New images show the solar wind's dynamic interactions, including piling up at the leading edge of a CME, voids in the interior, long thread-like structures, and V-shaped structures centered on the current sheet. These findings are changing the way scientists think about space weather.
The American Chemical Society's new podcast discusses a potential future for the electrical grid powered by renewable energy from the sun and wind. Researchers are developing technologies that can efficiently store and integrate this electricity into the grid.
Researchers at Caltech propose a new wind farm design that places turbines close together, reducing inefficiencies and environmental impacts. The approach uses vertical-axis wind turbines, which provide benefits in turbulent winds, simple designs, and lower profiles.
Researchers at California Institute of Technology have discovered that optimizing wind turbine placement on a given plot of land can increase power output by an order of magnitude. By positioning turbines in close proximity and using vertical-axis wind turbines, the team found that energy loss due to aerodynamic interference between ne...
Acoustics researchers at the University of Adelaide are developing a computer model to predict wind farm noise output, aiming to reduce 'wind turbine syndrome'. The team hopes to control noise through blade shape changes and active devices, improving wind energy efficiency.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University are creating an iron-based flow battery to store energy from wind turbines and solar panels. The battery could supply electricity when demand is high, making it a useful alternative to pumped hydro and compressed air systems.
A pair of Indiana University scientists analyzed regional climate models to assess future wind patterns in the US. They found that most areas will see little or no change in wind density, with high wind potential over the Great Lakes and parts of Mexico.
Scientists analyzed over 300 studies to identify promising energy storage technologies, including high-tech batteries and redox flow batteries. These innovations aim to integrate and store renewable energy efficiently, enabling the growth of sustainable power grids.
A University of Arizona-led research team found that wind can be up to 100 times more effective at eroding mountains than previously thought. The study suggests that wind played a key role in shaping the Loess Plateau, with over half of its dust coming from the Qaidam Basin.
Cyclone Cherono has weakened due to increased wind shear, as captured by NASA infrared satellite imagery. The storm's remnants are now moving away from Mauritius, causing ocean swells and rough surf.
Researchers are exploring ways to use distributed energy sources, such as wind turbines, to avoid cascading failures in power grids. The team plans to test their approach using the university's wind turbine and four other wind turbines installed at the Riley County Public Works Facility.
A new study by the University of Hawaii at Manoa found that combining on-Oahu wind farms and solar energy could meet over 25% of Oahu's projected electricity demand. The study suggests that implementing large-scale wind and solar projects on Oahu can maintain system reliability while eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels.
A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey and University of California, Los Angeles, found that climate change will lead to increased dust storm activity in the Southwest due to reduced perennial vegetation cover. However, biological soil crusts prevented wind erosion from occurring at most sites.
The project develops a new experimental platform for testing wind turbine blades and introduces more realistic loading methods to improve design accuracy. New measuring techniques, including optical digital systems and acoustic emission, are also being developed.
A new study suggests that converting to clean, renewable energy sources is technologically and economically feasible within 20-40 years. The plan involves using wind, water, and solar power to generate electricity, with a focus on combining these sources to overcome variability challenges.
Researchers at Hebrew U. warn that climate change may cause many tree species with wind-dispersed seeds to become extinct due to reduced wind speed and increased seed production. This could lead to a slower spread of trees than expected, making them vulnerable to extinction.
Researchers developed a new formula to determine optimal turbine spacing for large wind farms, suggesting turbines should be spaced 15 rotor diameters apart for more cost-efficient power generation. This improvement could address underperforming projects in the US, Europe, and China.
Researchers at PNNL have developed a system to measure winds high up into the air, providing more accurate wind predictions and improving wind power forecasts. This study has the potential to improve how sites are chosen for wind farms and how those farms are operated.
Researchers at Syracuse University's L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science have developed a new air-flow technology to increase the efficiency of large wind turbines. The approach uses intelligent systems to control airflow and reduce noise and vibration. Initial results show that flow control can enlarge the operation...
Researchers found that wind turbines increase airflow over nearby crops, keeping them cooler during hot days and warmer at night. This could lead to improved crop yields, reduced moisture levels and increased carbon dioxide absorption.
The EU-funded ESAIL project aims to develop the laboratory prototypes of key electric sail components. A full-scale electric sail is estimated to produce a continuous thrust of one newton while weighing only 100 kg.
