Articles tagged with Renewable Resources
University of Minnesota researchers develop groundbreaking new catalyst technology to convert renewable materials like trees and corn into acrylic acid and acrylates used in paints, coatings, and superabsorbent polymers. The new catalyst substantially reduces costs and increases yield, paving the way for lower-cost renewable chemicals.
The study suggests that increased demand for energy transition metals could be more disruptive to some communities than winding back production of thermal coal. An additional 115.7 million people would be at risk from disruption by ETMs.
A study by UPV/EHU's Ekopol and Life Cycle Thinking groups found that an alternative community lifestyle can reduce energy consumption due to the significance of energy used in goods and services. The energy footprint per inhabitant of Errekaleor neighbourhood is 24% lower than that of ACBC.
Researchers found that optimizing solar panel spacing and direction can increase energy production by 2-3% through natural convection. The study's model improves estimates of solar plant efficiency, paving the way for more accurate cost predictions.
A KAUST-led team creates selective anode catalysts for stable and efficient hydrogen evolution in seawater splitting. The nanoreactors exhibited high electrocatalytic activity and stability due to their unique structure, isolating the electrolysis from side reactions.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen develop a low-fat, more sustainable whipped cream alternative using lactic acid bacteria as building blocks. The bacteria-based foam can be whipped, peaks up, and retains liquid, making it a potential game-changer in the food industry.
A two-year research project aims to overcome technical difficulties in large-scale algae cultivation, a promising method for climate change mitigation. The ROBA project focuses on developing economically feasible algal cultivation processes using advanced measurement technologies and bioprocess engineering.
Scientists have developed a prototype circuit board made of a sheet of paper with fully integrated electrical components, making it easy to dispose of responsibly. The new design uses wax and ink to print channels, conductive inks, and metal components onto the paper, creating a flexible and thin device that can be burned or degraded.
A new titanium-based photocatalyst overcomes production inefficiencies in polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF), a biobased plastic replacement for PET. The catalyst increases efficiency by shifting light absorption to the visible range, reducing unwanted byproducts and requiring less UV light.
Researchers present a 'green' process for tie-dyeing cotton with renewable resources and wastes, linking science, art, and sustainability. The natural dyes used produce designs of white, brown, orange, and bluish-black colors on fabrics.
The BlueSwell Incubator program provides $50,000 in funding and access to industry leaders to support startups focused on ocean sustainability solutions. Seven startups have graduated from the previous cohorts, collectively raising over $9.6 million dollars since joining the incubator.
Researchers developed a novel protocol for the direct synthesis of amides via heterogeneous manganese oxide catalyzed successive cleavage and amidation of C-C bonds in alcohols. The method features good functional-group tolerance, cost-effective and recyclable catalyst, and broad substrate scope.
Researchers developed a novel scheme that reduces energy consumption while improving traffic prediction accuracy by up to 40% compared to benchmark schemes. The scheme uses software defined network and edge computing to control the operation of base stations, ensuring both sustainability and performance.
A Kyoto University-led team has created a novel hydrogen plant design that harnesses fully renewable resources to produce clean hydrogen with minimal associated CO2 emissions. The SABI-Hydrogen system uses solar heating and biomass gasification to produce hydrogen, resulting in an emission rate of only 1.04kg CO2/kg hydrogen produced.
The study of four Baroque-era paintings reveals that flax fibres from fabrics a few hundred years old have undergone more degradation than those from thousand-year-old Egyptian mortuary linens. The researchers used various high-resolution optical analysis methods to analyse the fibre structure without degrading the samples.
The £17M Innovation Centre for Applied Sustainable Technologies (iCAST) aims to translate sustainable chemical technology research into commercial products. The centre will deliver 10 joint industry projects a year, tackling critical challenges in clean growth and addressing the UK's climate emergency.
Researchers found that combining resource diversification, excess generation, building efficiency, and demand flexibility can reduce or eliminate long-duration energy storage in some regions. This approach enables the achievability of a fully renewable system with technology building blocks accessible today.
New research suggests tidal stream power can provide 11% of the UK's current annual electricity demand, with potential environmental impact comparable to climate change. To achieve this, around 11.5 GW of tidal stream turbine capacity is required, with major grid infrastructure needed for development.
Scientists aim to create sustainable materials for optical applications by leveraging polylactide, a renewable resource with good optical properties. The project addresses issues like CO2 emissions and microplastics to develop cost-effective high-performance polymers.
