ScienceDaily: Energy Issues News

Small dam construction to reduce greenhouse emissions is causing ecosystem disruption

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:51:51 EDT

Researchers conclude in a new report that a global push for small hydropower projects, supported by various nations and also the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, may cause unanticipated and potentially significant losses of habitat and biodiversity.

Saving energy in subway stations

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:24:24 EDT

As well as being the backbone of urban public transport systems, subways are also major consumers of energy. For example, the entire underground train network in Barcelona consumes around 63.1 million kWh a year. A third of the total energy is used to operate subsystems in the subway stations, such as air conditioning, escalators, elevators, and lighting. If it were possible to reduce energy consumption by just a few percent, this would save an impressive quantity of electricity.

Electric cars in action: Small and medium-sized companies sharing fleets of electric vehicles

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:20:20 EDT

Imagine a number of different companies sharing a single fleet of electric vehicles. Researchers in Germany are busy working out just how to make this vision a reality. The Shared E-Fleet research project aims not only to work up suitable IT solutions, but also to design the smart energy management and profitable business models that are called for.

Reputation can trump money: Reputation concerns can encourage people to take part in real world 'public-good' programs

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:21:21 EDT

Using enrollment in a California blackout prevention program as an experimental test bed, a team of researchers showed that while financial incentives boosted participation only slightly, making participation in the program observable –- through the use of sign-up sheets posted in apartment buildings -– produced a three-fold increase in sign-ups.

Disincentives to energy efficiency can be fixed

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:35:35 EDT

A new study finds that utilities aren't rewarded for adopting energy efficiency programs, and that reforms are needed to make energy efficiency as attractive as renewables.

The US shale-gas revolution and European renewables: Divergence and cooperation in alternative energy

Wed, 29 May 2013 10:15:15 EDT

That the United States and Europe have been following different energy policies over the past few decades won’t come as a surprise. However, according to one researcher, their divergence – with the US leading ‘the shale gas revolution’ and Europe investing heavily in modern renewables – is a good thing for the development of both alternative-energy sources.

Have health effects from the Chernobyl accident been overestimated?

Tue, 28 May 2013 12:23:23 EDT

The impact of the Chernobyl nuclear accident has been seriously overestimated, while unfounded statements presented as scientific facts have been used to strangle the nuclear industry, according to Russian researchers. New research suggests that the health effects of food contamination in particular have been distorted in anti-industry propaganda.

Researchers estimate a cost for universal access to energy

Thu, 02 May 2013 22:58:58 EDT

Universal access to modern energy could be achieved with an investment of between 65 and 86 billion US dollars a year up until 2030, new research has shown. The proposed investments are higher than previous estimates but equate to just 3-4 per cent of current investments in the global energy system.

Environmental labels may discourage conservatives from buying energy-efficient products

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:16:16 EDT

When it comes to deciding which light bulb to buy, a label touting the product's environmental benefit may actually discourage politically conservative shoppers.

Plasma device could revolutionize energy generation and storage

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:19:19 EDT

Engineers have developed a method of creating and controlling plasma that could revolutionize American energy generation and storage.

Survey shows dramatic improvement in B100 biodiesel quality

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:28:28 EDT

The latest national survey of 100 percent biodiesel "blend stock" samples found that 95% of the samples from 2011-12 met ASTM International fuel quality specifications. The ASTM standards serve as guidelines for industry and are designed to ensure quality at the pump for consumers -- along with reliable operation of the nation's vehicles powered by biodiesel blends.

Cheaper natural gas-powered cars on the horizon?

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:41:41 EDT

When it comes to American consumers' vehicular preferences, a chemist says the choice often boils down to simple economics more so than availability, environment or altruism.

Scientists transform cellulose into starch: Potential food source derived from non-food plants

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:53:53 EDT

A team of researchers has succeeded in transforming cellulose into starch, a process that has the potential to provide a previously untapped nutrient source from plants not traditionally though of as food crops.

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: Two years on, the fallout continues

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

More than two years after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan, scientists are still trying to quantify the extent of the damage.

The future of our energy

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

When it comes to sustainable energy supplies hydroelectric plants are usually the best solution, according to researchers who have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of fuel provision.

Girls and math: Feelings of power can diffuse effects of negative stereotypes

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:15:15 EDT

New research from social psychologists suggests that feeling powerful might protect against the debilitating effects of negative stereotypes.

