Category Archives: Energy & Green Tech

Experts and residents believe air pollution contributes to higher rates of cancer and respiratory disease in Zouk Mikael. After losing four relatives to respiratory illness, Zeina Matar fled her hometown north of Lebanon’s capital where she says a decaying power plant generates little electricity but very deadly pollution. Thick black smoke sometimes billows from its…

To support U.S. offshore wind energy projects, like Block Island Wind Farm (seen in this photo with NREL offshore wind energy researcher Walt Musial [middle]), an NREL team has evaluated the industry’s workforce needs and opportunities. Credit: Dennis Schroeder, NREL In the smallest town in the country’s smallest state, something big has happened. In 2016,…

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In some parts of South Africa’s Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, sugarcane fields stretch as far as the eye can see. The crop is more than just a treat for those with a sweet tooth: in 2017 the country’s sugar industry had an estimated value of more than R12 billion; of this,…

From January through September 2022, the U.S. experienced 15 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each. Some of these events caused multi-day power outages. Credit: NOAA Americans want their electricity to be cheap, clean and reliable, but that trifecta is becoming more elusive, thanks to climate change. According to a 2021…

Graphical abstract. Credit: Chemical Engineering Journal (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2022.139048 Alcohols are used to remove impurities on the surface of semiconductors or electronics during the manufacturing process, and wastewater containing alcohols is treated using reverse osmosis, ozone, and biological decomposition. Although such methods can lower the alcohol concentration in wastewater, they are ineffective at completely decomposing…

Visual representation of the Battery Data Genome illustrates how data flows freely between data hubs, even though not all hubs are entirely open. Credit: National Renewable Energy Laboratory In response to daunting climate challenges, battery researchers are mobilizing to increase collaboration and data sharing. Recent advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are leading…

Graphical abstract. Credit: Applied Energy (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.120035 Efficient pricing will be crucial to minimize energy costs for private operators who provide on-the-highway wireless charging for electric cars—and for consumers who will use this service, according to new Cornell research in Applied Energy. Employing dynamic pricing strategies in the marketplace could save consumers as much…

Credit: Shutterstock About 30% of Australian homes have rooftop solar panels installed—the highest uptake of any nation. Their popularity has been helped along by government subsidies that reduce the upfront costs of the technology. But these subsidies may not always have a positive climate impact. While people like to “keep up with the Joneses” on…

Credit: DesignRage/Shutterstock As winter approaches, and with energy bills at record highs, insulating the UK’s leaky homes has never been more urgent. With 14% of greenhouse gas emissions coming from heating and powering homes, it would also help the country meet its climate change targets—a genuine win-win. Yet current policies to encourage more efficient energy…

Synthesis of the microcapsules. Credit: Energy Storage and Saving (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.enss.2022.09.003 It is no news that society’s dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels has led to the ongoing global energy and climate crisis. The emissions from coal, natural gas, and petroleum-based fuel are major contributors to air pollution and, in turn, global warming. In society’s…