Chemistry & Industry Issue 4 - Renewable Energy SpecialFebruary 13, 2002FEATURES - Renewable Energy Special (pages 15-23) Renewable energy offers one of the greatest challenges and opportunities. James Randerson outlines some of the latest technology in this area with a review of alternative energy in the UK. Case Studies Solar (page 18), wind (page 20) and wave energy (page 22) explored. The Future of Fuel Cells Are fuel cells the future of energy technology? (page 22) Dash for Gas (page 23) The UK’s commitment to 10% renewables by 2010 will barely cover demand growth. What will happen to the rest of the power market? Janet Wood reports. NEWS ICI to sell Synetix, issue shares (page 4) ICI has announced an £808m ($1.16bn) share issue and its intention to sell its catalyst division Synetix to reduce debt. CO2 cuts will not turn the tide of global warming (page 5) We can look forward to more floods, more droughts and significant increases in temperature and sea level over the next century — even if fossil fuel consumption is reduced dramatically. BASF expands contract operations (page 6) BASF is planning to expand its Cramlington site in Northumbria, UK, as part of a new global strategy to expand contract manufacturing operations. Fat buster works in clinical trial (page 8) Losing weight might soon be as easy as popping a pill. Researchers in Australia have successfully tested a drug in humans which they say breaks down fat efficiently without users having to cut down on calories or do any more exercise. Restructuring pays dividends for Shell (page 8) Shell Chemicals’ dramatic restructuring three years ago has paid off. The division made a profit of $241m in the final quarter 2001, compared to a probable loss of around $300m had the business not changed. AZ moves from gastro-intestinals to megabrands (page 9) Change will be the key to growth for Anglo–Swedish drug company AstraZeneca, according to CEO Tom McKillop. Speaking at a recent press conference in London, McKillop said the company is reshaping its portfolio and moving away from its traditional gastro-intestinal (GI) market, which has made up about two-fifths of the company’s sales in the past three years. ANALYSIS Is the world ready for a new Monsanto? (page 14) When Monsanto is born again through a special stock-dividend offering later this year, it will hatch from its corporate cocoon at US pharmaceuticals giant Pharmacia as an ambitious giant with $6bn/year in revenues, tremendous prospects for growth and three aspects for the future guaranteed. NEWS FEATURES Vaccination – Every Parent’s Choice? (page 10) The debate over the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (MMR) is giving parents a hard choice. Maria Burke reports on the evidence for and against a link between MMR and autism. Media Science Coverage (page 13) Has science programming strayed into the realms of drama and entertainment at the expense of scientific content? Richard Butler reports on the fine line between science fiction and fact Society of Chemical Industry |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Fuel Cells Current Events and Fuel Cells News Articles Shifting the world to 100 percent clean, renewable energy as early as 2030 -- here are the numbers Most of the technology needed to shift the world from fossil fuel to clean, renewable energy already exists. Implementing that technology requires overcoming obstacles in planning and politics, but doing so could result in a 30 percent decrease in global power demand. U of C chemists discover recipe to design a better type of fuel cell Fuel cells are often touted as one method to help decrease society's addiction to fossil fuels. But there is still a lot of work to be done before fuel cells will be ready for mass market to be used in transportation, home heating and portable power for emergencies. Ion Tiger fuel cell unmanned air vehicle completes 23-hour flight The Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL's) Ion Tiger, a hydrogen-powered fuel cell unmanned air vehicle (UAV), has flown 23 hours and 17 minutes, setting an unofficial flight endurance record for a fuel-cell powered flight. New aluminum-water rocket propellant promising for future space missions Researchers are developing a new type of rocket propellant made of a frozen mixture of water and "nanoscale aluminum" powder that is more environmentally friendly than conventional propellants and could be manufactured on the moon, Mars and other water-bearing bodies. A recipe for controlling carbon nanotubes Nanoscopic tubes made of a lattice of carbon just a single atom deep hold promise for delivering medicines directly to a tumor, sensors so keen they detect the arrival or departure of a single electron, a replacement for costly platinum in fuel cells or as energy‐saving transistors and wires. University of the Basque Country researcher makes progress in optimising solid oxide fuel cells While our standard of life increases, so does the worldwide energy demand. In this vein, the application of technologies based on fuel cells is put forward as an alternative to the massive consumption of fossil fuels. Smaller isn't always better: Catalyst simulations could lower fuel cell cost Imagine a car that runs on hydrogen from solar power and produces water instead of carbon emissions. While vehicles like this won't be on the market anytime soon, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers are making incremental but important strides in the fuel cell technology that could make clean cars a reality. Water quality in orbit Space is not a fun place to get a stomach bug. To ensure drinking water is adequately disinfected, University of Utah chemists developed a two-minute water quality monitoring method that just started six months of tests aboard the International Space Station. Making more efficient fuel cells Bacteria that generate significant amounts of electricity could be used in microbial fuel cells to provide power in remote environments or to convert waste to electricity. Pitt researchers harness carbon nanomaterials for drug delivery systems, oxygen sensors Two nanoscale devices recently reported by University of Pittsburgh researchers in two separate journals harness the potential of carbon nanomaterials to enhance technologies for drug or imaging agent delivery and energy storage systems, in one case, and, in the other, bolster the sensitivity of oxygen sensors essential in confined settings, from mines to spacecrafts. More Fuel Cells Current Events and Fuel Cells News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||