Susan Gourvenec and Rebecca Sykes of the University of Southampton write on The Conversation website about new engineering approaches that are needed to lower the negative impact a range of costs involved in the life cycle of the product. Offshore wind turbines could number 30,000 by 2030 – new ideas in ocean engineering are … Continue reading With planned increase in offshore wind turbines, ocean engineers must think ecologically to help species live and evolve through the difficult decades ahead
Category: innovation
New technology removes humans from offshore wind turbine repairs, helping reduce overall costs to consumers
Alan Tovey writes on The Telegraph website about six-legged robotic “bugs” being used to repair offshore wind farms. Flying robot bugs deployed to fix wind farms Six-legged robotic “bugs” could soon be repairing offshore wind farms, putting an end to humans doing risky maintenance and potentially lowering energy bills in the process. Engineers have … Continue reading New technology removes humans from offshore wind turbine repairs, helping reduce overall costs to consumers
Recycled vegetable oil heats Scottish home
Since March a family in Scotland has been using recycled vegetable oil to heat their home. The renewable liquid fuel is made from certified waste fats and oils and manufactured by a synthesised process with hydrogen to create the fuel. Sally Guyoncourt discusses latest developments in an article on the inews website. Family become … Continue reading Recycled vegetable oil heats Scottish home
A new app teaching people about energy efficiency reflects how technology plays a key role in reaching new audiences
Marina Ollé Hurtado writes on the youris.com about a user-friendly smart app to help people improve their energy-saving behaviours developed by European researchers. An intelligent app to teach people energy efficiency Energy demand is growing across many countries in the world as populations increase and people get richer. In fact, global energy consumption … Continue reading A new app teaching people about energy efficiency reflects how technology plays a key role in reaching new audiences
An alternative white paint for buildings containing barium sulphate could be more effective at reflecting the solar radiation than traditional gypsum paint
We are always interested in new innovations. Andrew Parnell, Research Fellow in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sheffield discusses the impact of using an alternative white paint containing barium sulphate (BaSO₄) that could be even more effective at reflecting the solar radiation hitting buildings back into space. The article is on The Conversation … Continue reading An alternative white paint for buildings containing barium sulphate could be more effective at reflecting the solar radiation than traditional gypsum paint
Nasa is corralling companies to demonstrate improved ways to power aircraft via batteries rather than jet fuel
It is encouraging that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) in the US is organizing demonstration tests of electric propulsion. It turns out Nasa has been working on electric planes for the past decade and it is good to see the demonstrations now starting. Oliver Milman discusses latest developments in an article on the … Continue reading Nasa is corralling companies to demonstrate improved ways to power aircraft via batteries rather than jet fuel
It’s time for another generation of cooling equipment that is much gentler on the climate system
Scott Denning, Professor of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University writes on The Conversation website about efforts in the US to eliminate hydrofluorocarbons used as coolants in refrigerators, air conditioners and heat pumps. How cleaning up coolants can cool the climate – why HFCs are getting phased out from refrigerators and air conditioners The U.S. … Continue reading It’s time for another generation of cooling equipment that is much gentler on the climate system
Will vertical axis wind turbines replace traditional design?
Harry Cockburn asks in an article on the Independent website if we are about to see a revolution in turbine design. ‘More efficient’ vertical turbines should replace traditional design on wind farms, researchers say Farm of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (Oxford Brookes University) New research suggests the now-familiar sight of three-blade wind turbines should … Continue reading Will vertical axis wind turbines replace traditional design?
Novel energy storage technology involves suspending heavy weights above deep mine shafts
Under this novel system, weights are winched above mine shafts using green power generated on sunny or windy days, ready to be dropped to generate power when renewable output slumps or the grid needs power to “balance” its output. Madeleine Cuff discusses the technology in an article on the inews website. Mine shafts set … Continue reading Novel energy storage technology involves suspending heavy weights above deep mine shafts
‘Whitest ever’ paint reflects 98% of sunlight
Scientists in the US have developed a paint significantly "whiter than the whitest paint currently available". Tests carried out by researchers at Purdue University on their "ultra-white" paint showed it reflected more than 98% of sunlight. That suggests, the scientists say, that it could help save energy and fight climate change. Damian Carrington discusses the … Continue reading ‘Whitest ever’ paint reflects 98% of sunlight
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 