Most recent 40 articles: PHYS.ORG - Technology
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Clean energy slump - why Australia's renewables revolution is behind schedule, and how to fix it - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 18) |
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May 18 · But unfortunately, this impressive pace is not fast enough.
Investments in renewable energy plants slowed in 2023—financial approvals for new solar farms shrank more than a third and no new wind farms won backing. By the end of that year, Australia had 56 renewable energy projects under construction, down from 72 a year earlier.
For Australia to achieve the federal government's 43% emissions cut target by 2030, and the deeper and swifter cuts required after that, we need to accelerate. The federal government wants the electricity sector to be generating at least 82% from renewable sources by 2030. The electricity sector needs to be clean enough by that year to make ... Read more ...
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Ineos drives towards hydrogen car future - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 18) |
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May 18 · At a sprawling vehicle test center in the English countryside, a hydrogen-powered Grenadier 4x4 made by Ineos Automotive grips steep and rugged tracks, showcasing its off-road capabilities.
Making the demonstrator car was "a really obvious thing" to do, the company's chief executive Lynn Calder told journalists at the unveiling this week.
The young, fast-expanding company is part of petrochemicals giant and hydrogen producer Ineos, run by British billionaire and Manchester United stakeholder Jim Ratcliffe.
"When we embarked upon the demonstrator project, we saw the opportunity to showcase... that we have a completely uncompromised Grenadier in net zero form," she ... Read more ...
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Aviary: A new NASA software platform for aircraft modeling - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · Using this tool, researchers can create simulations of conceptual aircraft featuring never-flown technology and receive detailed data about how it would work.
Named "Aviary" for enclosures where birds are kept and studied, the tool creates virtual models of airplanes based on information provided by the user. In this analogy, Aviary is the enclosure, and the birds are the virtual airplane models.
Aviary is a significant leap in progress. Unlike past aviation modeling tools, Aviary can link with other codes and programs to expand and customize its capabilities.
"We wanted to make it easy to extend the code and tie it in with other tools," said Jennifer Gratz, who ... Read more ...
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Energy transition risks critical mineral shortage: IEA - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · The sharp drop in prices for minerals critical to the green energy transition is masking a looming shortage due to inadequate investment, the International Energy Agency said Friday.
In its second annual review of the market for such critical materials, the IEA noted prices for minerals key for electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels fell back to pre-pandemic levels as supplies caught up with and surpassed demand.
While the price drops are good news for consumers, the Paris-based agency expressed concern it will deter investment needed to meet demand, which is set to soar as many nations try to phase out sales of new internal combustion engine cars in the next ... Read more ...
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Floating photovoltaics could limit Africa's future reliance on hydro-generated energy - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · "Our paper was inspired by the growing interest and potential of FPV as an emerging renewable energy technology, and the continued push for hydropower development in developing economies, particularly in Africa," Wyatt Arnold, co-author of the paper, told Tech Xplore.
"Despite the environmental and social risks associated with large hydroelectric dams, many countries are still planning significant hydropower expansions to meet their rapidly growing energy demands. We wanted to explore whether FPV could serve as a viable alternative or complement to these planned hydropower projects."
The recent study by Arnold and his colleagues Matteo Giuliani and Andrea Castelletti had ... Read more ...
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Germany turns to coal power to keep the lights on - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · Even green Europeans would rather tap coal than face the reality of overdependence on unreliable renewable energy.
During late April, Germany's energy regulator said the country needs more coal power. That's surprising news, because its leaders have long bought into global warming alarmism. But it again highlights the problems that arise when green rhetoric on energy runs into reality.
To lower carbon emissions, German officials have spent decades revamping how the country generates power. Germany has moved away from reliable sources, such as nuclear and coal, to embrace green power, such as wind.
In 2020, German officials even decided to give more than 4 billion ... Read more ...
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Safer and stronger: Non-flammable electrolyte extends battery life - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · In response to these safety concerns, there has been a concerted effort within the scientific community to develop safer alternatives that maintain, or even enhance, battery performance while mitigating fire hazards.
In a significant advancement in battery technology, scientists at Shenzhen University have developed a novel quasi solid-state electrolyte that considerably enhances the safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries.
