Cleantech and Environmental News – Latest Headlines

New study documents the natural relationship between CO2 concentrations and sea level

By comparing reconstructions of atmospheric CO2 concentrations and sea level over the past 40 million years, researchers based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton have found that greenhouse gas concentrations similar to the present (almost 400 parts per million) were systematically associated with sea levels at least nine metres above current levels.

January 2, 2013 Read more

New car sharing network in Berlin to use foldable electric cars (w/video)

Deutsche Bahn and Hiriko to cooperate on a pilot project with which to progressively incorporate the Basque vehicle into the car sharing network with which Deutche Bahn completes its railway services.

January 2, 2013 Read more

CCS is a necessity for a world hooked on fossil fuels

International Energy Agency lists 2013 priorities to re-energise deployment of carbon capture and storage.

January 2, 2013 Read more

Demand for clean-energy credits in India doubled in December

Bids from companies seeking to buy credits climbed 106 percent from the November trading session, while sell bids gained 18 percent.

January 2, 2013 Read more

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