38 h. ago For these seniors, DOGE's affordable housing pause means suffering longer without AC

The Trump administration froze funding for a program to upgrade aging low-income housing and make it energy efficient. The move threatens hundreds of projects around the country.

Politics

5 d. ago Scientists investigate soil as a thermal energy storage solution

When spring arrives and the heating season comes to an end, keeping warm becomes less of an issue. However, scientists remind us that it is not just a seasonal necessity—heat is also a valuable energy resource that can be stored and used when needed most. Researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) have discovered an innovative solution beneath our feet: using soil as an efficient thermal energy storage system.

Science

5 d. ago Redox flow battery achieves energy efficiency of 87.9% and longer cycling life with new catalytic electrode

A team of materials scientists, chemical engineers, and environmental scientists affiliated with a host of institutions in China has developed a redox flow battery (RFB) with 87.9% energy efficiency, which can also last for 850 cycles. In their project, published in the journal Nature Communications, the group developed a new kind of catalytic electrode to improve the efficiency of the battery.

Politics

1 week ago New technology halves cost of recycling activated carbon for removing harmful substances

A research team from the Korea Institute of Energy Research has developed a technology that efficiently manages volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from small-scale businesses and recycles them with lower energy consumption compared to existing methods. Notably, this technology can be applied to automotive painting businesses located in and around cities, significantly reducing the burden on businesses caused by emission regulations. The findings were published online in October 2024 in the journal Energy Conversion and Management: X.

Politics

3 w. ago Reusing old oil and gas wells may offer green energy storage solution

Moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like wind and solar will require better ways to store energy for use when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. A new study by researchers at Penn State has found that taking advantage of natural geothermal heat in depleted oil and gas wells can improve the efficiency of one proposed energy storage solution: compressed-air energy storage (CAES).

Politics

3 w. ago Electrification and carbon capture can make cement production more energy

Concrete is the world's most widely used building material—but the production of cement, its key component, generates significant carbon dioxide emissions. New research at Umeå University shows how electrification and carbon capture can make production both more energy-efficient and climate-smart.

Politics

3 w. ago Pumps and valves made from ultrathin elastomeric films are lightweight and energy efficient

Miniaturized pumps and valves that rely on the motion of dielectric elastomeric silicone films are being created in Saarland, Germany. Not only are these devices lightweight, compact and energy-efficient, but they also work without the need for compressed air, motors or lubricants. They are cleanroom-compatible and can be continuously controlled while operating.

Politics

4 w. ago Machine learning precisely predicts material characteristics for high

In the lab, perovskite solar cells show high efficiency in converting solar energy into electricity. In combination with silicon solar cells, they could play a role in the next generation of photovoltaic systems. Now researchers at KIT have demonstrated that machine learning is a crucial tool for improving the data analysis needed for commercial fabrication of perovskite solar cells. They present their results in Energy & Environmental Science.

Politics