The study, published in April 2023 in the Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, details the electrolyte's ability to withstand higher voltages and its non-flammable properties.
The novel formulation blends succinonitrile, a substance with ... Read more ...
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Self-driving auto companies have made advancements, but technology is still lacking, expert says - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · Autonomous vehicle evangelists say the potential benefits are vast. With fewer human drivers on the road, there could be a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a decrease in vehicular accidents, and less traffic congestion.
Self-driving companies such as Waymo, Cruise and Amazon's Zoox have been developing that technology for more than a decade, deploying and testing their robotaxi services in select U.S. cities, including Phoenix and San Francisco.
Advancements have been made over the past 10 years and these companies continue to expand their operations in more cities. Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, last month began offering its robotaxi service in parts of Los ... Read more ...
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Sun, sustainability, and silicon: A double dose of solar fuel research - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · Over the past decade, basic research aimed at creating sustainable, solar-powered liquid fuel has reached a crossroads. New semiconductor materials can effectively capture sunlight and catalyze the conversion of carbon dioxide into valuable products, such as liquid fuels. However, it is often challenging to form a single product. Molecular catalysts can form a single product from carbon dioxide (CO2) but are not stable. Consequently, many scientists say neither of those approaches is adequate for large scale production.
But a third methodology is now emerging. Yale chemists involved in the Center for Hybrid Approaches to Solar Energy (CHASE) are combining new semiconductor ... Read more ...
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US reaches a new clean energy milestone, with 5 million solar projects installed - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · When Peter Gorr got his first solar roof in 2011, he didn't know what to expect.
But installation went smoothly, the smooth black panels lowered his electric bills, and Gorr - who is very concerned about climate change - relished the opportunity to lower his carbon footprint.
He recalled with a chuckle how his wife, Susan, kidded him when he initially hesitated to turn on the air conditioner on a 90-degree day.
"What are you saving - sunbeams?" she asked.
Gorr, who has since moved to a ranch in Deer Park - and installed his second solar roof - is part of a wave of homeowners who have helped the U.S. reach a new clean energy milestone.
The nation now has ... Read more ...
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US tariffs on Chinese EVs hurt green transition: XPeng boss - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 17) |
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May 17 · The president of Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng on Friday criticized the fresh tariffs on Chinese cars imposed by Washington as "unfavorable" for the United States' energy transition.
US President Joe Biden announced earlier this week the quadrupling of customs duties on Chinese electric cars to 100 percent, which China slammed as politicizing an economic issue and a breach of World Trade Organisation rules.
XPeng president and vice-chairman Brian Gu said at an event in Hong Kong on Friday that the levies will lead to "higher costs and slower product iteration", hampering the US's green energy ambitions.
"For an auto market as important and large as the US, ... Read more ...
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What Honda's big electric vehicle announcement in Ontario really means - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 16) |
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May 16 · In 2010, Ontario's economic future looked grim. Tied as it had been for more than a century to the automobile industry, the provincial economy was in freefall.
General Motors and Chrysler went bankrupt, dozens of plants were shuttered, and tens of thousands of well-paying auto jobs were lost along Ontario's automotive-producing zone from Windsor to Oshawa.
Ontario's auto sector, once the wellspring of the province's prosperity, looked to be in the process of an inevitable decline. It was, quite literally, a dinosaur industry seemingly destined to go the way of Australia's, which closed its last car plant in 2017.
Barely 15 years later, in April Honda announced a ... Read more ...
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Battery supply chain database maps out the state of North America's manufacturing base - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 16) |
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May 16 · This focus on securing the clean energy supply chain—in particular domestically—is a key part of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) research supporting the energy transition. NREL researchers across clean energy technology areas investigate ways to optimize supply chains through data collection, assessments, benchmarking, and cost/sensitivity analyses.
NREL's support was critical to the recent U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report, "America's Strategy to Secure the Supply Chain for a Robust Clean Energy Transition," which outlines key areas for strengthening supply chain resiliency, including increasing the availability of critical materials and ... Read more ...