Researchers measured carbon dioxide fluxes in the North Atlantic using an autonomous system, making nearly 4,000 flux measurements. The study found that formation of bubbles in breaking waves may increase gas transfer at high wind speeds.
Charles Meneveau and Johan Meyers develop a model to calculate optimal turbine spacing for large wind farms. They find that energy production depends less on horizontal winds and more on entraining strong winds from higher in the atmosphere, leading to an optimal distance of about 15 rotor diameters.
Researchers are presenting innovative air-flow technology to increase wind turbine efficiency, reducing costs and environmental impact. Tiny grooves on turbine blades also show promise in drag reduction.
A study by Diandong Ren finds that rising global temperatures decrease wind speeds, reducing the power output of wind turbines. This means that more wind turbines are needed to achieve the same amount of energy production, highlighting the need for a switch to renewable energy sources earlier.
The scarcity of new energy minerals will lead to a significant increase in trade tensions between nations. China's growing reliance on wind power to meet its renewable energy targets is exacerbating the issue, as the country needs rare earth elements like neodymium and selenium for high-strength magnets.
A study published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment found that raising wind turbine cut-in speeds to 11 mph reduces bat fatalities by 44-93% and annual power loss by less than 1%. This change limits turbines to operating only during higher wind speeds, minimizing bat collisions.
The ARTEMIS mission involves two micro-satellites orbiting the moon, providing a three-dimensional perspective on energetic particle acceleration near the moon's orbit. The mission will also explore the space environment of the moon and its interaction with the solar wind.
Four young researchers from TUM have developed a sensor technology that can measure mechanical loads on rotor blades, enabling real-time optimization of energy generation. The EXIST research transfer grant will help the team start their own business and expand renewable energy facilities.
Scientists are tracking golden eagles with satellite transmitters to identify their favourite habitats and monitor the impact of wind farms. The project aims to determine how wind farms affect eagle populations in northern Sweden.
A University of Maryland study assesses the feasibility of developing and operating wind farms in Maryland's Atlantic coastal waters. The study finds that offshore wind holds potential to help meet State Energy Targets, but addresses serious institutional impediments such as radar interference and transmission facility inadequacies.
Tropical Depression 14W forms near Hainan Island, China, with strong thunderstorms and rapid wind shear detected by NASA's Aqua satellite. The depression's organization and punch are being weakened by wind shear, which is expected to make it turn north-northeast before making a brief landfall in southern China.
The sun uses its solar wind and ultraviolet radiation to strip Mars' atmosphere, making it cold and dry. MAVEN will examine the ways the sun loses the Martian atmosphere and measure hydrogen isotope ratios to discover how much water has been lost to space.
Researchers have found wind farms' effects on local temperatures and proposed strategies for mediating those effects, increasing the potential to expand wind farms. The study identified two possible mediation strategies: low-turbulence rotors or locational deployment in regions with natural mixing in the atmosphere.
Scientists have observed Alfvén waves in the solar wind that point perpendicular to the magnetic field, efficiently transferring energy to protons. These waves play a crucial role in heating protons and explaining the solar wind's temperature changes.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers are developing a novel ceramic material for energy storage, aiming to overcome a key bottleneck in large-scale wind and solar power generation. The goal is to create nanoengineered capacitors that can store energy quickly and efficiently.
A new study uses computer simulations to recreate the parting of the Red Sea, suggesting a strong east wind could have created a safe passage for fleeing Israelites. The research estimates that a wind of 63 miles an hour would have pushed back waters, exposing mud flats for four hours.
Walter Kohn predicts a new era in human history where solar and wind power dominate global energy, driven by growing alternative energy production and declining oil and gas reserves. International cooperation is crucial to addressing the challenges of a rapidly changing energy landscape.
The IBEX spacecraft has mapped interactions between the solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere, revealing a chaotic pileup of charged particles along the magnetopause. The study provides new insights into the tenuous nature of Earth's outer exosphere and its interaction with the solar wind.
Scientists at the University of Reading in the UK have created a kite-based system to measure wind speed with high accuracy. By attaching a strain gauge to a kite's tether line, researchers found that the tension in the line is linearly related to wind speed, making it a potential tool for atmospheric research.
