Dozens of massive data centers humming at the outskirts of Dublin are consuming more electricity than all of the urban homes in Ireland and starting to wear out the warm welcome that brought them here. Now, a country that made itself a computing factory for Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok is wondering whether it […]
Green Energy
After Northvolt, Europe’s battery hopes rely heavily on China
Northvolt’s financial collapse has not entirely crushed Europe’s dream of developing its own electric vehicle batteries but fulfilling it is likely to require Chinese cash and expertise. InoBat CEO Marian Bocek’s Slovakian start-up had to work hard to secure funding until China’s fifth-largest battery maker Gotion (002074.SZ), opens new tab bought a 25% stake last […]
Architects develop modular timber high-rise building for resource-efficient construction
The operating life and life span of buildings are often far apart. If a property is no longer fit for purpose, it is usually demolished even though it would still be perfectly usable. Even in the event of damage to individual parts of the building, the entire building usually has to make way. This is […]
Novel solar cell process advances green hydrogen production
Another advance has been made by experts in nano-scale chemistry to propel further development of sustainable and efficient generation of hydrogen from water using solar power. In a new international collaborative study—led by Flinders University with collaborators in South Australia, the US and Germany—experts have identified a novel solar cell process to potentially use in […]
Training solar panels to dance with the wind: AI-driven solution enhances resilience
Solar power is currently the fastest growing energy sector worldwide. Solar photovoltaic power plants convert sunlight into electricity and their vast potential for producing clean, renewable energy make solar power a cornerstone of the NetZero Emissions by 2050 initiative, which seeks to cut carbon dioxide emissions to zero by the year 2050. Wind has both […]
UK Energy Policy: How to Make Green Energy Affordable
The government’s clean power 2030 action plan is looking to ensure the economic benefits of clean energy and net zero are felt by people across the country. Slashing red tape for grid connections, overturning the onshore wind ban in England and allowing more special offers to reduce energy bills are steps in the right direction. […]
Prototype device produces critical fertilizer ingredient from thin air, cutting carbon emissions
The air around us contains a powerful solution for making agriculture more sustainable. Researchers at Stanford University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia have developed a prototype device that can produce ammonia—a key fertilizer ingredient—using wind energy to draw air through a mesh. The approach they developed, if perfected, might […]
High rises made out of wood? What matters in whether ‘mass timber’ buildings are sustainable
A material that’s been around since people built shelters—wood—is increasingly being proposed for low- and mid-rise buildings. Companies behind these “mass timber” projects say that wood is a lower-carbon alternative to steel or concrete and brings other benefits, such as faster construction time and lower cost than concrete and steel. Advocates say the wood materials, […]
As global warming rises, offshore hydrogen hubs could be renewable energy carriers
Though fall began on September 22, it still feels like summer for many in Texas and across the United States. Each year, summer temperatures occur earlier and last longer—a problem experienced across the globe. According to the U.N., the Earth is already about 1.1°C warmer than in the late 1800s and greenhouse gas emissions continue […]
How sustainable are typical electric vehicle batteries?
A fully electric vehicle fleet is globally hailed as a transformative solution to slow climate change. But how green are EV batteries? Will they help save us from a warming planet or add to an ever-increasing problem? Within the U.S. alone, the transportation sector was responsible for 29% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, more than […]
