Renewables

Inspired by the humble cactus, a type of membrane has the potential to significantly boost the performance of fuel cells and transform the electric vehicle industry. The membrane, developed by scientists from CSIRO and Hanyang University in Korea, was described in the journal Nature. The paper shows that in hot conditions the membrane, which features a water repellent skin, can improve the efficiency of fuel cells by a factor of four.

Predictive Maintenance is the anticipatory servicing of machinery and plants and German-based company Indalyz Monitoring & Prognostics (IM&P) has developed a piece of prognostic software that uses artificially intelligent algorithms to predict when a component on a machine will break down and have to be replaced.

Researchers have developed the world’s tiniest engine – just a few billionths of a metre in size – which uses light to power itself. The nanoscale engine, developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, could form the basis of future nano-machines that can navigate in water, sense the environment around them, or even enter living cells to fight disease.

A key part of our future renewable energy mix will be wind energy, and a new German-based project is aiming at improving the planning, development and acceptance of wind power plants. Experts will study the interaction of acoustic and seismic vibrations of wind power plants and will generate a model to compute both emissions. TremAc is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

IKEA UK has announced a new-look home solar offer featuring IKEA branded 'Solar Shops' in store, as part of the company’s mission to help people live more sustainably and affordably in their homes. The announcement coincides with research by IKEA UK which reveals that a third (33%) of UK homeowners would like to invest in solar panels for their home.

The promise of ‘zero-energy’ buildings (buildings which generate as much power as they consume) has been held back by two hurdles: the cost of the thin-film solar cells (used in façades, roofs and windows); and the fact they’re made from scarce, and highly toxic, materials. However, this dream is one step closer to reality after a UNSW team achieved the world’s highest efficiency using flexible solar cells that are ...

As the world braces for ever more stringent regulations aimed at curbing carbon emissions, a winding technology promises to both increase motor efficiency and its power factor while using a surprisingly cost-effective method. Motor manufacturers are in a race to switch to more energy-efficient technologies to help countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as part of a global strategy to combat climate change. 

Evolt, the Electric Vehicle (EV) charge point supplier, has completed the installation of Cumbria’s first publicly accessible EV Rapid charging network, which is now available for public use. Nine locations across the county now benefit from a top-of-the-range Evolt 50Kw Rapid Charger that can efficiently charge an EV within 30 minutes.

This summer the New European Wind Atlas (NEWA) programme will conduct a large measurement campaign in Sweden to minimise the uncertainties of wind field prediction in complex terrain.

As the changing climate disrupts familiar weather patterns, many countries face a dual threat: swamping along the coasts, but also unexpected shrinking freshwater supplies in many regions. "Water has never been evenly distributed around the world, but droughts and an alarming decrease in groundwater create potentially catastrophic conditions," says Ashok Gadgil, Deputy for Science and Technology for the Energy Technologies Area at LBNL and p...