Inspired by the distribution of sunflower seeds, a group of scientists say they have developed a new city-pattern that ensures the best distribution of solar energy utilization “in low solar radiation countries.”
“Our new city-plan bears close resemblance to the distribution of seeds in sunflowers. This distribution ensures the best utilization of solar energy,” says Dr. Ammar A. T. Alkhalidi, University of Sharjah’s Associate Professor of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering.
Dr. Alkhalidi is the lead author of a new study titled “Sunflower-inspired urban city pattern to improve solar energy utilization in low solar radiation countries.” The study is published in journal Renewable Energy Focus.
Sandia National Laboratories researchers have developed a fundamentally new type of rotary electrical contact. The technology is called Twistact, and it will eliminate the need for expensive rare-earth magnets in large wind turbines.
Sandia is now ready to partner with the energy industry to develop the next generation of direct-drive wind turbines.
Sandia’s Twistact is a novel approach to transmitting electrical current between a stationary and rotating frame, or between two rotating assemblies having different speeds or rotational directions. This method is ideal for use in wind turbines.
Odysseus is one of the first landers to participate in NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which aims to deliver science and technology payloads to the lunar surface using commercial partners. The CLPS program is a key component of NASA’s Artemis program, which plans to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by the end of the 2020s.
Intuitive Machines successfully transmitted its first IM-1 mission images to Earth on February 16, 2024. The images were captured shortly after separation from @SpaceX’s second stage on Intuitive Machines’ first journey to the Moon under @NASA’s CLPS initiative. pic.twitter.com/9LccL6q5tF — Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) February 17, 2024
Odysseus is carrying six NASA experiments and technology demonstrations, along with six private payloads, on its current IM-1 mission. The lander is expected to touch the moon on February 22, near the lunar equator.
Researchers from Ohio State University have developed an innovative method to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the atmosphere. Powered by geothermal energy, the team’s method poses a climate-friendly alternative to traditional carbon capture technologies. It highlights the synergy between Direct Air Carbon Dioxide Capture (DACC) technologies and renewable energies from beneath the Earth’s surface.
The approach, named Direct Air CO2 Capture with CO2 Utilization and Storage (DACCUS), promises a significant decrease in atmospheric CO2 levels, a major contributor to global warming.
Climate change primarily results from increased CO2 levels in the Earth’s atmosphere, largely due to human activities like burning fossil fuels for heat, electricity, and transportation.
In this study, a novel rapid diagnostic method was developed for optimizing the production of transplutonium isotope through high flux reactor irradiation. The proposed method was based on the concept of “Single Energy Interval Value (SEIV)” and “Energy Spectrum Total Value (ESTV)”, which significantly improved the production efficiency of isotopes such as 252Cf (by 15.08 times), 244Cm (by 65.20 times), 242Cm (by 11.98 times), and 238Pu (by 7.41 times). As a promising alternative to the traditional Monte Carlo burnup calculation method, this method offers a more efficient approach to evaluate radiation schemes and optimize the design parameters. The research discovery provides a theoretical basis for further refining the analysis of transplutonium isotope production, leading to more efficient and sustainable production methods. Future studies could focus on the implementation of energy spectrum conversion technology to further improve the optimal energy spectrum.
The production of transplutonium isotope, which are essential in numerous fields such as military and space technology, remains inefficient despite being produced through irradiation in a high flux reactor. Past studies on the optimization of transplutonium isotope production through irradiation in a high flux reactor have been limited by the computational complexity of traditional methods such as Monte Carlo burnup calculation. These limitations have hindered the refinement of the evaluation, screening, and optimization of the irradiation schemes. Hence, this research aimed to develop a rapid diagnostic method for evaluating radiation schemes that can improve the production efficiency of isotopes such as 252Cf, 244Cm, 242Cm, and 238Pu. The outcome of the study showed great potential in advancing the production of transplutonium isotope, which have numerous applications in fields such as military, energy, and space technology.
A study, published in One Earth, is the first to analyze the interplay of electrification and hydrogen in EU climate neutrality scenarios at greater sectoral detail. The analysis shows higher potential for electrification and identifies a more confined deployment range for hydrogen-based energy than earlier studies.
“Previous research has shown that our power system can be transformed to renewable sources like wind and solar at low cost and low environmental impact. However, the next question is how this renewable electricity can be used to substitute fossil fuel use in the buildings, industry and transport sectors. Our analysis shows that the direct use of electricity, for example, via electric cars and heat pumps, is critical for a broad range of sectors, while the conversion of electricity to hydrogen is important only for few applications,” says Felix Schreyer, PIK scientist and lead author of the study.
Using the energy-economy model REMIND, PIK-scientists investigated plausible combinations of both strategies in EU energy system transformation pathways under different scenario assumptions.
As we get closer to the official debut of Rivian’s more affordable R2, we are finally getting a better idea of what to expect. After teasing the model for the first time yesterday, Rivian’s R2 was reportedly spotted filming in downtown LA shortly after.
Rivian opened the R2 website yesterday, teasing the first look at the new EV in an intro video. The new EV will be revealed on March 7 at its new flagship Laguna showroom.
Although Rivian teased the new model leading up to its highly anticipated debut, we have yet to see what it looks like in full, until now. A patent filed by Rivian last month revealed a more compact electric SUV than the R1S with slightly smaller headlights.
A research has identified and analyzed potential areas which can give a country comparative advantage and expansion in economic activities.
The findings indicates that developing countries can leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to achieve a faster and more sustainable growth. This has led to countries worldwide racing to harness AI to make their industries more competitive and helping to diversify economies.
A new study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials by researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and partners has identified a diverse microbiome of plastic-degrading fungi and bacteria in the coastal salt marshes of Jiangsu, China.
The international team of scientists counted a total of 184 fungal and 55 bacterial strains capable of breaking down polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polyester commonly used in the production of various polyurethanes. Of these, bacterial strains within the genera Jonesia and Streptomyces have the potential to further degrade other petroleum-based polymers—natural or synthetic chains of molecules bound together.
