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The IPCC has identified accelerated technological innovation as a critical part of limiting global warming. Image credit - Pixabay/rasov, licensed under pixabay license
policy | energy | environment
25 June 2019

Which climate innovations will really limit global warming?

From a chemical-free spray that turns sand into lush green land, to a caterer who serves planet-friendly dishes, and from technology that makes stronger concrete with less cement, to insect farms that produce fish food and fertilisers, there is no shortage of ideas to reduce emissions. But which ones work best?

It is possible to increase access to basic living standards within the current national levels of energy use in India, Brazil and South Africa, research shows. Image credit - Pixabay/Free-Photos, licensed under pixabay license
energy | frontier research
06 June 2019

Why providing the necessary energy to end poverty need not cost the Earth

Providing access to energy – vital for a decent standard of living and ending poverty – can be done in a way that is sustainable for people surviving on low incomes and for the planet, researchers have found.

Young scientists are blurring the boundaries between advocacy and research, according to Luciana Miu, vice chair of the 2019 International Student Energy Summit. Image by David Holt on Flickr, CC-BY 2.0
interview | energy | policy | environment
29 May 2019

‘Young scientists share protesters’ sense of urgency on climate’

Young scientists have the ambition, disruptive thinking and sense of urgency to drive clean energy forward at the radical pace that is needed, says Luciana Miu, a PhD student in chemical engineering who is focusing on energy efficiency at Imperial College London, UK. 

Viticulture is a good starting point for community-based energy initiatives, according to researchers, as it is both energy-intensive and vulnerable to climate effects. Image credit - Esther Marín-González
energy
06 May 2019

Homemade energy gets boost to go mainstream

New rules and initiatives to support communities wanting to produce their own renewable energy could help ordinary people play a key role in the European Union’s transition to clean energy.

Prof. Damien Ernst says current emissions-cutting activities are not working and it's time to consider new strategies. Image credit - University of Liège
interview | energy | environment
11 December 2018

Governments at COP24 should focus on building a global electricity grid – Prof. Damien Ernst

Governments at the COP24 climate change conference in Katowice, Poland, which ends on 14 December, should tackle fossil-fuel reliance by building a global energy grid that connects renewable energy from all around the world - and the best place to start is with a giant wind farm in Greenland, says Professor Damien Ernst, an energy scientist from the University of Liège, Belgium.

The EU should cut greenhouse gases by 80% compared to 1990 levels by 2050, according to the European Commission's low-carbon economy roadmap. Image Credit: Rachel Clarke, CC BY-NC 2.0
environment | energy | policy
28 November 2018

‘Internet of electricity’ and zero-carbon molecules will help decarbonise Europe – report

An ‘internet of electricity’, zero-carbon cities and turning European soils into carbon sinks are among a slew of ambitious ideas to decarbonise our society and slash greenhouse gas emissions proposed by environmental experts in a report published on 28 November.

Scientists at Hellisheidi geothermal power plant in Iceland have demonstrated a carbon capture and storage cycle at half the cost of previous estimates. Image Credit: Arni Saeberg, CarbFix
environment | energy | industry
27 November 2018

Storing CO2 underground can curb carbon emissions, but is it safe?

At first glance, it almost sounds crazy. Can we really take carbon dioxide emissions from an industrial plant and store them underground? To find out, research is currently taking place to test if such an idea is not only viable but safe, and prove that to the public.

Researchers in Europe are trying to work out how record-breaking solar cells contacts can be mass-produced. BedZed Eco village. Image credit: Flickr- Bioregional International, licensed under CC.
energy | industry
21 November 2018

Record-breaking solar cells get ready for mass production

Sandwiching an oxygen-rich layer of silicon between a solar cell and its metal contact has allowed researchers in Europe to break performance records for the efficiency with which silicon solar cells convert sunlight into electricity. But the challenge now is how to make these so-called passivating contacts suitable for mass production.

Using a proton exchange membrane electrolyser to produce hydrogen from renewable electricity and water can help industry slash emissions. Image credit - Siemens
energy
15 November 2018

Can we produce enough green hydrogen to save the world?

Around a fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions are produced by industries such as steel and cement so if we’re going to work towards an emission-free society then this is a good place to start. And one promising technology may have a key role to play.

Advocates of floating offshore wind platforms say they are cheaper to run and install, less disruptive to sea life, and have greater output than near-shore alternatives. Image credit - WindFloat
energy | environment
19 October 2018

Offshore wind farms to test business in deep water

As wind turbines become increasingly familiar sights along shorelines, developers of offshore floating platforms, which harness the powerful winds further out to sea, are seeking to establish their technologies as a major viable source of clean energy.

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