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Danish researchers explore how to reduce transport carbon emissions - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 16) |
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May 16 · This is reflected in the accounts of the Danish transport sector's carbon emissions, with road transport accounting for about 90%. About two-thirds of road emissions come from passenger cars, while the remaining third comes from trucks, buses, and vans.
In Denmark, the passenger car is the means of transport that people use the most, according to the Danish National Travel Survey, which is prepared by DTU. The latest study shows that in 2023, passenger cars accounted for 73% of all the kilometers we traveled domestically.
Errands and chores in our spare time are our most common transport reasons, with shopping being the main purpose. Only a quarter of Danes' travel are ... Read more ...
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Finding credible pathways to net-zero emissions: The challenge of scaling up an emerging electrification technology - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 16) |
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May 16 · But it's one thing to say we need to transition our energy systems, and another to figure out how to do it in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.
To help, Khan has created the Energy Transition Lab with the goal of developing and analyzing novel materials, technologies and credible transition pathways towards net-zero emissions for Canada.
Khan says the question of credibility is key for his 10-person lab, which employs systems-level analysis to examine whether new technologies or solutions will ultimately help or hinder the overall goal of energy transition.
"Before investing money, energy and time developing new materials and processes, we need to understand ... Read more ...
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Mastering fundamentals: First step for promising new sustainable vehicle fuels - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 16) |
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May 16 · Biomass-based diesel has an overall smaller carbon footprint than conventional diesel because it is not made from fossil fuels. Today's biomass-based diesel is primarily produced by processing fats and oils from plant matter and animal products, known as "feedstocks."
"We're producing about four billion gallons a year of fats and oils for conversion to fuels, with about half of that going to biodiesel in the United States today," said NREL's Bob McCormick, a senior research fellow. "But we use 46 billion gallons of diesel a year for transportation. It's a bottleneck that is slowly being alleviated by conversion of other forms of biomass."
To fill the gap between demand ... Read more ...
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NASA's X-59 passes milestone toward safe first flight - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 16) |
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May 16 · NASA has taken the next step toward verifying the airworthiness for its quiet supersonic X-59 aircraft with the completion of a milestone review that will allow it to progress toward flight.
A Flight Readiness Review board composed of independent experts from across NASA has completed a study of the X-59 project team's approach to safety for the public and staff during ground and flight testing. The review board looked in detail at the project team's analysis of potential hazards, focusing on safety and risk identification.
Flight Readiness Review is the first step in the flight approval process. The board's work will provide the X-59 team with insights and ... Read more ...
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Why cheap renewables are stalling - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 16) |
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May 16 · The warnings of climate scientists are at fever pitch: halt the burning of coal, oil and gas or risk catastrophic warming of at least 2.5°C. With solar and wind energy plentiful and supposedly cheap to harvest, why is ditching fossil fuel so hard anyway?
Renewable sources generate nearly a third of the world's electricity—and a handful of new studies suggest that rapidly decarbonizing the remainder is possible.
In fact, some evidence suggests the transition needn't be all that painful.
Shovels at the ready
"Over half of Africa's people—about 600 million—lack access to even the bare minimum of electricity," say Christiane Zarfl and ... Read more ...
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Wind farms can offset their emissions within two years, new study shows - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 16) |
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May 16 · That's according to a new study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand—which also shows within six months a turbine can generate all the energy consumed across its life-cycle.
"The wind turbine technology employed in New Zealand is consistent with that used internationally," explains lead author Isabella Pimentel Pincelli from the Sustainable Energy Systems research group, Wellington Faculty of Engineering, at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.
"Although the carbon offset depends on the exact older technology the wind turbines are replacing, we would expect a similar offset internationally. In New Zealand it is gas turbines, ... Read more ...
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Amazon's satellite internet network Project Kuiper plans new Everett facility - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · Amazon will open a new logistics center in Everett, Washington, for its broadband satellite network, Project Kuiper, expanding its ability to design, test and manufacture satellites in the Puget Sound region.
At the 184,000-square-foot facility, Project Kuiper workers will receive and sort supplies that will then be used to construct thousands of satellites. Those materials from third-party vendors will be the physical and metaphorical nuts and bolts that are used to construct each satellite. They will range from electrical boxes to mechanical structures to specialty items, said Steven Metayer, vice president of product operations at Amazon.
