Most recent 40 articles: PHYS.ORG - Technology
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China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 28) |
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Mar 28 · Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars. The tech company will start taking orders for the SU7, a sporty four-door sedan, following a launch event with founder Lei Jun in Beijing on Thursday evening. Analysts think it will be priced in the 300,000 yuan ($40,000) range. Government subsides have helped make China the world's largest market for electric vehicles, and a bevy of new makers are locked in fierce competition. Most of the industry's sales have been domestic, but Chinese makers are pushing into overseas markets with lower-priced models, posing a potential challenge to ... Read more ... |
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A solar cell you can bend and soak in water - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · One of the potential uses of organic photovoltaics is to create wearable electronics—devices that can be attached to clothing that can monitor medical devices, for example, without requiring battery changes. However, researchers have found it challenging to achieve waterproofing without the use of extra layers that end up decreasing the flexibility of the film. Now, in work published in Nature Communications, a group of scientists have been able to do precisely that. They took on the challenge of overcoming a key limitation of previous devices, which is that it is difficult to make them waterproof without reducing the flexibility. Photovoltaic films are typically ... Read more ... |
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Amazon pours an additional $2.75 billion into AI startup Anthropic - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · Amazon said Wednesday it is pouring an additional $2.75 billion into Anthropic, bringing its total investment in the artificial intelligence startup to $4 billion. Amazon will maintain a minority stake in San Francisco-based Anthropic, a rival of ChatGPT maker OpenAI. "Generative AI is poised to be the most transformational technology of our time, and we believe our strategic collaboration with Anthropic will further improve our customers' experiences, and look forward to what's next," said Swami Sivasubramanian, vice president of data and AI at AWS, Amazon's cloud computing subsidiary. The Seattle-based tech giant made an initial investment of $1.25 billion in ... Read more ... |
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Amazon's pharmacy will offer same-day delivery in LA and NYC and plans to expand - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · Amazon will soon offer same-day delivery of several prescription medications in Los Angeles and New York, yet another example of the online shopping giant's bet on consumers' growing dependence on ease and speed. As Amazon Pharmacy expands into the nation's two biggest markets, Angelenos and New Yorkers will be able to order several common medications, including those used to manage high blood pressure, diabetes and the flu, online and have them delivered on their doorstep within hours, the company said in a statement Tuesday. Amazon plans to offer the service in more than a dozen U.S. cities by the end of the year, the company said, noting that it already offers ... Read more ... |
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Climate change puts global semiconductor manufacturing at risk. Can the industry cope? - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · The 21st century chip manufacturing industry has been described as "at least as significant geopolitically as oil was in the 20th." But semiconductor manufacturing requires vast quantities of water to keep machinery cool and wafer sheets free of debris, and the unfolding climate emergency puts the industry at risk. Despite the industry's dependence on water, little attention has been paid to how changing environmental conditions may impact it. Reporting by journalists and think tanks tend to overlook climate as a risk factor for the future of the industry. Yet, globally and regionally there are signs of trouble. Taiwan, for example, produces about 90 percent of the ... Read more ... |
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Critical materials assessment tags potential supply chain bottlenecks - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · As demand jumps for these critical materials, which are sourced from all over the world, the risk of disruption to supply chains also increases. One way the United States can reduce supply chain risks is to develop a strong domestic manufacturing sector with a diverse set of producers, according to a new report developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) national laboratories, including Argonne. The report "draws upon mature expertise in complex supply chains and our understanding of the underlying causes of disruptions," said Allison Bennett Irion, director of supply chain research at Argonne. "It can help strengthen America's energy security and help ... Read more ... |
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Heat, cold extremes hold untapped potential for solar and wind energy, climate scientist suggests - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · The findings, detailed in the journal Environmental Research Letters, suggest that using more renewable energy at these times could help offset increased power demand as more people and businesses turn on heaters or air conditioners. "These extreme events are not going away anytime soon. In fact, every region in the U.S. experiences at least one such event nearly every year. We need to be prepared for their risks and ensure that people have reliable access to energy when they need it the most," said lead author Deepti Singh, a Washington State University climate scientist. "Potentially, we could generate more power from renewable resources precisely when we have ... Read more ... |