Modest population-wide weight loss could result in reductions in Type 2 diabetes and cardio disease

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:19:19 EDT

A new article suggests a strong association between population-wide weight change and risk of death from Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Face-to-face negotiations favor the powerful

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:18:18 EDT

If you are negotiating with someone who has more power than you it is a good idea to avoid face-to-face meetings.

Seemingly small research funding cuts could hinder progress in nanotechnology

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:20:20 EDT

Cuts in federal funding of nanotechnology research threaten to slow progress toward some of the field’s greatest promises, including commercialization of sustainable new energy sources that do not contribute to global warming, an international authority in the field cautioned here today.

Global solar photovoltaic industry is likely now a net energy producer

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:29:29 EDT

The construction of the photovoltaic power industry since 2000 has required an enormous amount of energy, mostly from fossil fuels. The good news is that the clean electricity from all the installed solar panels has likely just surpassed the energy going into the industry's continued growth, Stanford researchers find.

Reducing waste of food: A key element in feeding billions more people

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 18:35:35 EDT

Families can be key players in a revolution needed to feed the world, and could save money by helping to cut food losses now occurring from field to fork to trash bin, an expert said. He described that often-invisible waste in food — 4 out of every 10 pounds produced in the United States alone — and the challenges of feeding a global population of 9 billion.

New emissions standards would fuel shift from coal to natural gas

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:48:48 EDT

Tougher EPA air-quality standards could spur an increased shift away from coal and toward natural gas for electricity generation, according to a new study. Complying with stricter regulations on sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and mercury may make nearly two-thirds of the U.S. coal-fired power plants as expensive to run as plants powered by natural gas. The regulations would make 65 percent of U.S. coal plants as expensive as natural gas, even if gas prices rise significantly.

Survey shows many Republicans feel America should take steps to address climate change

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:50:50 EDT

In a recent survey of Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents, a majority of respondents (62 percent) said they feel America should take steps to address climate change. More than three out of four survey respondents (77 percent) said the United States should use more renewable energy sources, and of those, most believe that this change should begin immediately.

How does innovation take hold in a community? Math modeling can provide clues

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:35:35 EDT

Mathematical models can be used to study the spread of technological innovations among individuals connected to each other by a network of peer-to-peer influences, such as in a physical community or neighborhood.

Petroleum use, greenhouse gas emissions of automobiles could drop 80 percent by 2050: U.S. report

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:16:16 EDT

A new report finds that by the year 2050, the United States may be able to reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent for light-duty vehicles -- cars and small trucks -- via a combination of more efficient vehicles; the use of alternative fuels like biofuels, electricity, and hydrogen; and strong government policies to overcome high costs and influence consumer choices.

Researchers map out an alternative energy future for New York

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:26:26 EDT

A new study outlines a path to statewide renewable energy conversion, and away from natural gas and imported fuel.

Improved synchronicity: Preventive care for the power grid

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 12:54:54 EST

As the U.S. national power-grid network becomes larger and more complex, achieving reliability across the network is increasingly difficult. Now scientists have identified conditions and properties that power companies can consider using to keep power generators in the desired synchronized state. The design could help reduce both the frequency of blackouts and the cost of electricity as well as offer an improved plan for handling the intermittent power sources of renewable energy, which can destabilize the network.

U.S. may face inevitable nuclear power exit

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:29:29 EST

In the third and final issue in a series focused on nuclear exits, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by SAGE, turns its attention to the United States and looks at whether the country's business-as-usual approach may yet lead to a nuclear phase-out for economic reasons.

UN sustainable energy initiative could put world on a path to climate targets

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:27:27 EST

The UN's Sustainable Energy for All initiative, if successful, could make a significant contribution to the efforts to limit climate change to target levels, according to a new analysis.

Saving money by using electric vehicles

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:30:30 EST

High battery costs still prevent many people from buying an electric vehicle. Is it possible to save money by using an electric vehicle instead of a conventional reference car? This question is studied by the companies of Michelin and Siemens in cooperation with research partners at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI.

Potential benefits of inertial fusion energy justify continued research and development

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:40:40 EST

The potential benefits of successful development of an inertial confinement fusion-based energy technology justify investment in fusion energy research.

