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Renewable revolution
Renewable technology news on the transformative technologies changing the world’s energy supplies. We cover the projects making power generation green, from solar innovations to future energy solutions, as well as some of the wider environmental initiatives using tech to improve our impact on the planet. Technology and the environment don’t have to be in competition.
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25 Apr
Why has wave power lagged behind other renewable energy sources?
With the UK going coal-free for a record-breaking 90 hours over the weekend, energy sources such as solar and onshore wind now play a key role in generating electricity.
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16 Apr
Wooden solar evaporator could provide cheap, safe water
Scientists have created a prototype for a wooden solar evaporator that could lead to cheaper small-scale desalination devices.
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16 Apr
Lithium-ion material breakthrough signals better, faster charging batteries
Researchers have shown how it is possible to create a lithium-ion battery that can charge in minutes but still operate at a high capacity.
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12 Apr
Apple renews clean energy commitments by adding more suppliers to renewables list
Apple has announced it has nearly doubled the number of suppliers that have committed to run their Apple production on 100% clean energy, bringing the total number to 44.
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1 Apr
Electric vehicle charging could soon take as little as ten minutes
Electric car owners could soon charge their vehicles in as little as ten minutes as plans for 100 ultra-fast “Electric Forecourts” are unveiled.
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4 Mar
Algae fuel production method “really important step” towards viable biocrude
Algae fuel has long been discussed as a sustainable alternative to traditional fuels for ships, vehicles and jets, but making it a commercial reality has proved a challenge.
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27 Feb
Scientists discover way to convert CO2 back into coal in “world first”
Researchers have come up with a method of turning CO2 back into coal, which could transform carbon capture and storage.
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21 Feb
Is squid protein the answer to the plastic waste problem?
Littering our cities and clogging up our oceans, causing environmental issues and ill-health to wildlife, humanity has a serious plastic waste problem.
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20 Feb
Software aids development of kite and drone renewable energy
Researchers have developed flight simulator software for airborne wind energy systems (AWES), a technology that generates electrical energy through tension created by kite tethers or turbines located on drones.
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19 Feb
CO2 removal technology vital for achieving climate change goals
The European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) has said that CO2 removal technology will be vital for reducing global emissions in the atmosphere.
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13 Feb
Scientists have developed artificial leaves 10x better at absorbing CO2 than the real thing
As deforestation continues to diminish the number of trees, vital for absorbing carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels, scientists are looking for ways to replicate natural processes to reduce pollution levels.
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24 Jan
50 million tonnes of e-waste could triple by 2050
$62.5bn is lost in 50 million tonnes of electrical and electronic waste annually, but new and available technology could lead to the process of dematerialisation, changing physical assets to electronic.
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24 Jan
Super Bowl LIII goes green… thanks to beer
Super Bowl LIII is going green, with Budweiser pledging to offset 100% of Atlanta’s electricity use throughout Super Bowl week with renewable energy.
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23 Jan
Jack Ma: “Don’t be evil is not enough — technology companies must help the world”
Developing the technologies that are expected to — and in many cases are already beginning to — shape the future, technology companies must do more to protect the earth and humanity from the problems they create, Jack Ma, founder and chairman of Alibaba, has warned.
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14 Jan
Air cleaning technology: Are these emerging technologies the answer to poor air quality?
The government of the United Kingdom has unveiled a new Clear Air Strategy, setting a “bold new goal” to reduce pollution and grow clean energy use over the next decade.
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11 Jan
Plastics from plants in building foam insulation could help prevent another Grenfell
A bio-plastics partnership has developed the chemistry behind a plant-based fire-suppressant building material that could have helped prevent the Grenfell disaster in London in June 2017.
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3 Dec
NASA InSight Lander sets new solar power record on first day on Mars
The NASA Insight Lander has set a new solar power record – generating more than 4,500Wh of power in its first day on Mars – more than any lander or rover ever deployed by the US space agency.
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28 Nov
Hungary’s new renewables target offers solar investors an attractive opportunity
Hungary has responded to the tightening of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), designed to reduce emissions and fight climate change, by setting itself the target of ending all coal use within the next decade.
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28 Nov
Newest nuclear plants: five of the biggest coming online
After more than a decade of delays, the Olkiluoto 3 Nuclear Power Plant is in the final stages of being connected to the grid after completing hot functional tests earlier this year.
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22 Nov
Spain applauded for calming job-loss fears amidst move to 100% renewable electricity
Spain has recently announced that it is seeking a switch to 100% renewable electricity by 2050.
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20 Nov
Catastrophe modelling could be used to predict the impact of climate change
The integration of climate science and catastrophe modelling could benefit society, according to a new report by The Geneva Association.
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19 Nov
Scotland wind farms must be ‘repowered’ to prepare for the future
Scotland currently generates a significant amount of electricity from renewable sources – around 60% of the country’s gross annual consumption in 2015, up from just 12% in 2000.
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5 Nov
Environmental impact of Microsoft underwater data centres must be monitored, experts warn
Off the coast of Orkney, a white cylinder containing 27.6 petabytes of computing storage rests on the seabed.
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5 Nov
Watch: Hyundai Nexo, the hydrogen fuel cell car that cleans the air as it drives
Put the H with the O and you get the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Hyundai Nexo, a car that cleans the air while it is being driven.
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2 Nov
Researchers combat plastic waste by turning it into “supermaterial”
Researchers from the University of Singapore are tacking the global issue of plastic waste by converting plastic bottles into the world’s first PET aerogels.
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31 Oct
Life after peak oil: Middle East producers prepare
Not long ago, peak oil referred to maximum oil production – the point at which the world’s oil fields could no longer keep pace with rising demand.
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29 Oct
Water-based fuel to power electric vehicles launched by Electriq~Global
The idea of a car that a run entirely on water is, although appealing, the stuff of pseudoscience.
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24 Oct
Power Ledger: Renewable energy blockchain wins Richard Branson’s Extreme Tech Challenge
Streamed live from Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) has announced the 2018 winner of its fourth annual competition.
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22 Oct
Electric bike startup Cowboy sets sights on Europe following €10m funding round
Cowboy, a Belgian electric bike startup, has closed a €10m Series A funding round, providing the financing to bring its innovative product to new European markets.
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22 Oct
World Energy Day: Thermal energy storage partnership announced by Enel, EnergyNest
This World Energy Day, multinational energy provider Enel has announced that it is partnering with Norwegian cleantech company EnergyNest to explore thermal energy storage solutions.