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High-resolution solar data enables renewable energy expansion across two continents - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · It comes in the form of a new, high-resolution solar timeseries data set on the Renewable Energy Data Explorer (RE Data Explorer) tool, tailored to the needs of stakeholders in energy sectors across national governments, academia, and private industry. Development of the data set was motivated by the unique challenges facing two countries working with NREL and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): Tanzania and Ukraine. In both countries, the availability of reliable, long-term resource data is a barrier in accelerating the deployment of renewable energy. In Ukraine, planners are working to find ways to rebuild and decentralize a grid that has been ... Read more ... |
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Highest power efficiency achieved in flexible solar cells using new fabrication technique - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · Current flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) suffer from lower power conversion efficiency than rigid perovskite solar cells because of the soft and inhomogeneous characteristics of the flexible base material, made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the perovskite films of FPSCs are built upon. FPSCs also have lower durability than rigid solar cells that use glass as a base substrate. Pores in flexible solar cell substrates allow water and oxygen to invade the perovskite materials, causing them to degrade. To address these issues with current FPSC technology, a team of material scientists from the State Key Laboratory of Power System Operation and Control at ... Read more ... |
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Hyundai to invest more than $50 bn in South Korea in major EV push - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · Hyundai on Wednesday revealed plans to invest more than $50 billion in South Korea by 2026, with a huge chunk dedicated to boosting the development and production of electric vehicles. Along with its affiliate Kia, Hyundai is the world's third-largest automaker by sales, but the South Korean giant lags in the EV sector behind Elon Musk's Tesla and Chinese firm BYD. Hyundai is keen to break into the global EV top three, saying last year that it was aiming to boost electric car production to more than 3.6 million units by 2030. With the 68 trillion won ($50.5 billion) investment announced Wednesday, Hyundai Motor Group said it wants to "secure future growth engines ... Read more ... |
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Paving new paths for sustainable construction - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · To address such challenges, researchers at the Center for Sustainable Technologies (CST), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), are exploring ways to store carbon dioxide from industrial flue gas in excavated soil and C&D waste. These materials can then be used to partially replace natural sand. This would not only reduce the environmental impact of construction materials but also impart properties that can enhance their use for construction. "CO2 utilization and sequestration can be a scalable and feasible technology for manufacturing low-carbon prefabricated building products, while being aligned with the nation's decarbonization targets," explains Souradeep Gupta, Assistant ... Read more ... |
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Vast Vienna wastewater heat pumps showcase EU climate drive - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 27) |
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Mar 27 · In a large hall on the outskirts of Vienna, shiny pipes carry treated wastewater through three giant heat pumps, part of Austria's drive to reduce carbon emissions and its dependence on Russian gas, with more and more European cities eyeing this alternative. The plant - billed as Europe's most powerful one - is churning out district heat to up to 56,000 Vienna households, with operator Wien Energie planning to double its capacity to 112,000 households by 2027. "It is very clear that we have to restructure our energy system to become independent of fossil fuels or of different individual countries," Wien Energie manager Linda Kirchberger told AFP. Heat pumps work ... Read more ... |
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Rethinking wind power's towers and turbines - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · At first glance, the wind-turbine tower that rises from the green landscape in the Swedish municipality of Skara looks like any other. It reaches a height of 105 meters and, at the top, supports a familiar trio of big rotating blades. But unlike most wind-turbine towers, which are made of steel, this one is wooden. It represents the first commercial installation by Swedish engineering company Modvion—and it could point to the future of wind energy. When it comes to renewable energy, wood can make wind power even greener by serving as the material for the towers. What's more, wood can help wind turbines to become cheaper and more powerful, providing an ... Read more ... |
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Building energy management platform uses AI and statistical methods to optimize operations - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · Buildings exhibit varying levels of energy consumption depending on their use, location, and the characteristics of their users, even down to different floors and zones within the same building. In light of initiatives such as carbon neutrality and RE100, many buildings are now implementing renewable energy solutions like solar panels, fuel cells, and energy storage systems. Furthermore, as the usage of high-end electrical appliances continues to grow, it has become crucial to manage building energy for efficient consumption effectively. Existing Building Energy Management System (BEMS) technologies primarily rely on simple monitoring of energy usage and the experience ... Read more ... |