The new facility, set to open ... Read more ...
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Developing carbon-capture batteries to store renewable energy, help climate - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · This type of battery stores the renewable energy generated by solar panels or wind turbines. Utilizing this energy when wind and sunlight are unavailable requires an electrochemical reaction that in ORNL's new battery formulation captures carbon dioxide from industrial emissions and converts it to value-added products.
One of these new battery types maintained its capacity for 600 hours of use and could store up to 10 hours of electricity. Researchers also identified, studied and overcame the primary challenge, a deactivation caused by chemical buildup, that had been an obstacle for the other battery formulation.
"The Transformation Energy Science and Technology, or ... Read more ...
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Model shows green concrete can recycle twice the coal ash as current standards - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · More than 1.2 billion metric tons of coal ash were produced by coal-fired power plants in 2022. In Australia, it accounts for nearly a fifth of all waste and will remain abundant for decades to come, even as we shift to renewables.
Meanwhile, cement production makes up 8% of global carbon emissions and demand for concrete—which uses cement as a key ingredient—is growing rapidly.
Addressing both challenges head-on, engineers at RMIT have partnered with AGL's Loy Yang Power Station and the Ash Development Association of Australia to substitute 80% of the cement in concrete with coal fly ash.
RMIT project lead Dr. Chamila Gunasekara said this represents a ... Read more ...
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Morocco's automotive industry shifts gears to prep for electric vehicle era - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · A train that travels from rural northern Morocco to a port on the Mediterranean Sea carries no passengers. Three times a day, it brings hundreds of cars stacked bumper to bumper from a Renault factory outside Tangiers to vessels that transport them to European dealerships.
Business incentives and investing in infrastructure like the freight railway line have allowed Morocco to grow its automotive industry from virtually non-existent to Africa's largest in less than two decades. The North African kingdom supplies more cars to Europe than China, India or Japan, and has the capacity to produce 700,000 vehicles a year.
Moroccan officials are determined to maintain the ... Read more ...
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New device architecture enables streamlined production of formic acid from CO2 using renewable electricity - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · The challenge for researchers has been to identify efficient and cost-effective CO2 conversion pathways to premium carbon intermediates, such as carbon monoxide, methanol, or formic acid.
The study, titled "A scalable membrane electrode assembly architecture for efficient electrochemical conversion of CO2 to formic acid," was published in Nature Communications.
Formic acid is a potential intermediate chemical with a wide range of applications, especially as a raw material for the chemical or biomanufacturing industries. Formic acid has also been identified as an input for biological upgrading into sustainable aviation fuel.
Novel perforated cation exchange membrane ... Read more ...
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Platinum circularity underpins China's green hydrogen future - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · Platinum plays a crucial role throughout the hydrogen value chain from production to final consumption, and this scarce metal could be a limiting factor in China's expansion of hydrogen fuel use.
Wei-Qiang Chen and colleagues model the potential pathways of China's hydrogen-fuel industry and the corresponding platinum constraints under three emissions scenarios. The study is published in the journal PNAS Nexus.
In the study's models, solar- and wind-powered electrolytic hydrogen production would rapidly expand before 2050 in all three scenarios, as would hydrogen use as freight transport fuel—assuming the cost of fuel cell electric vehicles declines to reach parity ... Read more ...
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Q&A: Technology roadmapping in teaching and industry - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · Olivier de Weck, the Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics and professor of engineering systems, taps into his expertise in systems design and engineering to help company leaders develop their own path to progress. His work has led to an MIT graduate course, two MIT Professional Education classes, and the textbook "Technology Roadmapping and Development: A Quantitative Approach to the Management of Technology."
Recently, his book was honored with the Most Promising New Textbook Award from the Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The textbook not only serves as a guide to students but also to company leaders. Aerospace design and manufacturer Airbus, defense technology ... Read more ...
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Report shows copper can't be mined fast enough to electrify the US - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · Copper cannot be mined quickly enough to keep up with current U.S. policy guidelines to transition the country's electricity and vehicle infrastructure to renewable energy, according to a University of Michigan study.
