biochar
Could biochar prove to be the one carbon-cutting, environment-benefitting strategy that could win support from both US Democrats and Republicans? We’re not sure, but we were pretty excited to discover that a bipartisan (really!?) group of Senators has introduced a proposal to promote research and funding for biochar projects.
Jurdy takes the concept of carbon capture seriously …
ultracapacitor vehicles
Sinautec Automobile Technologies plan to demonstrate the US’s first ultracapacitor electric minibus next month at American University’s Washington, DC, campus. During the demonstration, scheduled for 21 October, Sinautec will unveil an 11-seat minibus that’s powered by state-of-the-art ultracapacitors and charged by a 5,000-watt mobile solar unit.
electricity
Just as we plug into computers to communicate via Skype and email, electric fish communicate by plugging into special channels in their cells to generate electrical impulses, according to new research from the University of Texas at Austin. Found throughout Central and South America, electric fish generate electrical fields to
fuel cells
Making a fuel cell from sugar and weed killer sounds like something from an episode of “MacGyver,” which featured an ever-resourceful secret agent who could create life-saving gadgets from bits of twine and bubble gum … but it’s actually a real achievement by researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU). Chemistry
low carbon
The possibility of hundreds of new jobs in low-carbon industries in the UK’s North East received a boost this week after three ground-breaking projects were endorsed by the One North East board. The 15-member board of business people, local authority leaders and academics gave its backing to the development
global warming
Doing nothing to curb greenhouse gas emissions makes it likely we’ll see global warming of more than 4 degrees C by 2100, according to researchers at the Met Office Hadley Centre. If that happens, add scientists gathering at a climate conference in Oxford this week, we will no longer
COP15
Over the coming weeks and months, Greenbang will publish a series of features focused on preparations for the 7 – 18 December United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15, for short) to be held in Copenhagen. Our aim: to highlight not only what needs to be done to effectively address the ever-more
Thanks to its climate change denying ways, the US Chamber of Commerce can now count another one of its members as an ex-member. Speaking today at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy’s national conference, John W. Rowe — chairman and CEO of Exelon — announced his company would not
wind energy
Thousands of bats are killed by spinning wind turbines each year, but researchers in Canada believe they’ve found a way to reduce that death toll by up to 60 per cent without having a serious impact on wind-energy output. The secret: slowing turbine blades to almost a complete stop
desalination
The US Navy hopes to find a way to make saltwater fresh that uses significantly less energy than current desalination technologies. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is sponsoring the research to help ensure freshwater supplies for forces afloat, Marine Corps expeditionary forces and humanitarian missions ashore. “Saving energy and
cleantech
The CEOs of 12 Irish cleantech firms are prowling for potential investors and partners in Silicon Valley this week during Enterprise Ireland’s first-ever dedicated Clean Tech Trade mission. The mission aims to help Ireland’s innovative companies meet with their California counterparts, link up with strategic partners and showcase