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Chinese EV giant BYD announces record annual profit for 2023 - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · Chinese battery and automotive giant BYD achieved a record profit in 2023, annual results showed Tuesday, despite fierce competition in the country as demand for electric vehicles grows. The Shenzhen-based company is now moving quickly overseas - including into countries in Southeast Asia but also further afield in Latin America and Europe - as a price war continues to be waged in China, the world's largest automotive market. BYD overtook Elon Musk's Tesla in the fourth quarter of 2023 to become the world's top seller of EVs. The firm recorded a net profit of 30 billion yuan ($4.16 billion) last year, according to a filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, up 80.7 ... Read more ... |
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Chinese EV makers challenging market leaders at auto show in Bangkok - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · Companies like BYD, XPeng and Great Wall Motors are quickly growing their sales in Thailand, challenging longstanding market leaders like Toyota, Isuzu and Ford, as they expand exports across the globe. And Thailand, one of the biggest markets in Southeast Asia, a region of more than 600 million people, has made developing its EV market a priority. Tesla launched sales in late 2022, offering its popular Model 3 and Model Y at prices aimed at competing with rivals like China's BYD. BYD, or Build Your Dreams, displayed a wide range of its EV lineup, including its Dolphin, a pure EV that it says runs 490 kilometers (about 300 miles) on a single charge and is priced at ... Read more ... |
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Ghana's decades-old ambition to build an integrated aluminum industry faces a new hurdle: The clean energy transition - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · Under the Volta River Project, Nkrumah's vision was to construct a dam on Ghana's Volta River to provide dedicated electricity to a newly built smelter. The smelter was to be run by the Volta Aluminum Company (Valco) in the new industrial city of Tema. The smelter would be linked to a refinery to process Ghana's bauxite, currently estimated at 900 million tons. Ghana has the second largest reserves in Africa after Guinea. Successive Ghanaian governments have pursued this strategy over the decades. The most recent push came in 2017 when the government embarked on its latest drive to develop an aluminum producing capacity. Since then, the Ghana Integrated Aluminum ... Read more ... |
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If you've got a dark roof, you're spending almost $700 extra a year to keep your house cool - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · It's very different in Australia. New housing estates in the hottest areas around Sydney and Melbourne are dominated by dark rooftops, black roads and minimal tree cover. Dark colors trap and hold heat rather than reflect it. That might be useful in winters in Tasmania, but not where heat is an issue. A dark roof means you'll pay considerably more to keep your house cool in summer. Last year, the average household in New South Wales paid A$1827 in electricity. But those with a lighter-colored cool roof can pay up to $694 less due to lower cooling electricity needs. Put another way, a dark roof in Sydney drives up your power bill by 38%. When suburbs are full of dark ... Read more ... |
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International researchers explore new territory in the grand challenges of wind energy science - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · That is the thesis of a new report co-authored by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) along with global industry and academic experts. The report, "Grand Challenges Revisited: Wind Energy Research Needs for a Global Energy Transition," follows a previous report published in the journal Science, which outlined three grand challenges of wind energy research. Broadly speaking, these original three challenges focused on our inadequate understanding of and inability to accurately model atmospheric physics, wind turbine technology, and wind power plant integration into the grid. The new report expands those three original ... Read more ... |
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Novel multifunctional additive boosts efficiency, stability of inverted perovskite solar cells - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · The study was published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. PSCs have attracted considerable attention in the field of new-generation photovoltaic technologies due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties, low fabrication cost, and the prospect of large-area device fabrication. However, the commercialization and practical applications of PSCs have still been limited by the relatively low power conversion efficiency (PCE) and poor long-term stability, which can be attributed to the open-circuit voltage loss in devices and crystallographic defects in perovskite films. To address this issue, the researchers used potassium (4-tert-butoxycarbonylpiperazin-1-yl) ... Read more ... |
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Renewables toolkit aims to help smooth the road to net zero - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · Working with local authorities, the National Farmers' Union (NFU), the National Trust and industry experts, academics from the University have developed a renewable energy toolkit which provides clear and accessible guidance to those interested in developing local scale renewable energy projects in North East England. Advice is tailored for use at a local level, prioritizing individual farms or smallholdings, and takes into account the region's diverse energy needs, considering not only electricity generation, but also heat, energy efficiency, and energy storage. It covers frequently asked questions on the logistics, finance and planning considerations relating to solar ... Read more ... |
