Cleantech and Environmental News – Latest Headlines

Lignin-feasting microbe holds promise for biofuels

Nature designed lignin, the tough woody polymer in the walls of plant cells, to bind and protect the cellulose sugars that plants use for energy. For this reason, lignin is a major challenge for those who would extract those same plant sugars and use them to make advanced biofuels. As part of their search for economic ways to overcome the lignin challenge, researchers have characterized the enzymatic activity of a rain forest microbe that breaks down lignin essentially by breathing it.

November 13, 2013 Read more

Solar cells utilize thermal radiation

Thermal radiation from the sun is largely lost on most silicon solar cells. Up-converters transform the infrared radiation into usable light, however. Researchers have now for the first time successfully adapted this effect for use in generating power.

November 13, 2013 Read more

New generation of micro sensors for monitoring ocean acidification

The first step in developing a cost-effective micro sensor for long-term monitoring of ocean acidification has been achieved by a team of scientists and engineers.

November 13, 2013 Read more

New design tools for the deployment and improvement of ocean energy arrays

The DTOcean (Optimal Design Tools for Ocean Energy Arrays) initiative will allow a suite of design tools to be developed for the deployment of ocean energy arrays. These tools will be contributing towards open-sea demonstration in ocean energy arrays of the technologies for capturing ocean current energies and wave energies.

November 13, 2013 Read more

Improving analysis of greenhouse gas emissions

The Centre for Carbon Measurement at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is partnering with Astrium Services to deliver a new emissions measurement service to enable countries and cities to better quantify their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

November 13, 2013 Read more

Mobile app for alternative fueling station locations in the U.S. released

New application for iPhone helps users find stations offering electricity, biodiesel, natural gas, and other alternative fuels.

November 12, 2013 Read more

Project sets out to boost the wind energy sector by further improving the reliability of wind turbines

The WINDTRUST project kicked off in September 2013 with the objective of improving the competitiveness of the wind energy sector by developing and testing innovative components to further improve turbine reliability.

November 11, 2013 Read more

Waste could help fuel low carbon energy and transport

In a time when society - and nature itself - are threatened by climate change, it seems fair to ask: Does recycling still matter? Two Swedish scientists say it does.

November 11, 2013 Read more

A web portal about climatic effect of black carbon is open

The portal is one of the main products of project 'Mitigation of Arctic warming by controlling European black carbon emissions'. The project will continue until end of year 2013.

November 11, 2013 Read more

NSF $400K grant to research turbulence caused wear and tear on wind turbines

Researchers have documented that one of the key reasons the costs for wind energy remain high is because wind turbines have shorter lifespans compared to other energy-producing technologies, which can be directly linked to wear and tear caused by turbulence. Finding a solution to this problem is the aim of this new grant.

November 8, 2013 Read more

SunShot Initiative funds project to advance solar cells

With support of a $3.5 million, three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative, the team will develop new ultra-thin silicon solar cells designed to increase the amount of electricity that can be produced through direct conversion of sunlight.

November 8, 2013 Read more

Safe long term storage of CO2 is possible

At the final conference of the EU project CO2CARE - CO2 Site Closure Assessment Research - more than 60 experts from academia, industry and regulatory authorities from 13 countries discussed technologies and procedures for a safe and sustainable closure of geological CO2 storage sites.

November 8, 2013 Read more

Solar Energy: Improved Data mining tool for hourly solar radiation

Solar energy is free, clean, and usually available in abundance. However, solar radiation is also less predictable than many kinds of fossilfuel. Researchers at the Institute of Networked and Embedded Systems have developed a model that allows a more accurate prediction of hourly solar radiation.

November 7, 2013 Read more

SmartLight more than a bright idea, it's a revolution in interior lighting ready to shine

The innovative solar technology 'would change the equation for energy,' according to the researchers.

November 6, 2013 Read more

New aluminum alloy stores hydrogen

We use aluminum to make planes lightweight, store sodas in recyclable containers, keep the walls of our homes energy efficient and ensure that the Thanksgiving turkey is cooked to perfection. Now, thanks to a group of Japanese researchers, there may soon be a new application for the versatile metal: hydrogen storage for fuel cells.

November 5, 2013 Read more

The next big thing in the energy sector: Photovoltaic generated DC electricity

A viable solution for sustainable energy transmission is the onsite generation of electricity using the photovoltaic method of converting solar energy directly into electrical energy.

November 5, 2013 Read more

Electronics for safe, efficient electric vehicles

Although increasing numbers of electric vehicles are being sold in Europe, the internal combustion engine still remains king of the road. EU-funded researchers are trying to change that, developing technology that promises to significantly improve the range and efficiency of EVs without compromising comfort or safety.

November 5, 2013 Read more

Building towards 'nearly zero energy' cities

An ambitious four-year project is to develop and demonstrate replicable strategies for designing, constructing and managing large scale district renovation projects for achieving nearly zero energy cities. The results will open the way for new refurbishments that bring the EU closer to its 2020 goal of ensuring that all new buildings consume very little energy.

November 5, 2013 Read more