Researchers demonstrate the feasibility of floating wind turbines, supporting a 5-megawatt turbine in deep waters. The WindFloat platform, developed by Principle Power, is stable enough to harness high-speed winds at depths over 50 meters.
Researcher Gary Seidel aims to develop tiny sensor patches with carbon nanotubes for structural health monitoring of huge wind turbine blades. The patches can detect deformation and send signals to the control center to prevent damage.
Researchers at Caltech have found a way to improve the efficiency of wind farms by using vertical-axis turbines in strategic arrays. By studying the vortices left behind by schools of fish, they discovered that alternating turbine rotations and staggering their placement can increase energy extraction up to 10 times.
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are studying the feasibility of placing large wind turbines on deep-ocean platforms. The project aims to assess the potential for offshore wind power generation in the United States, which could fill a significant portion of coastal states' electricity needs.
Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute have developed a smart charging station that enables electric vehicles to recharge during periods of low energy demand and high renewable energy production. This system aims to reduce peak loads and maximize the contribution of solar and wind power.
Researchers from the University of Delaware and Stony Brook University proposed a new grid design that can minimize the impacts of local weather on power fluctuations, making offshore wind power more consistent. The study found that connecting wind power generators with a shared power line can smooth out power output, allowing sufficie...
A new wind power grid could compensate for natural fluctuations in wind direction and strength, providing a smoother power supply. Researchers linked offshore wind generators with a shared power line to achieve this goal.
Tropical cyclone 17P has weakened and is now a fading depression due to moderate to strong westerly vertical wind shear. The storm's organization and ability to produce thunderstorms are limited by the wind shear, leading to its expected dissipation in the next few days.
Tropical Storm Oli formed on February 1, 2010, near Fiji, with maximum sustained winds of 57 mph. The storm is expected to strengthen temporarily due to low wind shear, but will face increased wind shear in cooler waters after day four.
Iowa State University engineer Steve Martin is working to develop better batteries for renewable energy alternatives by studying electrochemical reactions and new materials. His research aims to improve the efficiency and safety of batteries, which are crucial for widespread adoption of wind power and other forms of clean energy.
A new technology could increase wind turbine efficiency by up to 30-40% at lower wind speeds, opening up new geographic areas for wind power. The circulation control aerodynamic technique will be applied to wind turbine blades, allowing for simpler designs and increased power production.
Research reveals how aerosols from pollution contribute to isolated thunderstorm clouds, improving climate scientists' understanding of the interaction between aerosols and clouds. Wind shear plays a crucial role in determining whether pollution swells or saps storms, with strong wind shear conditions hindering thunderhead formation.
System 97W's low-level circulation center has become exposed, allowing outside influences like wind shear and dry air to weaken the storm from within. The system is now tracking northwards, expected to fizzle out as it encounters a cold front and high wind shear.
Clemson University has received a $45 million grant from the US Department of Energy, combined with $53 million in matching funds, to build a large-scale wind turbine drive train testing facility. The testing facility will create at least 134 jobs and generate 568 indirect jobs, supporting South Carolina's emergence as an industrial hu...
Researchers found a significant increase in wind speed and current strength on Lake Superior, but a decrease in chlorophyll levels due to temperature stratification. This affects the lake's ecosystem and may impact airborne pollutants and nearby communities.
Stanford University researchers propose that transitioning to renewable energy could reduce global power demand by 30%, making it cheaper than fossil fuels or nuclear energy. The study finds that wind, water, and solar energy can meet the world's power demands with minimal land area required.
UNH's Space Science Center played a crucial role in the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission, which has provided groundbreaking maps of the boundary between our solar system and the interstellar medium. The mission's data reveals new insights into the interactions between the solar wind and interstellar gas, including the form...
Researchers found that slowing turbine blades in low-wind periods significantly reduces bat mortality, as bats are more likely to fly when winds are relatively low. The study demonstrates a successful way to mitigate bat deaths without significantly reducing energy generated from wind farms.
The Iowa Power Fund supports a three-year project to develop new, low-cost manufacturing systems that could improve wind energy production by up to 35 percent. The laboratory will focus on automation, quality control, and nondestructive inspection of turbine blades.
A study by Harvard University researchers estimates that China's electricity demands projected for 2030 can be met by wind power. The switch from coal to greener energy would reduce carbon emissions, but requires an investment of around $900 billion dollars.