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Vietnamese automaker VinFast to start selling EVs in Thailand - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 26) |
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Mar 26 · Vietnamese automaker VinFast announced Tuesday that it plans to sell its electric vehicles in Thailand and said it had tied up with auto dealers to open showrooms in the country. VinFast, which only began exporting its EVs last year, faces stiff competition in Thailand from Chinese automakers like BYD. Tesla also recently entered the fray. All were displaying their latest models at the Bangkok International Motor Show. The Thai EV market is small but growing fast, buoyed by incentives and subsidies from the government. The country of more than 70 million plans to convert 30% of the 2.5 million vehicles it makes annually into EVs by 2030. VinFast hopes to start ... Read more ... |
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Research lights up process for turning CO₂ into sustainable fuel - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 25) |
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Mar 25 · An international team of researchers from the University of Nottingham's School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, University of Queensland, and University of Ulm have designed a material made up of copper anchored on nanocrystalline carbon nitride. The copper atoms are nested within the nanocrystalline structure, which allows electrons to move from carbon nitride to CO2, an essential step in the production of methanol from CO2 under the influence of solar irradiation. The research has been published in the Sustainable Energy & Fuels journal. In photocatalysis, light is shone on a semiconductor material that excites electrons, enabling them to travel through the ... Read more ... |
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New all-liquid iron flow battery for grid energy storage - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 25) |
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Mar 25 · Iron-based flow batteries designed for large-scale energy storage have been around since the 1980s, and some are now commercially available. What makes this battery different is that it stores energy in a unique liquid chemical formula that combines charged iron with a neutral-pH phosphate-based liquid electrolyte, or energy carrier. Crucially, the chemical, called nitrogenous triphosphonate, nitrilotri-methylphosphonic acid or NTMPA, is commercially available in industrial quantities because it is typically used to inhibit corrosion in water treatment plants. Phosphonates, including NTMPA, are a broad chemical family based on the element phosphorus. Many phosphonates dissolve ... Read more ... |
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A new dawn for flexible electronics: Eliminating energy waste - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 25) |
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Mar 25 · Organic integrated circuits (ICs) have long been hindered by the presence of parasitic capacitance, which degrades circuit performance by reducing operating speed and increasing heat generation. Traditional methods to minimize parasitic capacitance have faced a trade-off between manufacturing costs and accuracy. In a study recently published in SmartMat, a team from Nanjing University presents a cost-effective dual self-alignment (d-SA) technique. This method adeptly eradicates parasitic capacitance through the meticulous alignment of electrodes without any overlap, employing a straightforward photolithographic process. A key demonstration of this technology's potential ... Read more ... |
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An effective method for improving energy storage performance in lead-free relaxor ferroelectrics - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 25) |
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Mar 25 · Thus, it is easier to form isolated and weak coupled polar nanoclusters in the dielectric matrix. This characteristic makes it obtain a high relaxor feature and delayed saturation polarization under an electric field, which is beneficial for good energy storage performance. This represents an important advancement over existing methods. The traditional approach to creating relaxor ferroelectrics (RFEs) normally relies on doping heterogeneous ions to cause local compositional inhomogeneity and ion disorder to obtain polar nanoregions (PNRs). "But the solid solubility is limited, even though BNT has good component compatibility," Neng-Neng Luo, the leader of the research team, ... Read more ... |
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Assessing the wind vulnerability of Patagonia's oil storage tanks - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 25) |
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Mar 25 · Existing research highlights the importance of understanding the structural integrity of these tanks to prevent accidents. Consequently, a research article titled "Fragility of open-topped oil storage tanks under wind in Patagonia" was published in Emergency Management Science and Technology. The paper focuses on the development of fragility curves for estimating damage states under specific wind pressures in Patagonia's oil-producing regions, aiming to address the issues of shell buckling and loss of integrity in storage tanks to mitigate the risk of accidents and their consequential environmental and economic impacts. In this research, researchers methodically ... Read more ... |
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Dig deep: US bets on geothermal to become renewable powerhouse - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 25) |
