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Better Recovery of Valuable Material from Waste Needed

A considerable amount of valuable raw materials is lost in waste utilization and processing chains. It would be worth, for example, effecting better recovery of the valuable metals contained in electronic equipment. Research carried out by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Aalto University, the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and Lappeenranta University of Technology has provided new information on the development needs of waste management.

17 Jan 2013

Shrub Encroachments Affect Peatlands Ecosystems

For the first time, a group of scientists from WSL and EPFL described why on the long run peatlands may not be able to continue fulfilling their role as the most effective carbon stocking ecosystems. They studied the mechanisms behind a phenomenon known as shrub encroachment of peatlands: Complex plant-microbe interactions are at the root of this worldwide vegetation change. The findings have been published online today in Nature Climate Change.

17 Jan 2013

Fraunhofer, UBC Partner to Improve Efficiency and Reliability of Fuel Cells

The transition from fossil fuels to sustainable and regenerative energy concepts is a challenge that sooner or later all industrial nations will be facing. Mastering this difficult task will require new technologies. Currently the green-energy industries in both Germany and Canada have a globally recognised leadership role.

17 Jan 2013

Marginal Lands Represent a Huge Untapped Resource for Biofuel Production

Marginal lands – those unsuited for food crops – can serve as prime real estate for meeting the nation's alternative energy production goals.

17 Jan 2013

Heliatek Reports Record Breaking Cell Efficiency for Organic Solar Cells

Heliatek GmbH, the leader in organic solar films, today announced a record breaking 12.0% cell efficiency for its organic solar cells. This world record, established in cooperation with the University of Ulm and TU Dresden, was measured by the accredited testing facility SGS. The measurement campaign at SGS also validated the superior low light and high temperature performances of organic photovoltaics (OPV) compared to traditional solar technologies.

17 Jan 2013

Zircar Zirconia, Inc. Supplies High Temperature Insulation for Solar Thermochemical Fuel Production Reactor

Zircar Zirconia, Inc., a global leader in high temperature insulation products, received multiple orders in late December,2012 from the University of Florida’s(UF) Solar Fuel Team to supply custom machined, high temperature insulation reactor components.

17 Jan 2013

Novel Tool to Study Energy Demand and Impact of Carbon Dioxide Emissions

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has created an energy analysis tool to help individuals and educators experiment with future energy use scenarios. The interactive Buildings, Industry, Transportation, Electricity, and Transportation Scenarios (BITES) allows users to explore how changes in energy demand and supply can impact carbon dioxide emissions and the current U.S. energy trajectory.

From National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 16 Jan 2013

Black Carbon Contributes More to Global Warming than Previously Estimated

In addition to causing smoggy skies and chronic coughs, soot – or black carbon – turns out to be the number two contributor to global warming. It's second only to carbon dioxide, according to a four-year assessment by an international panel.

16 Jan 2013

USDA Awards $5.08M for Study on Oilseed Camelina as a Potential Commercial Biofuel Feedstock

It may not be a household name even among farm families, but the oilseed camelina is showing good potential as an environmentally-friendly commercial biofuel feedstock, particularly for biodiesel and jet fuel. To that end, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has just awarded $5.08 million to a team of researchers, led by Kansas State University Distinguished Professor in Grain Science and Industry, Xiuzhi "Susan" Sun, to study the crop's potential.

16 Jan 2013

Automaker DongFeng Places Order for Electrovaya’s Lithium Ion SuperPolymer Batteries

Electrovaya Inc. today announced that it has received an initial contract to produce prototypes to deliver complete electric vehicle battery systems for DongFeng Motors' two electric vehicle platforms. DongFeng Motors (DFM) plans to commercially launch these two electric vehicles by late 2013.

From Electrovaya 16 Jan 2013

Second Conference on CO2 as Chemical Feedstock to be Held in Germany in October 2013

A new paradigm for the industrial chemical production has arisen over the last few years: the CO2 economy. According to this vision, CO2 is no longer seen as a waste product with dangerous environmental effects but increasingly as a feedstock for chemicals, fuels or polymers.

16 Jan 2013

Tecnalia to Design Innovative SC Generator-Based 10 MW Offshore Wind Turbines

The project aims to provide an important breakthrough in offshore wind industrial solutions by designing an innovative, lightweight, robust and reliable 10 MW class offshore wind turbine based on a superconducting (SC) generator, taking into account all the essential aspects of electric conversion, integration and manufacturability.

16 Jan 2013

Swinerton Renewable Energy Awarded EPC Contract for K Road Moapa Solar Project

Swinerton Renewable Energy, a leading builder in the solar utility industry, has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by K Road Moapa Solar for the 250MWac solar plant. It will be the first large-scale solar project on Tribal property.

11 Jan 2013

New Analysis Shows U.S. Utility-Scale Solar Power Market to Reach $20.44 Billion in 2016

The adoption of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in the United States is expected to accelerate during the next decade. The presence of high solar irradiance, along with continuous pressure from the government to implement renewable energy technologies, fuels demand for solar projects. As solar energy competes with conventional forms of electricity generation, the potential market for utility-scale solar power plants in the country is on the rise.

11 Jan 2013

CEMEX Develops Methodology to Standardize Water Management Across its Operations

CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. announced today that it has developed a methodology to standardize water measurement and management across all of the company’s operations. Starting this year, this methodology will be rolled out to all of the businesses in the countries in which CEMEX operates in order to minimize the company’s water footprint and increase its water efficiency.

11 Jan 2013