In Switzerland, excessive land use, deforestation, and climate change are leading to increased desertification in many regions of the world. Once started, the process often triggers a chain reaction: The loss of nutrients in the soil causes vegetation to become increasingly sparse, which exposes the soil to erosion by wind and water. Turning desert back […]
In the Czech Republic, researchers at Charles University in Prague have developed an advanced photocathode that helps convert the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into pure ethanol using sunlight. The new technology solves a long-standing problem of material degradation in water, achieves record conversion efficiency and opens the way toward sustainable production of green fuels. The […]
In Switzerland, cement is one of the most in-demand building materials of our time. Every year, around four billion tonnes are produced. Cement production is energy-intensive, and greenhouse gases are emitted during the process – particularly during the thermal decomposition of limestone, the most important natural raw material for cement. In a new study, ETH […]
In the UAE, Fast Company Middle East reported that researchers at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) have developed a catalyst that combines desert sand, biochar made from date pits, and nickel for use in hydrogen production. The material was tested in methane decomposition, where it achieved a methane conversion rate of 38% at temperatures between […]
In South Korea, researchers from Korea have now developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-guided optimization framework that dramatically reduces the computational effort needed to optimize solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) operation. By combining high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations with an AI-driven active learning framework, the researchers rapidly identified operating conditions that improve hydrogen production efficiency […]
In Japan, with airlines and consumers increasingly concerned about carbon, nitrogen, and hydrocarbon emissions, biofuels have emerged as a green alternative. Among these, those made from coconut oils are particularly attractive as they have fatty acid chain lengths similar to the hydrocarbon chain lengths required for jet fuel, suggesting that they could make effective fuels […]
In Germany, long before humans discovered biodegradable plastics, microorganisms had already invented their own. Many bacteria and archaea produce natural bioplastics called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), storing them inside their cells as reserves of carbon and energy. Until now, scientists thought that only microorganisms themselves could break down these substances. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for […]
In Illinois, a team at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) genetically engineered yeast to allow for the simultaneous transport of multiple sugars. Native yeast sugar transporters have a strong glucose preference and create a bottleneck for efficient biochemical and biofuel production. These transporters were replaced by SWEET7P in engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae capable of […]
In Washington DC, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced awards for the FY24 Phase I Release 2 of the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. Across DOE, 229 projects in 39 states received $52 million to pursue energy research and development (R&D), and eventual demonstration projects. The Bioenergy […]
In Tennessee, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is part of a team that has won up to $160 million over the next 10 years from the National Science Foundation for the BRIDGES Engine, a collaborative initiative that will generate millions of dollars in additional annual income for Tennessee farmers and create thousands of jobs across […]
