Showing 20 articles starting at article 141
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Energy: Fossil Fuels, Geoscience: Landslides
Published Electric vehicles pass the remote road test
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study, which demonstrates that even the most rural areas of Australia are feasible for electric vehicles, provides new hope for how the technology could be spread around the most secluded locations in other parts of the world. The study found the vast majority of residents, or 93 per cent, could travel to essential services with even the lower-range of electric vehicles currently available on the Australian market, without needing to recharge en route.
Published Researchers create method for breaking down plant materials for earth-friendly energy
(via sciencedaily.com) With energy costs rising, and the rapidly emerging effects of burning fossil fuels on the global climate, the need has never been greater for researchers to find paths to products and fuels that are truly renewable.
Published Why natural gas is not a bridge technology
(via sciencedaily.com) The expansion of natural gas infrastructure jeopardizes energy transition, as natural gas is not a bridge technology towards a 100 per cent renewable energy system as defined by the Paris Climate Agreement. The researchers have examined the natural gas issue from five perspectives and given gas a fairly poor climate balance, comparable to that of coal or oil. They recommend that politicians and scientists revise the current assumptions about natural gas.
Published Bacteria for blastoff: Using microbes to make supercharged new rocket fuel
(via sciencedaily.com) Biofuel scientists used an oddball molecule made by bacteria to develop a new class of sustainable biofuels powerful enough to launch rockets. The candidate molecules have greater projected energy density than any petroleum product, including the leading aviation and rocket fuels, JetA and RP-1.
Published Reaction insights help make sustainable liquid fuels
(via sciencedaily.com) Methanol made from CO2 in the air can be transformed into carbon neutral fuels. A new mechanistic understanding aids development of this sustainable alternative.
Published Mangrove and reef restoration yield positive returns on investment for flood protection, study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Restoration of mangroves and coral reefs can be a cost-effective solution for coastal flood reduction in more than 20 countries across the Caribbean. Researchers used methods from the risk and insurance industry to provide rigorous valuations of these natural defenses and show that they can deliver a positive return on investment, with the benefits from reduced flood damage exceeding the costs of restoration. The results point toward new opportunities to support restoration efforts with funds from sources that support hazard mitigation, climate adaptation, and disaster recovery, including FEMA.
Published Study explores uncertainties in flood risk estimates
(via sciencedaily.com) Flood frequency analysis is a technique used to estimate flood risk, providing statistics such as the '100-year flood' or '500-year flood' that are critical to infrastructure design, dam safety analysis, and flood mapping in flood-prone areas. But the method used to calculate these flood frequencies is due for an update, according to a new study.
Published Earth-abundant solar pixels found to produce hydrogen for weeks
(via sciencedaily.com) Devices made of readily available oxide and carbon-based materials can produce clean hydrogen from water over weeks -- according to new research. The findings could help overcome one of the key issues in solar fuel production, where current earth-abundant light-absorbing materials are limited through either their performance or stability.
Published Hydrogen production method opens up clean energy possibilities
(via sciencedaily.com) A new energy-efficient way to produce hydrogen gas from ethanol and water has the potential to make clean hydrogen fuel a more viable alternative for gasoline to power cars.
Published Scientists show how to store liquid fuels in polymeric gels to prevent explosions and fires
(via sciencedaily.com) Liquid fuels with high energy density, though used worldwide, are dangerous to transport and store owing to their volatility, which produces explosive gas mixtures. To address this problem, researchers recently investigated the possibility of storing liquid fuel within polymeric gel networks, preventing their fast evaporation, and demonstrating good combustion performance. Their work paves the way for safer transport and storage of liquid fuels.
Published Confirmed: Atmospheric helium levels are rising
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists used an unprecedented technique to detect that levels of helium are rising in the atmosphere, resolving an issue that has lingered among atmospheric chemists for decades.
Published Landslides can have a major impact on glacier melt and movement
(via sciencedaily.com) Using satellite imagery to study the effects of a 2019 landslide on the Amalia Glacier in Patagonia, a research team found the landslide helped stabilize the glacier and caused it to grow by about 1,000 meters over the last three years.
Published Lignin-based jet fuel packs more power for less pollution
(via sciencedaily.com) An experimental plant-based jet fuel could increase engine performance and efficiency, while dispensing with aromatics, the pollution-causing compounds added to conventional fuels, according to new research.
Published Cheaper hydrogen fuel cell could mean better green energy options
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have developed a hydrogen fuel cell that uses iron instead of rare and costly platinum, enabling greater use of the technology.
Published Extract from a common kitchen spice could be key to greener, more efficient fuel cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have discovered a novel way to combine curcumin -- the substance in turmeric -- and gold nanoparticles to create an electrode that requires 100 times less energy to efficiently convert ethanol into electricity.
Published What is causing the rise in black lung disease?
(via sciencedaily.com) Silica exposure is a driving force behind rising rates of coal workers' pneumoconiosis, according to a new study that compared the pathology and mineralogy of the disease across generations. The study offers scientific evidence explaining why progressive massive fibrosis, the most severe form of black lung disease, is occurring more frequently and among younger coal workers in West Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky.
Published Flood risk for Iowa farmland
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have created a detailed set of maps examining the flood risk for all farmland in Iowa. The maps show 450,000 acres of crops in areas with a 50% chance of flooding, and losses from flooding averaging $230 million annually.
Published Drenching rains to pose greater threat to fire-damaged areas in West
(via sciencedaily.com) The western United States this century is facing a greatly heightened risk of heavy rains inundating areas recently scarred by wildfires, new research warns. Such events can cause significant destruction, including debris flows, mudslides, and flash floods, because the denuded landscape cannot easily contain the drenching moisture.
Published Scavenger nanoparticles could make fuel cell-powered vehicles a reality
(via sciencedaily.com) Engineers have developed a material that could give fuel cell systems a competitive edge over the battery systems that currently power most electric vehicles.
Published New method purifies hydrogen from heavy carbon monoxide mixtures
(via sciencedaily.com) Refining metals, manufacturing fertilizers and powering fuel cells for heavy vehicles are all processes that require purified hydrogen. But purifying, or separating, that hydrogen from a mix of other gases can be difficult, with several steps. Chemical engineers have now demonstrated that the process can be simplified using a pump outfitted with newly developed membrane materials.