A must-have in green building design, solar chimneys can slash energy costs up to 50%. Now research reveals they could also help save lives in a building fire. In a world-first, researchers designed a solar chimney optimised for both energy saving and fire safety, as part of the sustainable features of a new building in Melbourne, Australia. Modelling shows the … [Read more...] about Saving energy and lives: How a solar chimney can boost fire safety
Engineers demonstrate next-generation solar cells can take the heat, maintain efficiency
Perovskites with their crystal structures and promising electro-optical properties could be the active ingredient that makes the next generation of low-cost, efficient, lightweight and flexible solar cells. A problem with the current generation of silicon solar cells is their relatively low efficiency at converting solar energy into electricity, said Vikram Dalal, an Iowa State … [Read more...] about Engineers demonstrate next-generation solar cells can take the heat, maintain efficiency
Single-step strategy for recycling used nuclear fuel
A typical nuclear reactor uses only a small fraction of its fuel rod to produce power before the energy-generating reaction naturally terminates. What is left behind is an assortment of radioactive elements, including unused fuel, that are disposed of as nuclear waste in the United States. Although certain elements recycled from waste can be used for powering newer generations … [Read more...] about Single-step strategy for recycling used nuclear fuel
Solar and wind energy sites mapped globally for the first time
Researchers at the University of Southampton have mapped the global locations of major renewable energy sites, providing a valuable resource to help assess their potential environmental impact. Their study, published in the Nature journal Scientific Data, shows where solar and wind farms are based around the world -- demonstrating both their infrastructure density in different … [Read more...] about Solar and wind energy sites mapped globally for the first time
Water-splitting module a source of perpetual energy
Rice University researchers have created an efficient, low-cost device that splits water to produce hydrogen fuel. The platform developed by the Brown School of Engineering lab of Rice materials scientist Jun Lou integrates catalytic electrodes and perovskite solar cells that, when triggered by sunlight, produce electricity. The current flows to the catalysts that turn water … [Read more...] about Water-splitting module a source of perpetual energy