are expensive or in short supply. Instead, hydrogen for fuel cells and agricultural fertilizers can now be produced using cobalt and manganese, two fairly common metals.

February 14, 2022 Read more

Reusable plastic bottles release hundreds of chemicals

Scientists have found several hundred different chemical substances in tap water stored in reusable plastic bottles. Several of these substances are potentially harmful to human health.

February 12, 2022 Read more

A new electrolyte for greener and safer batteries

Researchers have developed a new material that improves the performance of solid-state sodium batteries, a less dangerous and more durable alternative to lithium.

February 10, 2022 Read more

Insulation with aerogel: Building lean pays off

Super-insulating materials such as aerogels are expensive. At the same time, they offer a powerful advantage: the thinner the insulation of a building, the larger its usable area.

February 8, 2022 Read more

Researchers report hyper-efficient method for removing carbon dioxide from air

Engineers have demonstrated a way to effectively capture 99% of carbon dioxide from air using a novel electrochemical system powered by hydrogen.

February 4, 2022 Read more

The path to renewable fuel just got easier

Patent-pending process removes biofuel contaminants from wastewater using an additive-free process that generates hydrogen to fuel its own operation.

February 2, 2022 Read more

'Smart' greenhouses could slash electricity costs

A new, internet-connected lighting system for greenhouses could sharply reduce a farmer's electrical bill.

February 2, 2022 Read more

A new way to store sustainable energy: 'Information batteries'

Researchers propose a new way to deal with the intermittency of wind and solar energy sources - and store green energy cheaply and efficiently.

February 2, 2022 Read more

Sustainable electronics reduce environmental load and enable new applications

More sustainable solutions for the electronics industry could be developed by combining printed electronics, bio-based materials and ecodesign thinking.

January 27, 2022 Read more

Stackable artificial leaf uses less power than lightbulb to capture 100 times more carbon than other systems

Unlike other carbon capture systems, which work in labs with pure carbon dioxide from pressurized tanks, this artificial leaf captures carbon dioxide from the air or flue gas and is modular.

January 27, 2022 Read more

Getting hydrogen out of banana peels

Scientists have developed a way to maximize hydrogen yields from biowaste, within few milliseconds. The method uses rapid photo-pyrolysis to produce hydrogen gas and solid conductive carbon from banana peels.

January 25, 2022 Read more

New technique to convert greenhouse gasses into clean energy using photonics

A European consortium is developing a new process that uses sunlight and LEDs to turn carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into clean energy products like methane gas and methanol liquid fuel.

January 18, 2022 Read more

Safe planetary boundary for pollutants, including plastics, exceeded, researchers say

For the first time, an international team of researchers has assessed the impact on the stability of the Earth system of the cocktail of synthetic chemicals and other 'novel entities' flooding the environment. The 14 scientists conclude that humanity has exceeded a planetary boundary related to environmental pollutants including plastics.

January 18, 2022 Read more

Blue LEDs light the way toward sustainable development

A new method for creating a highly useful chemical subunit eliminates the need for precious metals, potentially leading to the sustainable production of pharmaceuticals and electronics.

January 18, 2022 Read more