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Mar 25 · Though geothermal represents only a tiny fraction of current US energy production, several businesses and President Joe Biden's administration are betting on technological advances to make it a backbone of the green transition. "If we can capture that heat beneath our feet, it can be the clean, reliable, baseload-scalable power for everybody from industries to households," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told the CERAWeek conference in Houston this past week. Her department estimates that geothermal energy could overtake hydroelectric and solar power in the country by 2050. Geothermal, which draws on naturally high temperatures underground and is used mainly to ... Read more ... |
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New method that uses quantum mechanics can lead to improved lithium metal batteries - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 25) |
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Mar 25 · In a study published in Nature Energy, Dr. Perla Balbuena and Dr. Jorge Seminario, professors in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, developed a new method for understanding the impact of external pressure on lithium-metal batteries using quantum mechanics. A deeper understanding of the behavior of lithium ions under pressure can advance and improve lithium-metal battery fabrication processes to develop longer-lasting, more efficient battery technologies. "This work is a beautiful demonstration of the impact of first-principles ab initio analysis on the design of macroscopic processes," said Balbuena. "Similar methods can be used for ... Read more ... |
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Pairing crypto mining with green hydrogen offers clean energy boost, study suggests - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 25) |
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Mar 25 · Pairing cryptocurrency mining - notable for its outsize consumption of carbon-based fuel - with green hydrogen could provide the foundation for wider deployment of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, according to a new Cornell University study. "Since current cryptocurrency operations now contribute heavily to worldwide carbon emissions, it becomes vital to explore opportunities for harnessing the widespread enthusiasm for cryptocurrency as we move toward a sustainable and a climate-friendly future," said Fengqi You, professor of energy systems engineering at Cornell. You and doctoral student Apoorv Lal are authors of "Climate Sustainability Through a Dynamic ... Read more ... |
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EPA's new auto emissions standard will speed the transition to cleaner cars - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 24) |
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Mar 24 · The original proposal met significant pushback from carmakers and unions, who argued that the industry needed more time to switch from gas-powered cars to EVs. As a result, while the final target that this rule sets is very similar to the one that was initially proposed, the timetable in the final rule—especially in the earlier years—is relatively relaxed. That means more carbon emissions in the short run. Politics is inevitably an important consideration in regulating major industries. The new rule is projected to cut carbon dioxide emissions from passenger cars by nearly 50% in model year 2032 relative to existing standards. This requires a broad shift ... Read more ... |
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AI's excessive water consumption threatens to drown out its environmental contributions - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 22) |
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Mar 22 · Eight safe and just boundaries for five domains (climate, biosphere, water, nutrients and aerosols) have been identified beyond which there is significant harm to humans and nature and the risk of crossing tipping points increases. Humans have already crossed the safe and just Earth System Boundaries for water. To date, seven of the eight boundaries have been crossed, and although the aerosol boundary has not been crossed at the global level, it has been crossed at city level in many parts of the world. For water, the safe and just boundaries specify that surface water flows should not fluctuate more than 20 percent relative to the natural flow on a monthly basis; while ... Read more ... |
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Amazon under investigation for selling illegal electronic devices - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 22) |
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Mar 22 · Amazon is currently being investigated for selling illegal electronic devices, including radio signal jamming devices that can be used to confuse drones, thwart security systems and interfere with Wi-Fi networks. "We have several ongoing investigations into retailers, including Amazon, for potential violations of Commission rules related to the marketing and sale of equipment without proper FCC authorization," the Federal Communications Commission has confirmed to the Daily News. NBC News first reported the previously undisclosed investigation. The FCC website details concerns presented by such illegal equipment, which include blocking 911 calls and interfering ... Read more ... |
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Major environmental benefits of recycling gold with biodiesel - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 22) |
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Mar 22 · "Pure metals have a number of uses in a modern society, not least for the development of green technologies. Our research shows how the metal industry can accelerate the transition from fossil to bio-based solvents," says Mark Foreman, associate professor of chemistry at Chalmers. The scientific article "Sustainable solvent extraction of gold and other metals with biomass chemicals" has been published in the journal RSC Sustainability. Gold is not only a precious metal that is a symbol of wealth in the form of jewelry and gold bars. A regular smartphone contains slightly more than 0.03 grams of gold, and the metal is found in most of the everyday electronics we have ... Read more ... |