U.S. could double energy productivity, experts say

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:07:07 EST

Researchers have long understood that using energy more efficiently can be just as beneficial as finding new ways to produce energy more efficiently.

Environmental hazards or energy solutions? Geophysicists size up energy resources, carbon capture and fracking

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 07:52:52 EST

Decisions about future energy challenges are too often hindered by propaganda, half-truths and a limited grasp of the science that informs the choice and use of hydrocarbon and other resources, according to delegates at the annual conference of the British Geophysical Association.

Predicting a low carbon future for Toronto

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:13:13 EST

Cities are major players in the climate change game. More than half of the world's population lives in urban areas and over 70 percent of global GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions can be attributed to cities. A case study of Toronto demonstrates alternative strategies for how the city can implement a low carbon urban infrastructure plan by 2031.

Hydro beats nuclear and coal, beats oil and gas, review finds

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:46:46 EST

Researchers in Italy and the UK have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of hydro, coal, oil, gas and nuclear power. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but of these conventional electricity generation technologies, hydroelectric power appears to be the most sustainable and acceptable environmentally and economically. Nuclear and coal run a close second place but oil or gas-fired power stations are revealed to be the worst choice when considering the various factors overall.

Solar power: Is it time for the big push?

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:41:41 EST

There are big expectations for solar power in the coming years. Four renowned scientists in the field discuss what's needed now for a big push, including breaking barriers in research and industry.

Doubt cast on late British astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell's 'brainwashing' by Soviets

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:45:45 EST

A new article casts doubt on the alleged "brainwashing" of the late British astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell by the Soviets at the height of the Cold War and explains how his trips beyond the Iron Curtain laid the foundations for the easing of geopolitical tensions between the UK and the USSR.

Power helps you live the good life by bringing you closer to your true self

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:30:30 EST

How does being in a position of power at work, with friends, or in a romantic relationship influence well-being? While we might like to believe the stereotype that power leads to unhappiness or loneliness, new research indicates that this stereotype is largely untrue: Being in a position of power may actually make people happier.

Power's punishing impact: Power linked to tendency to punish harshly

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:25:25 EST

Providing a sense of power to someone instills a black-and-white sense of right and wrong (especially wrong), new research shows. Once armed with this moral clarity, powerful people then perceive wrongdoing with much less ambiguity than people lacking this power, and punish apparent wrong-doers with more severity than people without power would.

Doubling down on energy efficiency

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:25:25 EST

Spending on energy efficiency programs funded by electric and natural gas utility customers will double by 2025 to about $9.5 billion per year, according to new projections. According to the report, energy efficiency programs funded by utility customers are projected to continue expanding beyond the traditional bastions of energy efficiency in the Northeast and West.

Photovoltaics beat biofuels at converting sun's energy to miles driven

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:59:59 EST

In 2005, President George W. Bush and American corn farmers saw corn ethanol as a promising fossil fuel substitute that would reduce both American dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, the 2005 energy bill mandated that 4 billion gallons of renewable fuel be added to the gasoline supply in 2006. That rose to 4.7 billion gallons in 2007 and 7.5 billion in 2012. Now a new study shows solar power is not only better in terms of energy efficiency, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions -- but it is cost competitive, too.

Fish journeying upstream are hampered by hydropower dams: Facilities in northeastern U.S. fail to allow passage of migrating fish

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:35:35 EST

Major hydropower dams in the northeastern United States, constructed with state-of-the-art features designed to allow migratory fish to pass through them on their way to spawn upstream, have failed in that regard, according to a new study.

Shareholder responsibility could spur shift to sustainable energy

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:24:24 EST

Allowing shareholders to be held liable for the damages that companies cause to the environment, people could help transform the world's energy system towards sustainability, according to new research.

A French nuclear exit?

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:09:09 EST

France has been held up, worldwide, as the forerunner in using nuclear fission to produce electricity. However, a third of the nation's nuclear reactors will need replacing in the next decade, and public opinion has shifted toward reducing reliance on nuclear power.

Major cuts to surging carbon dioxide emissions are needed now, not down the road, study finds

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST

Halting climate change will require "a fundamental and disruptive overhaul of the global energy system" to eradicate harmful carbon dioxide emissions, not just stabilize them, according to new findings.

