Energy

Trucks on Orkney carry hydrogen produced by wind- and tide-powered electrolysis in special lightweight high pressure cylinders, designed to adhere to the low weight limit of the island roads. Image credit: Colin Keldie for BIG HIT

17 October 2018

Hydrogen use doesn’t emit carbon but its production often does. That could soon change

Hydrogen can be used to power cars, supply electricity and heat homes, all with zero carbon emissions. The snag is that the vast majority of hydrogen itself is derived from fossil fuels – a fact that scientists are now hoping to change. They plan to clean up production to kickstart a dedicated economy – something that has already found small-scale success in Scotland’s Orkney Islands.

Dr Keywan Riahi said the first step in limiting global warming should be curbing energy demand. Image credit - Dr Riahi

environment | energy

12 October 2018

Climate actions that lift people out of poverty are often most cost-effective

The most cost-effective climate change actions are also those that could help us achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) such as ending poverty and hunger, according to Dr Keywan Riahi, director of the energy program of the International Institute Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria, who says the first step should be to cut our energy demand.

Researchers want to make climate forecasts more accessible to help the energy and other industries better predict spikes in usage. Image credit - Pxhere, licensed under CC0

environment | energy

14 August 2018

Managing energy demand spikes with seasonal forecasts of heatwaves and cold spells

The impact of heavy droughts, heatwaves and cold spells on energy demand and supplies would be lessened with seasonal climate forecasts that allow energy companies to better predict spikes in usage ahead of time, researchers say.

Solar panels help the SOLACE flat-pack houses produce more energy than needed. Image credit - SOLACE

environment | energy

13 August 2018

Flat-pack homes and profit-sharing retrofits are making sustainable housing affordable

Wealth-generating, flat-pack solar houses and a profit-sharing scheme that incentivises retrofitting are bringing sustainable living to people who would otherwise not be able to afford it.

Jérôme Delafosse hopes that hydrogen will replace many of the fossil fuels we use today. Image credit - Energy Observer

interview | transport | energy

24 July 2018

Hydrogen-powered boat plots course for the future of ocean travel

The first day that Jérôme Delafosse stepped aboard the Energy Observer, an experimental catamaran run on hydrogen, he knew the plan of sailing around the world on clean energy was a realistic one, he says. Now, the explorer and documentary maker is one year into a six-year odyssey around the globe with his friend Victorien Erussard, an ocean racer and former cruise ship officer, to prove that the technology can be used for pollution-free ocean travel in the future.

energy | open innovation

25 May 2018

Solar Impulse 'Efficient Solution' label for profitable start-ups to boost clean energy investment

The pioneering solar flight foundation Solar Impulse has launched an ‘Efficient Solution’ label for clean energy start-ups and innovations that can demonstrate their profitability, in a bid to boost investment in the sector.

As the ways we obtain energy change power grids need to evolve to keep up with the new demands. Image credit - pxhere/923295, licensed under CC0 Public Domain

energy | ict

12 April 2018

Buzz feed - bringing renewables to the power grid

Renewable energy is on the rise in Europe as the economy develops away from the use of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, but an ageing electricity grid is struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of developments.

Advanced gasification methods can turn any waste except metal and rubble into fuel for electricity. Credit - Pixabay/ Prylarer

energy | environment

07 March 2018

Turning landfill into energy

Landfill is both ugly and polluting. But a new breed of technology promises to make it a thing of the past, transforming a huge portion of landfill material into clean gas.

The transport sector accounts for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Image credit -Flickr/opengridscheduler, licensed under CC0 1.0

energy | policy | open innovation

27 February 2018

EU puts its 'foot on the accelerator' of battery research

The European Union is scaling up its investment in battery technology with the announcement of a €10 million open competition to design a better battery for electric vehicles and a €50 million cash injection to develop Europe's largest green battery factory.

Energy poverty is caused by income limitations and energy inefficiency, according to experts. Credit – Max Pixel/ image is in public domain

energy | policy

31 January 2018

Online observatory aims to combat energy poverty

If you have ever run up arrears on your bills or shivered without turning on the heat at home during winter because you are concerned about the cost, then you may be experiencing energy poverty.