Energy News - Energy Technology - Energy Business

September 29, 2015

Shooting lightning out of the sky
Washington DC (SPX) Sep 25, 2015
Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod 250 years ago to protect people and buildings from lightning strikes. Someday, those metal poles may be replaced with lasers. A team of researchers from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, have demonstrated new techniques that bring lasers as lighting rods closer to reality. When a powerful laser beam shoots through the air, it ionizes the molecules, leaving a thin trail of hot, ionized particles in its wake. Because this stream of plasma conduc ... read more

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Physicists find new explanation for key experiment An experiment at Tohoku University (Japan) in 2008 laid the foundations for research on 'spin caloritronics' - a field that aims to develop more effective and energy-saving data processing in inform ... more		US cities ranked on impact of urban heat islands on temps Inner cities as well as suburbs show distinctly warmer temperatures - known as the urban heat island effect - than rural areas as a result of land use and human activities, which can affect rainfall ... more		First circularly polarized light detector on a silicon chip Invention of the first integrated circularly polarized light detector on a silicon chip opens the door for development of small, portable sensors that could expand the use of polarized light for dru ... more
				Houston researchers create fatigue-free, stretchable conductor Researchers have discovered a new stretchable, transparent conductor that can be folded or stretched and released, resulting in a large curvature or a significant strain, at least 10,000 times witho ... more		Method could make hydrogen fuel cells more efficient With the growth of wind and solar energy and the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, many people in the U.S. may have forgotten about the promised "hydrogen economy." But in research l ... more

Nuclear Decommissioning And Used Fuel Market 2015

Solar systems for home and business installations

Researchers examine tradeoffs, potential of using liquid natural gas as marine fuel As the maritime shipping industry transitions toward cleaner fuels in response to new environmental regulations and emissions standards, abundant supplies of natural gas in the United States, and wo ... more		Scientists reveal first results using new National Dark Fibre Infrastructure Southampton scientists will reveal the first research results from the new National Dark Fibre Infrastructure Service (NDFIS) at an international conference this week. Dark fibre is an optical ... more		Understanding the nuances of human-like intelligence Advanced air filter could enable building vents to capture carbon and reduce energy use Ancient wallaby ancestor reveals evolutionary leap for kangaroos		Nanostructures for contactless control Chemists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Univeristaet (LMU) in Munich have fabricated a novel nanosheet-based photonic crystal that changes color in response to moisture. The new material could form the basis ... more
				A better method for measuring luminous efficacy of LEDs Researchers at Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have succeeded in developing a method which helps to improve the relative uncertainty in measuring the luminous efficacy ... more		Southampton chemists create switchable gold catalyst A gold catalyst whose behaviour can be controlled by the addition of acid or metal ion cofactors has been designed by chemists from the University of Southampton. Dr Steve Goldup, Associate Pr ... more

Nuclear Operations and Maintenance Efficiency Summit USA 2015

Benign by design Green chemistry is akin to baking. Both require precision and specific ingredients to produce the desired results. The trick is figuring out exactly which ingredients to use, and in what combination ... more		Researchers set speed records for zinc-based transistors with argon plasma process If you're reading this story on a screen with a liquid crystal display, thank thin-film transistors. Thin-film transistors function like standard semiconductor transistors, but are deposited on top ... more		New Structures Could Keep Astronauts Fit During Long Missions Aerospace modules completed for Artemis lunar crew mission MIT researchers propose a new model for legible, modular software		Germany launches criminal probe against VW's ex-CEO German prosecutors on Monday announced a criminal investigation against Volkswagen's former chief executive as the government pressed the embattled auto giant to resolve a pollution cheating scandal that has rocked the auto sector. ... more
Canada PM Stephen Harper defends F-35 program Canada's Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the opposition party was "living in a dream world" when Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said a Liberal government would remove the F-35 from their defense bidding process. ... more		Shell halts controversial search for Alaskan oil Royal Dutch Shell said Monday it was halting its search for oil off the Alaskan coast, with environmentalists claiming a huge victory in their battle to protect local wildlife. ... more		Shell scraps controversial oil exploration in Alaska Anglo-Dutch energy giant Royal Dutch Shell said Monday it had scrapped its controversial offshore exploration in Alaska after failing to find sufficient quantities of oil and gas. ... more		Report: British North Sea won't rebound until 2017 The British oil and gas sector is in a short-term decline with no chance of recovery for at least two years, an industry planner told the Financial Times. ... more

	Italy primed for return to Iran's energy sector Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the conditions are right for Italian energy companies to start working in the country in the post-sanctions era. ... more		BG Group places bet on offshore Canada British energy company BG Group said it was placing a bet on offshore Canada by acquiring positions from Spanish rival Repsol. ... more

Arrival of US aircraft carrier fuels Venezuelan fears of attack

Russia offers US nuclear talks in bid to ease tensions

US-China tensions weigh on Lisbon's Web Summit

Oil prices drop after China industrial profits sink		Texas oil production holds steady		North Dakota rig count up by four		China industrial profits fall at sharpest rate in four years		Apple sells record 13 mn iPhones in weekend launch
Protein conjugation method offers new possibilities for biomaterials		Scientists build wrench 1.7 nanometers wide		Ultrafast lasers offer 3-D micropatterning of biocompatible silk hydrogels		A twist for control of orbital angular momentum of neutron waves		Using hybrid gold nanoclusters for enzymatic fuel cells

Green storage for green energy

Nano-mechanical study offers new assessment of silicon for next-gen batteries

New cathode material creates possibilities for sodium-ion batteries

New method to better understand atomic nuclei

ORNL integrated energy demo connects 3-D printed building, vehicle

Germany orders VW to set timetable on meeting pollution standards

Tesla boss Musk calls for 'random emission' testing

Oculus proclaims dawn of 'virtual reality era'

EU tightening auto emission tests to prevent cheating: sources

Aussie woman sends 'robot' to queue for new iPhone

Brazil's Rousseff pledges 37% cut in greenhouse gas emissions

China says to cooperate with US on graft, money laundering

China's Xi confident of 'healthy' economic growth

Apple under fire for factory conditions as iPhone launches

Italian collective unveils world's largest 3-D printer

Volkswagen scandal touches nerve centre of German economy

Dutch refuse to drop appeal in greenhouse gas case

Turkey's First Nuclear Plant Likely to Go Operational by 2022

Tiny carbon-capturing motors may help tackle rising carbon dioxide levels

Rare supermoon eclipse to take over night sky

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