The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in 2022, calls for 100% of cars manufactured to be electric vehicles by 2035. But an electric vehicle requires three to five times as much copper as an internal combustion engine vehicle - not to mention the copper required for upgrades to the electric grid.
"A normal Honda Accord needs about 40 pounds of copper. The same battery electric Honda Accord needs almost 200 pounds of copper. Onshore wind turbines ... Read more ...
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Research shows adding polymerized ionic liquid improves performance of perovskite solar cells - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · "The commonly employed solution processing method for fabricating perovskite layers introduces many defects in both the bulk and surface of the perovskite layer. These intrinsic defects within the perovskite absorption layer pose a significant constraint on the overall performance of the devices.
"Additive engineering has been demonstrated to be effective as a strategy for defect passivation and performance enhancement in perovskite solar cells," said Qi Cao, a researcher at Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi'an, China.
To further improve the ionic liquids added to perovskite solar cells, researchers can create polymerized or poly ionic liquids. Polymers are ... Read more ...
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Scientists generate heat over 1,000°C with solar power instead of fossil fuel - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · Instead of burning fossil fuels to smelt steel and cook cement, researchers in Switzerland want to use heat from the sun. The proof-of-concept study, published May 15 in the journal Device, uses synthetic quartz to trap solar energy at temperatures over 1,000°C (1,832°F), demonstrating the method's potential role in providing clean energy for carbon-intensive industries.
"To tackle climate change, we need to decarbonize energy in general," says corresponding author Emiliano Casati of ETH Zurich, Switzerland. "People tend to only think about electricity as energy, but in fact, about half of the energy is used in the form of heat."
Glass, steel, cement, and ... Read more ...
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Study shows self-assembled monolayers approach can be applied to regular structure perovskite solar cells - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · Their article, "Nonfullerene Self-Assembled Monolayers As Electron-Selective Contacts for n-i-p Perovskite Solar Cells," is published in ACS Energy Letters.
Self-assembling molecules arrange themselves into a single-molecule-thick layer and in this case, they act as an electron-transporting layer in solar cells.
"The molecules that make up these monolayers, like a clever glue, coat the surface of the constructed devices with a thin one molecule thick layer. And this is not random, they don't stick wherever they go, but attach themselves by chemical bonds only where they are in contact with conductive metal oxide," explains Tadas Malinauskas, Professor at KTU's Faculty of ... Read more ...
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US senators unveil 'roadmap' to AI laws - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · Top US lawmakers on Wednesday said efforts to pass laws governing AI were entering a higher gear and hoped to pump $32 billion into the sector to help assure US dominance.
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said bipartisan legislators had agreed on a policy roadmap and had tasked key senate committees to draft specific proposals on regulating AI.
The US is home to the biggest AI companies in the world and has trailed the EU and other regions on coming up with rules to rein in the sector.
Home to Silicon Valley, the US has always taken a lighter touch to regulating big tech, with criticism that some of the downsides of technology are left unaddressed or up to ... Read more ...
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Using AI to improve building energy use and comfort - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 15) |
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May 15 · Building enclosures rely on heat and moisture control to avoid significant energy loss due to airflow leakage, which makes buildings less comfortable and more costly to maintain. This problem will likely be compounded by climate change due to volatile temperature fluctuations. Since manual inspection is time-consuming and infrequently done due to a lack of trained personnel, energy inefficiency becomes a widespread problem for buildings.
Using the new method, the researchers conducted an advanced study on a multi-unit residential building in the extreme climate of Canadian prairies, where elderly residents reported discomfort and higher electricity bills due to increased ... Read more ...
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'Green grabbing' of Brazilian public and common lands a threat, says study - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 14) |
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May 14 · The study, published in Nature Sustainability, found that land privatization is the dominant means for solar and wind companies to secure land for their power generation infrastructure, which includes the transfer of control of formerly public and common lands to often international companies.
In the years between 2011and 2021, wind power in Brazil grew from 1.2% of its power generation capacity to 11.4%, and solar power grew from 0.1% to 2.6%, with plans for significant growth in place over the next several decades. While the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy reduces carbon emissions, wind parks and solar photovoltaic parks require a significant land footprint. Read more ...
