Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water
Published

Highly durable, nonnoble metal electrodes for hydrogen production from seawater      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The water electrolysis method, a promising avenue for hydrogen production, relies on substantial freshwater consumption, thereby limiting the regions available with water resources required for water electrolysis . Researchers have developed highly durable electrodes without precious metals to enable direct hydrogen production from seawater.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General
Published

New findings regarding the high efficiency of perovskite solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Free charge carriers in perovskite solar cells likely have a special form of protection from recombination, researchers have discovered. This may be key to the high efficiency of this cell type, which has been increased to over 25 % within a decade.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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Green wheels, bright skies: Analysis unveils the connection between electric vehicles and photovoltaics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

People who own electric vehicles (EVs) are more likely to go a step further and add solar panels to their home, according to an analysis of a behavioral study. Conversely, the impact of owning solar panels also has a bearing on whether a homeowner buys an electric vehicle but not as strongly.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
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Green ammonia could decarbonize 60% of global shipping when offered at just 10 regional fuel ports      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study has found that green ammonia could be used to fulfill the fuel demands of over 60% of global shipping by targeting just the top 10 regional fuel ports. Researchers looked at the production costs of ammonia which are similar to very low sulphur fuels, and concluded that the fuel could be a viable option to help decarbonize international shipping by 2050.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology
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High-performance stretchable solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have succeeded in implementing a stretchable organic solar cell by applying a newly developed polymer material that demonstrated the world's highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency (19%) while functioning even when stretched for more than 40% of its original state. This new conductive polymer has high photovoltaic properties that can be stretched like rubber. The newly developed polymer is expected to play a role as a power source for next-generation wearable electronic devices.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General
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Conflict in full swing: Forest bats avoid large areas around fast-moving wind turbines      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Not only do many bats die at wind turbines, the turbines also displace some species from their habitats over large areas. When the turbines are in operation at relatively high wind speeds, the activity of bat species that hunt in structurally dense habitats such as forests drops by almost 80 per cent within a radius of 80 to 450 meters around the turbine.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels
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Nature-inspired advanced materials achieves 99.6% solar reflectivity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientific researchers draw inspiration from nature's brilliance as they seek to develop transformative solutions to unresolved challenges.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General
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New material allows for better hydrogen-based batteries and fuel cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a solid electrolyte for transporting hydride ions at room temperature. This breakthrough means that the full advantages of hydrogen-based solid-state batteries and fuel cells can be had without the need for constant hydration. This will reduce their complexity and cost, which is essential for advancing towards a practical hydrogen-based energy economy.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Physics: General
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Filming the microscopic flow of hydrogen atoms in a metal      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using conventional X-rays and lasers to detect the atomic state of hydrogen is challenging, given its small size. A group of researchers may have overcome this barrier by unveiling a new visualization technique that employs an optical microscope and polyaniline to paint a better picture of how hydrogen behaves in metals.

Chemistry: General Ecology: Nature Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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The solar forest      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

What would be the most effective use of a certain plot of land in terms of the climate crisis: planting a forest, which is a natural means of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, or erecting fields of solar panels, which reduce the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? This dilemma has long been debated by decision-makers around the world. Now, for the first time -- based on findings from arid areas and on comprehensive measurements of the energy flow exchanged between the ground and the atmosphere -- we may have an answer to this question.  

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography
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Free electric vehicle charging at work? It's possible with optimum solar      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The global surge in electric vehicle sales has prompted an Australian university to explore how it could offer free or nominal EV charging facilities to staff and students by optimizing its solar PV system and minimizing workplace electricity costs.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
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'Energy droughts' in wind and solar can last nearly a week      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Understanding the risk of compound energy droughts -- times when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow -- will help grid planners understand where energy storage is needed most.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Geoscience: Severe Weather
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Rail industry urged to consider safety risks of space weather      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Train accidents could be caused by solar storms switching signalling from red to green according to new research examining the impact of space weather. Solar storms can trigger powerful magnetic disturbances on Earth, creating geomagnetically induced currents which could potentially interfere with electricity transmission and distribution grids. A study of two rail lines showed that more serious 'wrong side' failures (red to green) could occur with a weaker solar storm than for 'right side' failures, posing a serious risk which the industry needs to take on board.  

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Polyethylene waste could be a thing of the past      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Experts have developed a way of using polyethylene waste (PE) as a feedstock and converted it into valuable chemicals, via light-driven photocatalysis. PE is the most widely used plastic in the world including for daily food packaging, shopping bags and reagent bottles, and the researchers say that while recycling of PE is still in early development, it could be an untapped resource for re-use.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
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When is an aurora not an aurora?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While auroras occur at high latitude, the associated phenomena Steve and the picket fence occur farther south and at lower altitude. Their emissions also differ from aurora. A physics graduate student has proposed a physical mechanism behind these emissions, and a rocket launch to test the theory. She argues that an electric field in the upper atmosphere parallel to Earth's magnetic field could explain the green picket fence spectrum and perhaps Steve and the enhanced aurora.

Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Geoscience: Severe Weather Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Space Space: General Space: The Solar System
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One of the largest magnetic storms in history quantified: Aurorae covered much of the night sky from the Tropics to the Polar Regions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international multidisciplinary team consisting of solar physicists, geophysicists, and historians from nine countries analysed observations of an extreme solar-terrestrial storm reported in historical records from February 1872. Their findings confirm that a moderate sunspot group triggered one of the largest magnetic storms ever recorded, almost covering the entire night sky with colourful aurorae in both hemispheres. If such an extreme storm occurred today, it would severely disrupt modern technological infrastructure. Their study emphasizes the importance of looking at historical records in light of modern scientific knowledge.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Physics: General
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Harvesting more solar energy with supercrystals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hydrogen is a building block for the energy transition. To obtain it with the help of solar energy, researchers have developed new high-performance nanostructures. The material holds a world record for green hydrogen production with sunlight.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General
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Smart microgrids can restore power more efficiently and reliably in an outage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new AI model that optimizes the use of renewables and other energy sources outperforms traditional power restoration techniques for islanded microgrids, a new paper shows. 

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Geoscience: Severe Weather Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
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Solar activity likely to peak next year      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered a new relationship between the Sun's magnetic field and its sunspot cycle, that can help predict when the peak in solar activity will occur. Their work indicates that the maximum intensity of solar cycle 25, the ongoing sunspot cycle, is imminent and likely to occur within a year.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Environmental: Water
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Promising salt for heat storage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Salt batteries can store summer heat to be used in winter, but which salt works best for the purpose?