Renewables

Environmental engineering firm Max Fordham has compiled a list of predictions for the coming year, with a focus on reducing energy consumption and ensuring that building designers put the health and well-being of the people who use that building first.

GreenPeak Technologies, a low power RF semiconductor company for Smart Home and IoT connectivity, plans to unveil and demonstrate its new Family@Home application at January’s CES 2016 in Las Vegas.

Research reported in the Japanese Journal of Applied Physics describes the development of a simple ‘bimorph’ strip just millimetres in length size, which converts heat into mechanical energy at temperatures below 100 °C, and under a temperature difference of as little as 5 °C; and a way to produce hydrogen at the highest efficiency yet, using a combination of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules and electrochemical (EC) cel...

Vickers Electronics has announced the launch of VickersVision, which works alongside its flagship V42 energy management system. VickersVision allows existing customers to access their energy management systems remotely either by using an app designed for mobile devices or via a web browser on desktop devices.

Emmvee Photovoltaic Power, the Indian module manufacturer based in Bangalore, has placed an order for two high performance 'Kubus' stringers from the German Freiburg-based company M10 Industries AG in December this year. “This means that our soldering machines from the new stringer generation will be delivered to India the very first time”, explains Gregor Reddemann, CEO and co-founder, M10 AG.

A new ultra-fast charger for electric vehicles has been introduced by Delta Electronics. The system has the capability of charging as many as four vehicles simultaneously. It complies with CCS-200A, CHAdeMO-125A, as well as Typ2-63A, and is therefore open to all electric vehicles.

Rice University researchers who pioneered the development of laser-induced graphene have configured their discovery into flexible, solid-state microsupercapacitors that rival the best available for energy storage and delivery.

Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Ludwig Maximillians University of Munich (LMU) have used a new procedure to produce extremely thin and robust, yet highly porous semiconductor layers. The material shows promise for small, light-weight, flexible solar cells or improving the performance of rechargeable battery electrodes.

Researchers at Manchester University in the UK say their latest discovery involving graphene could be the most revolutionary advance in battery technology yet. Graphene membranes could be used to sieve hydrogen gas from the atmosphere, a development that could pave the way for electric generators powered by air.

One of the biggest European investments in ocean energy, the first commercial scale underwater “kite” power plant is being built off the coast of Holyhead, Wales. "Tidal energy is sort of an underwater version of wind energy", explains Stefan Björklund, an assistant professor in machine design at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.