Researchers believe that wind and hydropower are the most promising renewable energy sources in Russia, with suitable areas for installation identified. However, the transition to these energy sources has been slow due to reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear energy.
Clean geothermal power could become as important as fossil fuels, with new technologies and repurposed oil and gas expertise crucial to its development. Industry leaders emphasize the need for collaboration between geothermal and oil and gas professionals.
A UMD researcher has been awarded a $6 million grant from the US Department of Energy to create sustainable products like biofuels and bioplastics from food waste. The project aims to understand waste sources, characterize municipal solid waste, and produce renewable resources.
A 2 MWel power plant will be built in Saudi Arabia, combining CSP and desalination techniques to achieve unprecedented efficiencies. The DESOLINATION project aims to provide low-cost renewable electricity and fresh water for the GCC region.
Researchers from Singapore University of Technology and Design proposed a novel probabilistic dispatch strategy to minimize generation costs while ensuring constraint satisfaction in modern power grids. The approach significantly decreases the probability of constraint violation without impacting nominal power generation cost.
A Rutgers-led study challenges conventional expectations that fast-growing resources are unlikely to collapse. The study found that those who start conserving can often stick with it, but when conservation is not in place, the opposite is true.
Researchers propose pairing remote wind farms with conventional units to reduce power storage needs, improving reliability. The approach uses an algorithm to estimate future wind states and provides limitations for extreme wind states.
The USDA is providing funding to help private forestland owners and ranchers make informed decisions about their natural resources. NIFA investments will enhance the sustainability of forest and rangeland resources through education programs, supporting well-managed forests and rural economic development.
A new roadmap for the US aims to transform its energy infrastructure from fossil fuels to 100% renewable resources by 2050. The 50-state plan provides detailed information on how many wind turbines and solar panels would be needed, land area required, cost and job creation, to power each state.
Researchers developed an engineered E. coli strain capable of producing phenol from glucose, overcoming its toxicity issues. The biphasic extractive fermentation process allowed efficient extraction of phenol, reaching the highest titer and productivity reported.
A new NREL study indicates that wind and solar power electricity generation could become cost-competitive with natural gas by 2025 in certain regions of the West. The report identifies areas where renewable energy development is likely to occur, including Wyoming, New Mexico, Montana, and Idaho.
Saudi Arabia is working with the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to set up networks for measuring solar radiation in varying meteorological conditions. The partnership aims to train Saudi engineers and install over 50 monitoring stations to gauge the best spots for solar power plants.
Researchers at NREL are developing advanced electric vehicle technology, renewable energy resources for charging, and grid integration to accelerate adoption. Smart charging capabilities enable efficient use of the grid, while bi-directional charging turns vehicles into grid storage devices.
James McKinlay aims to create a cooperative relationship between two microbial species to produce efficient hydrogen gas biofuel. The goal is to overcome the challenge of single microbes performing all necessary tasks, and instead, work together like diverse microbes in nature.
Researchers successfully produce PLA and copolymers through direct microbial fermentation, reducing production costs and environmental impact. This innovation could lead to the development of sustainable plastics based on renewable resources.
Researchers propose using switchgrass as a supplement to corn to make ethanol, ensuring affordable fuel for distributors and consumers. The study found that cellulosic ethanol from dry switchgrass can deliver 16% ethanol fuel to all US consumers, potentially leading to significant decreases in gasoline prices.
The Northeast Sun Grant Institute at Cornell is a regional hub for researching plant biomass in energy and chemical production. The institute aims to develop sustainable industries and communities by producing bio-economy goods such as biopower, biofuels, and bioproducts.
DuPont scientists have developed a bio-based method using corn instead of conventional petroleum-based processes to produce the latest polymer platform. The new process uses fermentation-based production of 1,3 propanediol, which is used to create DuPont Sorona polymer with unique technical properties.
Kodali and Nivens have developed a series of commercial lubricants, Agri-Pure 500, made from modified vegetable oils that overcome gelation and degradation issues. The oils can be used in environmentally sensitive areas and as base oils for hydraulic fluid and crankcase oil.
Corn-based biodegradable plastics have won a national award, thanks to Cornell chemist Coates' innovative work in developing polymers that can be easily absorbed by the environment. His research has also led to new applications, such as sutures and drug delivery systems.