News – Page 86 – Alternative Energies

AENews
childcare
denmark
December 25, 2015
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The WaterNest: An Eco-Friendly Floating House

Environment and Sustainability | Photovoltaic Cells | Solar PowerDesigned by renowned Italian architect Giancarlo Zema and produced by EcoFloLife, the WaterNest 100 is an eco-friendly floating housing unit. The 100 square meter residential units are made of up to 98{f24b02adee2102ff0c5f5079c50862fc8ba5fa53f8615b567037555463da2377} recycled materials; including the laminate timber and aluminum hull. Skylights, balconies and large windows encircle the dwelling, allowing for efficient lighting and beautiful […]

admin
case
chemical
December 25, 2015
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Quantum dots made from fool’s gold boost battery performance

Vanderbilt engineers have discovered that adding quantum dots made from fool’s gold to the electrodes of standard lithium batteries can substantially boost their performance.

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abney
department
December 24, 2015
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Setting a new course for extracting uranium from seawater

An ultra-high-resolution technique used for the first time to study polymer fibers that trap uranium in seawater may cause researchers to rethink the best methods to harvest this potential fuel for nuclear reactors.

Tyler
carbon
cleantech
December 24, 2015
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The rise of Cli-Fi says something about our times

Four years ago, having just published a book of non-fiction, I was drawn to the idea of experimenting with fiction writing. Specifically, I wanted to write a dystopian novel that was a cross between Logan’s Run and Blade Runner. Climate change and the eventual draconian measures to keep it under control – declining country-assigned population caps, for one – would drive the narrative through characters who, in an increasingly carbon-constrained world, suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves among society’s most vulnerable. Working title: Cap and Cull. Why venture into fiction? It seemed to me like a better way to educate people about an otherwise complex – and I expect for most – boring topic. I tried to do this in my book Mad Like Tesla. …

admin
automation
electrical
December 24, 2015
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Smart anti-icing system for rotor blades

In very cold climate zones, the wind can blow with tremendous force. But wind turbines have rarely been built in these regions up to now. The risk of ice formation on the rotor blades is just too high. But now, an energy-efficient heating system frees these turbines from the ice in a matter of seconds. It is only switched on when water freezes.

admin
cities
climate
December 24, 2015
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Satellites find sustainable energy in cities

Underground heat islands in cities have an enormous geothermal potential. Warm groundwater can be used to produce sustainable energy for heating and cooling. Researchers have now developed a new method to find underground heat islands: They estimate groundwater temperature from surface temperatures and building densities measured by satellites.

admin
acidithiobacillus
current
December 24, 2015
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The double life of a bacteria: Living off both iron and pure electricity

The bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans can take electrons needed for growth directly from an electrode power source when iron—its already known source of energy—is absent, new research shows. The study shows that A. ferrooxidans can use direct uptake of electrons from an electrode to fuel the same metabolic pathway that is activated by the oxidation of diffusible iron ions.