Category: Energy

From Orbit to Ordinary: 10 Earthly Applications of Space Technology

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date January 23, 2024
No Comments on From Orbit to Ordinary: 10 Earthly Applications of Space Technology

Space Shuttle Discovery was first launched on August 30, 1984

Space exploration and programs, often seen as lofty pursuits aimed at the stars, have a profound and often overlooked impact on our daily lives. While debates continue about prioritizing earthly concerns over cosmic exploration, it’s enlightening to recognize that many innovations we rely on daily are direct results of space research. From the solar cells powering homes to the satellite navigation guiding our journeys, space technology has silently woven itself into the fabric of our everyday existence, transforming and enhancing our world in unanticipated ways.

Energy Environment

Scientists Debunk LK-99 Room-Temperature Superconductivity Claims

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 15, 2023
No Comments on Scientists Debunk LK-99 Room-Temperature Superconductivity Claims

Professor Philip Moriarty debunks LK-99 room-temperature superconductivity claims

In a recent wave of excitement, researchers claimed to have synthesized the world’s first room-temperature superconductor, known as LK-99, which supposedly operates at ambient pressure and exhibits superconductivity characteristics due to a unique structural distortion. The intricate details of the claim, rooted in the modifications of the lead-apatite structure and the effects of superconducting quantum wells (SQWs) in the interface, captivated the scientific community. However, this groundbreaking assertion was soon met with skepticism. Renowned Professor Philip Moriarty and physicist Sabine Hossenfelder swiftly took to their respective platforms, releasing videos that critically examine and debunk the veracity of these ambitious claims, urging for a more cautious and meticulous approach to such profound scientific proclamations.

Energy Life on Earth

Oil does NOT come from Dinosaurs: The Great Oil Misconception

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date June 1, 2023
No Comments on Oil does NOT come from Dinosaurs: The Great Oil Misconception

Despite the common myth, crude oil (petroleum) does not come from dinosaurs. Image source: Deposit Photos

For generations, a popular myth has been fossilized in our collective consciousness: that oil, our critical energy resource, comes from dinosaurs. This age-old notion, often reinforced by popular culture, has turned out to be just that – a myth. As fascinating as the idea of fueling our cars with remnants of T-Rex or Triceratops may seem, the true origin story of oil is vastly different and goes back even further in Earth’s history. Let’s delve into this intriguing tale of geological transformation.

Energy Technology

An Innovative Medium-Voltage DC Circuit Breaker for Renewable Power Grids

Post author By Scientia
Post date October 13, 2022
1 Comment on An Innovative Medium-Voltage DC Circuit Breaker for Renewable Power Grids

Modern technologies in transport and energy - An Innovative Circuit Breaker — Image: "Modern technologies in transport and energy" on Deposit Photos

An essential step towards a carbon-neutral future could be reached through dispersed power grids, featuring networks of local-scale renewable energy and battery storage plants. To prevent these power grids from damaging themselves and their surroundings when electrical faults arise, they must be integrated with “circuit breakers”, which temporarily interrupt the current flowing through them.

However, currently available circuit breakers cannot handle the medium-voltage direct currents best suited for these grids. Through an innovative new circuit breaker design, Steve Schmalz and his colleagues at Eaton Corporation, the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Virginia Tech, and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), hope that this challenge will soon be overcome.

Environment Energy Technology

Are All-Electric Homes Feasible in the Near Future?

Post author By Evelyn Long
Post date September 25, 2022
No Comments on Are All-Electric Homes Feasible in the Near Future?

Electric vehicles are having a moment in the sun thanks to significant pushes to invest in the performance and energy efficiency of EVs. While electrifying our lifestyles isn’t perfectly clean energy, it significantly reduces our carbon footprint by lessening our nonrenewable energy consumption.

This leads many to ask – can we electrify our homes while we electrify our cars? With home construction thriving and 67% of homebuyers preferring energy efficiency as their top purchasing criterion, one constructive method of keeping costs down is going electric.

But what is an all-electric home, and are they feasible?

Environment Energy

Electric Vehicles Include More Than Just Cars

Post author By Evelyn Long
Post date August 19, 2022
1 Comment on Electric Vehicles Include More Than Just Cars

Vehicles powered by electricity are steadily taking over the world and becoming more popular. As more people push to fight climate change, electric vehicles (EVs) should be seen on the road more and more. EVs are a net win for the planet, helping people adapt to machinery-heavy commuting and work needs with far less reliance on fossil fuels.

However, the electrification of the automobile industry encompasses more than cars for individual consumers. The extent of the push for electrified vehicles reaches into the construction industry, warehousing, and bicycle commuting, too. Learn more about the extent of electric vehicles in the market today.

Energy Climate Global Warming

Turning waste into energy reduces the amount of waste entering landfills and helps to combat climate change

Post author By Horizon Magazine
Post date June 16, 2022
No Comments on Turning waste into energy reduces the amount of waste entering landfills and helps to combat climate change

Photo: Aerial view of s biogas plant on Deposit Photos

Turning waste into energy: the race is on to reuse waste as energy in the most effective way possible. Combined heat and power is an old idea for saving fuel with a new imperative to slash emissions. Innovative furnaces based on biofuel systems will generate heat and power from waste materials with near-complete efficiency and very low emissions.

Energy Environment

Inspiring Ways Microgrids are Used Around the World

Post author By Evelyn Long
Post date March 23, 2022
No Comments on Inspiring Ways Microgrids are Used Around the World

Microgrid in Cape Verde — An example of microgeneration via a microgrid in Cape Verde, using small wind turbines, solar PV and energy storage to power a community. Photo by Munro89 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

A microgrid is a small power grid with its own control capabilities, meaning it can operate independently from large traditional grids. They act as energy-efficient alternatives to primary sources that power large land areas throughout the world and help give underprivileged populations access to electricity, air conditioning, and other utilities.

How do microgrids work, and how have we used them to create a better world? Here are the basics of microgrids and some inspiring examples of what they can do.

Energy Environment

Why Renewable Energy is a Geopolitical Issue

Post author By Frankie Wallace
Post date March 16, 2022
No Comments on Why Renewable Energy is a Geopolitical Issue

Humans around the world have long displayed a thirst for power, sometimes in a literal sense. Powering virtually every aspect of daily life, the origin of our electricity is thus one of the biggest talking points in modern times. Today, approximately 84% of the world’s energy needs come from oil, gas, and coal – aka fossil fuels.

Energy Artificial Intelligence Climate Environment Global Warming Physics Technology

AI Successfully Controls Plasma in Nuclear Fusion Experiment. Are we finally close to the Fusion Power?

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date February 23, 2022
No Comments on AI Successfully Controls Plasma in Nuclear Fusion Experiment. Are we finally close to the Fusion Power?

Nuclear fusion: plasma inside the TCV tokamak. — Are we finally on the road to Fusion Power? Plasma inside the TCV tokamak.

To keep Earth from dangerous ongoing global warming, the world is looking for an energy source without CO₂ emissions. There is actually a dream candidate: successfully achieving nuclear fusion holds the promise of delivering a limitless, sustainable source of clean energy.