Energy

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

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.

Recycling old coffee waste can help create environmentally friendly inks. Image credit - 'A lot of coffee beans' is licenced under CC-SA 1.0

environment | energy

10 January 2018

Eco espresso and upcycled inks set to make coffee greener

An environmentally friendly coffee machine and a way to turn used coffee grounds into a new type of ink are helping to increase the green credentials of one of the most popular beverages in the world.

Solar-powered irrigation systems can help reduce water consumption by letting farmers know exactly how much water is needed and when. Image credit - MASLOWATEN

agriculture | energy | environment

13 December 2017

Farmers bank on solar power to stave off European water crisis

Rising populations and climate change are putting pressure on the water needed for agriculture but a solar-powered irrigation system may reduce the amount that farmers use – while simultaneously slashing the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Tor Ivar Eikaas says there have been continuous improvements and rollout of low-carbon technologies over the last 10 years. Credit – Tor Ivar Eikaas

energy

30 November 2017

We need action on the low-carbon technology targets – Tor Ivar Eikaas

It is critical that we deliver on the targets for low-carbon technologies in the 2020s, 2030s and beyond which have been set as part of the EU's Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan, according to Tor Ivar Eikaas, a special adviser at the Research Council of Norway and a long-standing representative of the SET-Plan steering group.

The sea's movements can be utilised to create electricity through underwater turbines. Image credit - Nova Innovation/ EnFAIT

environment | energy

26 October 2017

The tide is turning for underwater turbines

A scale-up of tidal energy projects aims to expand capacity, improve reliability and prove their worth to investors as a renewable energy source.

By using knowledge of plant photosynthesis we could soon develop new forms of renewable energy through artificial leaves. Image credit - Dr Vincent Artero

energy | environment

29 September 2017

Borrowing from nature to tap the power of the sun

An artificial leaf that can harvest energy from the sun faster than a natural one could lead to a new generation of renewable energy and medical technologies.

Prof. Nicolosi uses Ireland's most powerful microscope that can picture the materials she makes with atomic resolution. Image credit – Amber, Trinity College Dublin

frontier research | energy | industry | interview

26 July 2017

Nanomaterials are closest thing we have to real-life ‘superheroes’ – Prof. Valeria Nicolosi

Utilising the superhero properties of materials around an atom thick could revolutionise how we store energy in electronic devices, according to Valeria Nicolosi, professor of nanomaterials and advanced microscopy at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

In an example of frugal innovation, Q.Rads heat homes for free while providing cloud computing services to companies. Image credit: Qarnot

ict | open innovation | energy

07 June 2017

Radiators powered by excess computing energy are heating homes for free

A company that produces radiators that heat homes for free by using spare energy from computer servers is part of a wave of businesses embracing the concept of doing more with less, an idea known as frugal innovation.