Latest innovation in solar panels

Tesla, the American automobile maker and energy storage company, has just unveiled roof tiles that are designed to shake up the solar panel industry. Dave Lee reports about the launch on the BBC News website. Tesla shows off solar roof tiles Roof tiles with built-in solar panels have been unveiled by Tesla chief executive … Continue reading Latest innovation in solar panels →

Prototype battery mimics the structure of human intestine

The energy transition is bringing forth much innovation. The Science & Environment section of the BBC News website reports on some interesting developments in a lithium-sulphur battery. It takes inspiration from the human gut. Gut instinct drives battery boost Scientists have designed a new prototype battery that mimics the structure of the human intestines. … Continue reading Prototype battery mimics the structure of human intestine →

Good example of using heat from sewers

While there are several examples around France and elsewhere, the news service Reuters provided a good article in The Guardian about a recent heating installation in a Parisian swimming pool using the heat from the sewer system. Drain brain: Paris pool uses sewer heat to cut costs and emissions A Paris swimming pool has … Continue reading Good example of using heat from sewers →

Keeping cool with a new wardrobe

We have been pursuing various types of passive buildings to reduce our cooling loads in hot climates but now scientists in the US have come up with a new low-cost textile that could cool us when woven into clothing. For the fashion industry, this may bring a new meaning to “being cool.” The Bangkok Post … Continue reading Keeping cool with a new wardrobe →

Latest developments in energy-efficient window tinting

This week in Europe it would have been nice to have been able to simply tint windows to keep the sun out. But as Scott Collie writes on the New Atlas website, a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a energy-efficient thin film material that allows for relatively quick tinting. Energy-efficient … Continue reading Latest developments in energy-efficient window tinting →

Environmental concerns seem to be the exception, not the rule, in the world of computing

Nathan Ensmenger, an associate professor in the School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University, provides a fascinating article on the environmental impact of computers on the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists website. He reflects on four environmental aspects of the online economy that deserve serious scrutiny from consumers, producers, and regulators alike. You should … Continue reading Environmental concerns seem to be the exception, not the rule, in the world of computing →

Colourful goop that could lead way for new method to store energy

Undoubtedly, the efforts to improve how we can store energy will have a big impact on sustainable energy policy. Ivan Semeniuk writes a good article in Canada’s Globe and Mail about a new material that researchers believe could lead to a commercially attractive method to store energy. New material raises hopes for cheap renewable … Continue reading Colourful goop that could lead way for new method to store energy →

Residential hot water systems could soon be “grid interactive” in the US

The smart environment is evolving quickly. Chris Mooney writes in the Washington Post about latest research that shows the possibility of using electric domestic hot water systems will be able to act like a “battery” in the sense that they will be storing thermal energy for longer periods of time. Do you have any views? … Continue reading Residential hot water systems could soon be “grid interactive” in the US →

New solar storage system on the Australian market

Brisbane company Redback Technologies, backed by researchers from the University of Queensland, says it has cracked the formula for the most cost-effective solar storage system on the Australian market. Joshua Robertson discusses latest developments in The Guardian. Half the price in half the time: solar storage innovation harnesses new energy frontier If Tesla’s Powerwall … Continue reading New solar storage system on the Australian market →

The innovative use of smart glass

There is a good article on the Glass on Web website about the benefits of smart glass. It is encouraging to see such developments. Improving Energy Efficiency with Smart Glass As the importance of energy efficiency becomes more apparent, the use of renewable energy sources and better insulation has sky rocketed. However, more innovative … Continue reading The innovative use of smart glass →