Energy and Resources News

September 9, 2016

New Genus of Bacteria in Fracking Wells

Printed Graphene For Paper Electronics

Converting Carbon Dioxide Gas Into Fuel

Light-Driven Conversion: Greenhouse Gas to Fuel

Latest Headlines

updated 12:43am EDT

Saskatchewan Uranium Mining Emits Few Greenhouse Gases, Study Shows

Sep. 8, 2016 — The mining and milling of Canadian uranium contributes very few greenhouse gases to nuclear power’s already low emissions, a research group ... read more

A First for Direct-Drive Fusion

Sep. 6, 2016 — New experiments have created the conditions capable of producing a fusion yield that's five times higher than the current record laser-fusion energy yield, as long as the ... read more

Tapping the Unused Potential of Photosynthesis

Sep. 7, 2016 — Scientists have reengineered the fundamental process of photosynthesis to power useful chemical reactions that could be used to produce biofuels, pharmaceuticals and ... read more

Fuel Cell Membrane Outperforms Market: 'Goldilocks' Membrane Is Just About Right

Sep. 7, 2016 — Industrial interest is expected in a vehicular fuel cell membrane able to excrete protons at the most effective temperature ... read more

Wearable Integrated Thermocells Based on Gel Electrolytes Use Body Heat as Power Source

Sep. 6, 2016 — Electronics integrated into textiles are gaining in popularity: Systems like smartphone displays in a sleeve or sensors to detect physical ... read more

New Tool Can Calculate Renewable Energy Output Anywhere in the World

Sep. 6, 2016 — An interactive web tool to estimate the amount of energy that could be generated by wind or solar farms at any location has now been created by ... read more

Engineers Use Microwaves to Produce High-Quality Graphene

Sep. 1, 2016 — Engineers have found a simple method for producing high-quality graphene that can be used in next-generation electronic and energy devices: bake the compound in a ... read more

Lowering the Cost and Environmental Footprint of White LEDs

Aug. 31, 2016 — Replacing traditional light bulbs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) could take a significant bite out of global energy consumption. But making white LEDs isn't completely benign or budget friendly. ... read more

A Virtual Flight Through a Catalyst Particle Finds Evidence of Poisoning

Aug. 30, 2016 — Merging two powerful 3-D X-ray techniques, a team of researchers have revealed new details of a process known as metal poisoning that clogs the pores of catalyst particles ... read more

Solar Cell Is More Efficient, Costs Less Than Its Counterparts

Aug. 29, 2016 — A team of researchers has developed a new solar cell that combines two different layers of sunlight-absorbing material to harvest a broader range of the sun's energy and that ... read more

The Range Of Electric Vehicles Isn't As Big A Problem As You'd Think

The Thai Village Using Cow Dung to Power Homes

Shell: Big Oil Struggles as Profits Dive

F-35 Fighter Jet Has World's Most Advanced Engine, Says Developer

New Step Towards Clean Energy Production from Enzymes

Sep. 1, 2016 — Oxygen inhibits hydrogenases, a group of enzymes that are able to produce and split hydrogen. This degradation is fatal for possible biotechnological applications of these enzymes for the production ... read more

Researchers Peel Back Another Layer of Chemistry With 'Tender' X-Rays

Aug. 31, 2016 — Scientists can now directly probe a previously hard-to-see layer of chemistry thanks to a unique X-ray toolkit. A key breakthrough enabling the latest experiment was in tailoring “tender” ... read more

Gold from Old Phones Is Real Prospect Thanks to Chemical Advance

Aug. 30, 2016 — Vast quantities of gold could be salvaged from old mobile phones using a simple chemical method, a study ... read more

Flywheel Technology Could Create New Savings for Light Rail Transit

Aug. 30, 2016 — Two engineering professors have examined the use of flywheel technology to store energy generated when light rail transit trains decelerate and stop. Trains such as the LRT used in Edmonton, Alberta, ... read more