Political action the biggest swing factor in meeting climate targets

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:03:03 EST

The most important factor affecting the likelihood of limiting climate change to internationally agreed targets is when people start to do something about it, according new research.

Action by 2020 key for limiting climate change

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 13:25:25 EST

Limiting climate change to target levels will become much more difficult to achieve, and more expensive, if action is not taken soon, according to a new analysis.

The limits of the productive capacity of ecosystems

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 08:58:58 EST

In a new article, researchers discuss how the measurement of biomass production and consumption can be used to gain a better understanding of the limits of the productive capacity of ecosystems.

Insurance industry paying increasing attention to climate change

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:23:23 EST

The insurance industry, the world's largest business with $4.6 trillion in revenues, is making larger efforts to manage climate change-related risks, according to a new study.

Solar power prices to continue falling through 2025, experts say

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:42:42 EST

Prices for photovoltaic modules -- the part of solar panels that turn sunlight into electricity -- are expected to continue falling, in line with the long-term trend that has persisted since 1980, according to experts. On average, global installations per year are not expected to increase much from the record level in 2011, but the total installed solar capacity is expected to soar to 300 gigawatts by 2018, and 600 GW by 2025.

New approach could help resolve mountaintop mining issues

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:13:13 EST

A progressive approach to resolve the complex issues surrounding mountaintop mining needs to incorporate good civic science and meaningful routes for public involvement, researchers say.

Synthetic fuel could eliminate U.S. need for crude oil, researchers say

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:02:02 EST

The United States could eliminate the need for crude oil by using a combination of coal, natural gas and non-food crops to make synthetic fuel, a team of researchers has found. Besides economic and national security benefits, the plan has potential environmental advantages. Because plants absorb carbon dioxide to grow, the United States could cut vehicle greenhouse emissions by as much as 50 percent in the next several decades using non-food crops to create liquid fuels, the researchers said.

Record high for global carbon emissions

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 16:40:40 EST

Global carbon dioxide emissions are set to rise again in 2012, reaching a record high of 35.6 billion tonnes - according to new figures from the Global Carbon Project. The 2.6 per cent rise projected for 2012 means global emissions from burning fossil fuel are 58 per cent above 1990 levels, the baseline year for the Kyoto Protocol. This latest analysis shows the biggest contributors to global emissions in 2011 were China (28 per cent), the United States (16 per cent), the European Union (11 per cent), and India (7 per cent).

Geoscientists cite 'critical need' for basic research to unleash promising energy resources

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:22:22 EST

Developers of renewable energy and shale gas must overcome fundamental geological and environmental challenges if these promising energy sources are to reach their full potential, according to a trio of leading geoscientists.

An energy conscious workforce: New research looks at how to encourage staff to go green

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:12:12 EST

As homeowners we are becoming cannier about turning down the thermostat to save our pennies and the planet but are we as energy conscious when we get to work?

New low carbon Technology Innovation Needs Assessment reports for homes, buildings and industry launched

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:56:56 EST

The role that new low carbon technologies can play in helping the UK meet its targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and moving towards a green economy have been highlighted today with the publication of three in-depth reports into core areas of innovation.

Gannets could be affected by offshore energy developments

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:12:12 EST

Scientists have discovered that proposed offshore renewable energy developments in the English Channel have the potential to affect the foraging behavior of northern gannets from Alderney in the Channel Islands.

Cool pavements, warm buildings, rising electricity bills

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:10:10 EST

A push to replace old, heat-trapping paving materials with new, cooler materials could actually lead to higher electricity bills for surrounding buildings, engineers have found. The study sounds a note of caution at a time when both federal and state legislatures have been pushing for increased use of the new highly reflective pavement materials.

Navy researchers look to rotating detonation engines to power the future

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:54:54 EDT

At the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, scientists are studying the complex physics of rotating detonation engines which offer the potential for high dollar savings by way of reduced fuel consumption in gas-turbine engines.

Is your utility meter getting personal?

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 11:07:07 EDT

As of 2010, more than a third of all utility meters in the United States used wireless automatic meter reading (AMR) technology -- 47 million in all. They make it a lot easier for the utility company to gather data on electricity, natural gas and water usage. But as a University of South Carolina research team has shown, it's possible for their unencrypted broadcasts to be intercepted, giving a sophisticated eavesdropper a window into household activities.