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Cinematic tools can significantly improve user experience in virtual reality environments - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 14) |
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May 14 · This was the result of a recent study conducted by computer scientists at the University of Helsinki. The results were published in May in the Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.
The team aimed to investigate how principles of composition and continuity, commonly used in filmmaking, could be utilized to enhance navigation around virtual environments.
Composition refers to how the elements in a scene are oriented with respect to the viewer, whereas continuity is about how camera positions between shots can help viewers to understand spatial relationships between elements in the scene.
"Using these ideas, we developed a new ... Read more ...
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Digital records can help make European homes and offices greener and healthier - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 14) |
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May 14 · The building is being digitally scanned and fitted with sensors. They count people, measure ambient temperature and detect levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) inside.
Dashboard designs
From his desk in Brindisi about 200 kilometers farther south, Italo Spada can open a file on his computer to monitor the air quality of the school and its energy consumption.
"Our system can give those who run buildings a simple dashboard so that they can see what energy is being consumed or inspect the facilities or see when routine maintenance is due," said Spada, head of the new technologies and design department of the European Research Center for Technologies, Design and Materials, ... Read more ...
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Domestic lime instead of magnesium from overseas could reduce global dependence on raw materials - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 14) |
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May 14 · Their results are published in the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy, and a corresponding plant has already been put into operation.
The supply bottlenecks during and after the peak of the coronavirus pandemic have shown the extent to which global dependencies determine our economy. Political demands and considerations in the EU are, therefore, increasingly focused on making Europe's supply of raw materials more independent again.
The Institute for Technologies of Metals (ITM) at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), together with Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG (FW) in Stadtallendorf and the FEhS—Building Materials Institute e.V. in Duisburg has ... Read more ...
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Investigating the origins of critical deformations in Li-ion batteries - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 14) |
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May 14 · Understanding degradations and failure mechanisms in detail opens opportunities to better predict and mitigate them.
In a new study, a team of researchers led by the Institute of Interdisciplinary Research of the CEA, the Institut Laue Langevin (ILL) and the European Synchrotron (ESRF) in collaboration has examined Li-ion batteries during their lifetime using state-of-the-art, non-intrusive imaging techniques available at neutron and X-ray sources.
The team's paper is published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.
Neutrons and photons are largely complementary. Neutrons are particularly good at seeing lithium and other light elements, while X-rays are ... Read more ...
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New industry readies for launch as researchers hone offshore wind turbines that float - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 14) |
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May 14 · The uneventful outcome is exactly what engineers aimed for.
The demonstration featuring a 13-foot-tall (4-meter-tall) floating wind turbine in an indoor pool aimed to ensure it can withstand the strain of powerful water and wind when much larger versions are deployed in the ocean.
It's the University of Maine's contribution to a worldwide race to improve floating machines to tap wind that blows across deeper waters offshore, too deep to attach turbines to the seabed with permanent pilings.
In the next decade, UMaine researchers said, they envision turbine platforms floating in the ocean beyond the horizon, stretching more than 700 feet (210 meters) skyward and ... Read more ...
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Researchers compile most comprehensive power outage dataset for the US - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 14) |
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May 14 · In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Data, researchers from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have produced the most comprehensive power outage dataset ever compiled for the United States.
This dataset, showing electricity outages from 2014–22 in the 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, details outages at 15-minute intervals for up to 92% of customers for the eight-year period.
According to the researchers, this dataset will prove to be a vital tool in several ways, including assessing the consequences of extreme weather on electricity infrastructure and the power grid and in identifying vulnerability ... Read more ...
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Swedish researchers develop eco-friendly and affordable battery for low-income countries - PHYS.ORG - Technology (May 14) |
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May 14 · A battery made from zinc and lignin that can be used over 8,000 times has been developed by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, with a vision to provide a cheap and sustainable battery solution for countries where access to electricity is limited. The study has been published in the journal Energy & Environmental Materials.
"Solar panels have become relatively inexpensive, and many people in low-income countries have adopted them. However, near the equator, the sun sets at around 6 pm, leaving households and businesses without electricity. The hope is that this battery technology, even with lower performance than the expensive Li-ion batteries, will eventually ... Read more ...
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