Air Contamination Near Fracking Sites Result of Operational Inefficiencies

Aug. 26, 2016 — Chemists have published a new study that indicates that highly variable contamination events registered in and around unconventional oil and gas developments are the result of operational ... read more

Chemists Develop Promising Cheap, Sustainable Battery for Grid Energy Storage

Aug. 26, 2016 — Chemists have developed a long-lasting zinc-ion battery that costs half the price of current lithium-ion batteries and could help enable communities to shift away from traditional power plants and ... read more

New Approach to Computing Boosts Energy Efficiency

Aug. 26, 2016 — A research project has launched a set of tools that will make computer systems more energy efficient – a critical issue for modern computing. Using the framework of the project programmers has ... read more

Better Batteries: Next-Generation Smart Separator Membranes

Aug. 26, 2016 — A new class of battery seperator has been engineered by a team of researchers, which is expected to bring unprecedented benefits to battery ... read more

ZnO-Coated High-Performance Bearings Developed

Aug. 25, 2016 — ZnO-coated high-performance bearings reduce friction by about one-third, say researchers. Playing a vital role in a newly developed small jet engine generator for emergency ... read more

New 'Greener' Method Developed for Producing Some Metals

Aug. 25, 2016 — While trying to develop a new battery, researchers find a whole new energy-efficient way to produce some metals without creating air ... read more

An Effective and Low-Cost Solution for Storing Solar Energy

Aug. 25, 2016 — Solar energy can be stored by converting it into hydrogen. But current methods are too expensive and don't last long. Using commercially available solar cells and none of the usual rare metals, ... read more

New Electrical Energy Storage Material Shows Its Power

Aug. 24, 2016 — A new material could one day speed up the charging process of electric cars and help increase their driving range. The modified covalent organic framework (COF) material combines the ability to store ... read more

The First Autonomous, Entirely Soft Robot

Aug. 24, 2016 — A team of researchers with expertise in 3-D printing, mechanical engineering, and microfluidics has demonstrated the first autonomous, untethered, entirely soft robot. This small, 3-D-printed robot ... read more

Interface Engineering for Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Aug. 24, 2016 — The lifetime of perovskite solar cells is significantly enhanced by using few-layer MoS2 flakes as an active buffer interface layer. Researchers show that interface engineering with layered materials ... read more

Glass: Engineer Discovers a High-Speed Nano-Avalanche

Aug. 24, 2016 — Researchers have new findings on the process involving transformations in glass that occur under intense electrical and thermal conditions. New understanding of these mechanisms could lead the way to ... read more

New Class of Fuel Cells Offer Increased Flexibility, Lower Cost

Aug. 23, 2016 — A new class of fuel cells based on a newly discovered polymer-based material could bridge the gap between the operating temperature ranges of two existing types of polymer fuel cells, a breakthrough ... read more

Study Reveals New Physics of How Fluids Flow in Porous Media

Aug. 23, 2016 — Detailed lab experiments provide fresh insight into the physics of fluid-fluid displacement in porous media, crucial to applications like carbon dioxide sequestration or fuel cell ... read more

New Technology May Give Electric Car Drivers More Miles Per Minute of Charging

Aug. 23, 2016 — Researchers have designed a thin plastic membrane that stops rechargeable batteries from discharging when not in use and allows for rapid recharging. It could find applications in high powered ... read more

Nanofur for Oil Spill Cleanup

Aug. 23, 2016 — Some water ferns can absorb large volumes of oil within a short time, because their leaves are strongly water-repellent and, at the same time, highly oil-absorbing. Researchers have found that the ... read more

Stretchy Supercapacitors Power Wearable Electronics

Aug. 23, 2016 — A future of soft robots or smart T-shirts may depend on the development of stretchy power sources. But traditional batteries are thick and rigid -- not ideal properties for materials that would be ... read more

Thursday, September 1, 2016