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California is wrestling with electricity prices - how to design a system to fix the grid while keeping prices fair - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 21) |
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Mar 21 · However, its expansion is making it harder for electric utilities and power grid managers to design fair and efficient retail electricity rates—the prices that households pay. Under traditional electricity pricing, customers pay one charge per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumption that covers both the energy they use and the fixed costs of maintaining the grid. As more people adopt rooftop solar, they buy less energy from the grid. Fewer customers are left to shoulder utilities' fixed costs, potentially making power more expensive for everyone. This trend can drive more customers to leave the system and raise prices further—a scenario known as the utility ... Read more ... |
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Using drone swarms to fight forest fires - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 21) |
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Mar 21 · "A swarm of drones could be the solution," says Suresh Sundaram, Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, IISc. Although they have not yet been used in India, the use of drones is not entirely new. But in a new study published in IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems, Sundaram's team proposes taking the technology a step further: Coordinated multi-swarm drones swooping in to quell forest fires. "By the time somebody identifies and reports a fire, it has already started spreading and cannot be put out with one drone," says Sundaram. "You need to have a swarm of drones. A swarm that can communicate with each other." The solution was to ... Read more ... |
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Kirigami-inspired wind steering to cool sweltering urban canyons, improve ventilation - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 21) |
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Mar 21 · In an article published Feb. 4 in the Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, the researchers found that a cover with a row of evenly spaced, tilting slats, called louvers, can increase the airflow in a box by channeling wind that ordinarily would flow over the open top. "If you cut the lid in a certain pattern and stretch it, it becomes three-dimensional," said Elie Bou-Zeid, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Princeton and one of the lead researchers. "It can guide the flow of air to come in and out in ways that are better for ventilation than having no lid whatsoever." Originally, Bou-Zeid said, the researchers were looking for a ... Read more ... |
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Climate-friendly renovations using straw and hemp - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 21) |
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Mar 21 · Switzerland is home to just under 1.8 million residential buildings and a further million non-residential ones. Together, these account for some 40 percent of the country's final energy demand. Buildings represent a key lever in moving Switzerland towards climate neutrality: far more than half of all of its buildings are still heated using fossil fuels like oil and gas. What's more, the vast majority were built at a time before effective efficiency standards, and many are in desperate need of renovation to make them more energy-efficient. Considering a building's life cycle Traditional renovations are geared towards energy consumption and involve two main measures: ... Read more ... |
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Future nuclear power reactors could rely on molten salts - but what about corrosion? - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 21) |
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Mar 21 · "We can say we should have only wind and solar someday. But we don't have the luxury of 'someday' anymore, so we can't ignore other helpful ways to combat climate change," he says. "To me, it's an 'all-hands-on-deck' thing. Solar and wind are clearly a big part of the solution. But I think that nuclear power also has a critical role to play." For decades, researchers have been working on designs for both fission and fusion nuclear reactors using molten salts as fuels or coolants. While those designs promise significant safety and performance advantages, there's a catch: Molten salt and the impurities within it often corrode metals, ultimately causing them to crack, weaken, and ... Read more ... |
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Leaders tout nuclear power as climate tool at Brussels summit - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Mar 21) |
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Mar 21 · More than 30 countries - including European nations, the United States, Brazil and China - took part on Thursday in the first-ever summit held by the United Nations' atomic energy agency to promote nuclear as a "clean and reliable source of energy". "This is a fight where we have to use all the available, dispatchable, CO2-free energy sources for the common challenge," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi told the gathering at the Atomium in Brussels - a modernist landmark built for the 1958 World Fair. The approach is anathema to a number of other European countries - including Germany and Spain - and to many environmentalists, who see the drive ... Read more ... |
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