Tag: energy
Researcher amplifies effectiveness of solar electrodes -- with spinach
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have discovered that we can harness a natural process -- photosynthesis -- to improve the effectiveness of solar collectors. By using a protein found in plants, electrodes can be made to convert more sunlight into energy....
New research finds Massachusetts a leader in energy conservation
Massachusetts received top marks in a study of what U.S. states are doing the best when it comes to promoting energy conservation. And while a lot of credit goes to current Governor Deval Patrick, many initiatives go back much further -- even to Mitt Romney....
King County in Washington trying to convert sewage to energy
King County wants to make you a deal. They'll give you access to their sewage for free. You just have to do something with it. If this sounds like a bit of a raw deal, hang on. That sewage is actually warm, and could become a source for clean, renewable heat for buildings....
Sri Lankan scientists create renewable batteries powered by plantain trees
About a quarter of all people worldwide live without electricity. For them, evenings and nights are spent by candlelight or kerosene lamp. But a group of scientists in Sri Lanka say they have found a creative way to bring simple electric lighting to rural households....
Researcher says rising corn prices could spark global food riots
The United States is the largest producer of one of the most world's important crops: corn. We use it to feed people, livestock and, when it's turned into ethanol, cars. But as the country faces the worst drought in more than 50 years, some experts say the U.S. can no longer afford to turn that food into fuel....
China turns to fracking to help meet growing energy demand
Hydraulic fracturing has recently emerged as an alternative source of energy in the United States. Now China, the world's largest energy consumer, is experimenting with it. The Chinese government hopes the controversial technology will help wean the country off dirty coal. ...
London Olympics good example of sports' embrace of environmental stewardship
Environmental activists are celebrating as the sports world seems to be more comfortable with embracing environmental stewardship not only as a business necessity, but also as a way to engage fans. This Olympics, in particular, has been particularly environmentally friendly....
Environmentalist says global climate catastrophe is inevitable without intervention
Catastrophic global warming can be staved off if humans can keep the climate from warming more than two degrees Celsius, and emit less than 565 Gigatons of carbon dioxide, some scientists believe. But environmentalist Bill McKibben says that's not enough. ...
Disputed art disappears from University of Wyoming campus
Last year, British artist Chris Drury installed a controversial sculpture on the University of Wyoming's campus. The 36-foot-diameter vortex of logs killed by pine beetles atop a bed of Wyoming coal was a representation of the state's energy sector and the damage wrought by climate change. It didn't last a year. ...
Two-year-old Michigan oil spill still not completely cleaned up, yields large fine
Just months after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, another oil spill hit the United States, this one in Michigan. But the clean-up for this one has been long, involved and convoluted. The still ongoing effort led the EPA recently to levy one of its biggest fines relating to an oil spill, some $3.7 million....
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