Energy & Green Tech news

Engineering

Cool roofs could have saved lives during London's hottest summer

As many as 249 lives could have been saved in London during the 2018 record-setting hot summer had the city widely adopted cool roofs, estimates a new study by researchers at UCL and the University of Exeter.

Engineering

Engineers develop solar-powered lithium extraction from brine

A team of engineers at Nanjing University, working with a pair of colleagues from the University of California, Berkeley, has developed a new way to extract lithium from briny water.

Engineering

Soda production process eliminates CO₂ emissions

Fraunhofer researchers and their partners have developed an innovative and eco-friendly method of producing soda, essential for a wide range of industries, in the Green Soda project. The process is based on bipolar electrodialysis ...

Energy & Green Tech

Developing a data-driven approach for digitalized, sustainable battery cell production

The further development and evolution of existing storage systems is a key prerequisite for the energy transition. The Center for Digitalized Battery Cell Manufacturing (ZDB) at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing ...

Energy & Green Tech

China drives record growth in renewable energy jobs: report

A record 2.5 million jobs were created in the renewable energy sector in 2023, most of them in China, the International Renewable Energy Agency and International Labor Organization said on Tuesday.

Energy & Green Tech

Getting to zero emissions: A call for unified energy planning

As competition between gas and electric utilities heats up due to clean energy-promoting policies that emphasize replacing gas with electricity, state regulators need to overhaul their approach to regulation, argue scholars ...

Engineering

New cooling system works on gravity instead of electricity

Its abundance of sunlight and heavy investment in solar cell technology has positioned Saudi Arabia well in its transition to becoming a leading exporter of renewable energy. Indeed, solar energy currently makes up more than ...

Energy & Green Tech

Researcher wants to ensure AI doesn't ruin the environment

Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the world as we know it. It's been used for everything from health-care monitoring to writing speeches. But the technology's impact on the environment is becoming a serious concern.

Energy & Green Tech

Britain's last coal-fired power station closes

The UK's last coal-fired power station will officially close its doors on Monday, making Britain the first G7 country to end its reliance on the fossil fuel to produce electricity.

Energy & Green Tech

Nepal dam-building spree powers electric vehicle boom

Taxi driver Surendra Parajuli's decision to buy an electric cab would have been unthinkable a decade ago, when chronic power cuts left Nepalis unable to light their homes at night.

Energy & Green Tech

More wind, less hot air

Predictions about how much wind power will be in place by the year 2040 have been too conservative according to research published in the International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy.

Energy & Green Tech

New lithium batteries from used cell phones

Lithium-ion batteries are used around the world, and though over the last few years they have had some competition, such as sodium and magnesium, they continue to be indispensable due to their high density and capacity. The ...

Energy & Green Tech

Potassium metal battery emerges as a rival to lithium-ion technology

From cell phones, to solar power, to electric cars, humanity is increasingly dependent on batteries. As demand for safe, efficient, and powerful energy storage continues to rise, so too does the call for promising alternatives ...

Energy & Green Tech

Bifacial solar advances with the times—and the sun

Traditional solar modules convert light to electricity using photovoltaic (PV) cells on the top side of the panels. Now, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers are shining a light on what lies beneath.

Energy & Green Tech

VW ditches natural gas to focus on e-cars

Volkswagen on Monday said it will stop developing natural gas-fuelled cars as the German auto giant bets on electric engines in the battle to woo climate-conscious drivers.

Energy & Green Tech

Solar energy solutions for facades

Photovoltaic elements are usually found on rooftops—after all, that's where solar irradiation is highest. However, as researchers at the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP have discovered, PV elements on facades ...

Energy & Green Tech

More efficient, longer-lasting solid oxide fuel cells

Solid oxide fuel cells, or SOFCs, are devices that produce both electricity and heat by oxidizing a fuel such as natural gas or biogas. This energy-efficient, zero-emission technology has the potential to meet domestic and ...

Energy & Green Tech

Say goodbye to power outages

With the goal of eliminating brownouts and blackouts, new research from UBC's Okanagan School of Engineering is redesigning how electricity is distributed within power grids.

Energy & Green Tech

Data centers use less energy than you think

If the world is using more and more data, then it must be using more and more energy, right? Not so, says a comprehensive new analysis.

Energy & Green Tech

Iron powder as the battery of the future

Iron in the tank. It seems like a fairy tale, but iron has a bright future as a fuel. Clean from the pump, no CO2 emissions, that's what researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology say.

Engineering

Australia could soon export sunshine to Asia via a 3800-km cable

Australia is the world's third largest fossil fuels exporter – a fact that generates intense debate as climate change intensifies. While the economy is heavily reliant on coal and gas export revenues, these fuels create ...

Energy & Green Tech

Decarbonizing energy supply by using community power

Renewable energy has become a mainstream source of power production. The estimated share of renewables in global electricity generation reached 26 % at the end of 2018, while far less growth occurred in heating, cooling and ...