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On Bornholm, 80% of homes are heated with a water system fuelled by the burning of waste, straw, biogas, and woodchips. Image credit - Lilly M/Wikimedia commons, licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
environment | energy | policy
28 April 2020

How to go carbon neutral: Lessons from a Danish island

When fish stocks crashed in the Baltic in the late 1990s, the islanders of Bornholm, Denmark, realised they had to reinvent themselves. Their rocky outcrop, some 200km east of Copenhagen, had been in decline for years. Its 40,000-plus inhabitants needed a new path, and they chose to pursue sustainability.

Skypull's prototype designs are being tested in Switzerland to prove that the concept works before they build a full-size version. Image credit - Skypull
energy | environment | industry
06 April 2020

Flying high: how drones on cables are expanding the scope of wind energy

By harnessing the power of strong winds at higher altitude than turbines reach, airborne wind energy could be another key source of renewable energy, but it will need a combination of successful designs, more robust software and good storytelling to really take off.

E20 fuel would double the amount of ethanol in petrol and could reduce the EU's emissions from gasoline by 8.2%. Image credit - Piqsels, licenced under CCO
transport | environment | energy
09 March 2020

Why raising the alcohol content of Europe’s fuels could reduce carbon emissions

By 2030, a fifth of the fuel that motorists put into the petrol tanks of their cars could be alcohol, according to research concluding that new petrol and ethanol blends can reduce carbon emissions from Europe’s transport sector with little additional cost to consumers.

Countries in Europe are committed to decarbonising, but experts say not nearly enough is being done and that we need real political action. Image credit - Peter Castleton/Flickr, licensed under CC BY 2.0)
energy | environment | policy
16 September 2019

Five things you need to know about: decarbonising Europe

Countries across Europe have, in the past few years, announced their intention to become carbon neutral in the coming decades. Some, like Norway, have targets for 2030, while others, like the UK and France, have goals that extend to 2050. Despite the differences, however, all have agreed to decarbonise, but just what will this entail, and how will it work?

Retrofitting of houses on a large scale needs to start now to meet 2050 net zero energy target.Image credit - REMOURBAN
energy | environment
12 August 2019

‘Reverse fridges’ and insulated walls – how to make a house carbon neutral

As the world moves towards a carbon neutral future, many different areas from industry to manufacturing are working to reduce their emissions. But scientists are beginning to look at a different area – houses – to work out if it’s possible to reduce emissions from Europe’s homes to zero by retrofitting on a mass scale. And the early signs are promising.

Switching to more efficient appliances can save people money over time, although they are often more expensive to buy. Image credit - Photo Mix
energy | frontier research | policy
25 July 2019

Shoppers ‘can’t afford’ energy efficient cars, homes - researchers

Europeans can slash their fuel bills and have a significant impact on curbing global greenhouse gas emissions by buying more energy efficient cars, homes or even fridges – but many do not because of higher initial cost of green products, mistrust in EU energy ratings, and lack of awareness of long-term savings, researchers say.

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.

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