Energy and the Environment News

May 9, 2025

Top Headlines

Green Nickel for Sustainable Electrification

Apr. 30, 2025 — Scientists have developed a carbon-free, energy-saving method to extract nickel for batteries and stainless ...

Urine, Not Water for Efficient Production of Green Hydrogen

May 9, 2025 — Researchers have developed two unique energy-efficient and cost-effective systems that use urea found in urine and wastewater to generate hydrogen. The unique systems reveal new pathways to economically generate 'green' hydrogen, a sustainable and ...

How to Reduce Global CO2 Emissions from Industry

May 8, 2025 — Global emissions of carbon dioxide from industry can be reduced by five per cent. But that requires companies and policy makers to take a holistic approach to energy efficiency and energy management and not solely focus on technological ...

Breakthrough in Fuel Cell Recycling Turns 'Forever Chemicals' Into Renewable Resources

May 6, 2025 — A new technique that uses soundwaves to separate materials for recycling could help prevent potentially harmful chemicals leaching into the ...

Latest Headlines

updated 10:51pm EDT

Scientists Discover a New Way to Convert Corn Waste Into Low-Cost Sugar for Biofuel

May 6, 2025 — Scientists have found a new way to produce sugar from corn stalks and other crop waste, potentially opening a new pathway to sustainable ...

Dust in the System -- How Saharan Storms Threaten Europe's Solar Power Future

May 2, 2025 — New research reveals how Saharan dust impacts solar energy generation in Europe. Dust from North Africa reduces photovoltaic (PV) power output by ...

Electricity-Generating Bacteria May Power Future Innovations

May 1, 2025 — A team has discovered how certain bacteria breathe by generating electricity, using a natural process that pushes electrons into their surroundings instead of breathing on oxygen. The findings could ...

Greasing the Wheels of the Energy Transition to Address Climate Change and Fossil Fuels Phase out

Apr. 29, 2025 — The global energy system may be faced with an inescapable trade-off between urgently addressing climate change versus avoiding an energy shortfall, ...

Breakthrough Extends Fuel Cell Lifespan Beyond 200,000 Hours, Paving the Way for Clean Long-Haul Trucking

Apr. 28, 2025 — Researchers have developed a new catalyst design capable of pushing the projected fuel cell catalyst lifespans to 200,000 hours. The research marks a ...

In US, Saving Money Is Top Reason to Embrace Solar Power

Apr. 22, 2025 — Financial benefits, such as saving on utility payments and avoiding electricity rate hikes, are a key driver of U.S. adults' willingness to consider installing rooftop solar panels or subscribing to ...

Should Farm Fields Be Used for Crops or Solar? Or Both

Apr. 21, 2025 — As farmers debate whether fields should be used for agriculture or solar panels, new research says the answer could be both. Scientists analyzed remote sensing and aerial imagery to study how fields ...

A Step Toward Harnessing Clean Energy from Falling Rainwater

Apr. 16, 2025 — When two materials come into contact, charged entities on their surfaces get a little nudge. This is how rubbing a balloon on the skin creates static electricity. Likewise, water flowing over some ...

Making Desalination More Eco-Friendly: New Membranes Could Help Eliminate Brine Waste

Apr. 15, 2025 — Desalination plants, a major and growing source of freshwater in dry regions, could produce less harmful waste using electricity and new ...

Corn Leads to Improved Performance in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Apr. 15, 2025 — Researchers have demonstrated a way to use corn protein to improve the performance of lithium-sulfur batteries, a finding that holds promise for expanding the use of the high-energy, lighter-weight ...

Marine Shipping Emissions on Track to Meet 2030 Goals, but Expected to Miss 2050 Target

Apr. 11, 2025 — The United Nations organization responsible for international marine shipping today approved new emission reduction policies. A new paper highlights the need. Researchers surveyed 149 marine shipping ...

Global EV Adoption Fails to Cut CO2

Apr. 10, 2025 — The transition to electric vehicles won't reduce carbon emissions unless countries clean up their electricity ...

Potable Water Happy Byproduct of Low-Cost Green Hydrogen Technology

Apr. 9, 2025 — Engineers have hit the trifecta of sustainability technology: A group has developed a low-cost method to produce carbon-free 'green' hydrogen via solar-powered electrolysis of seawater. A ...

Decarbonization Improves Energy Security for Most Countries

Apr. 9, 2025 — Researchers analyzed trade-related risks to energy security across 1,092 scenarios for cutting carbon emissions by 2060. They found that swapping out dependence on imported fossil fuels for increased ...

A Step Toward Cleaner Iron Extraction Using Electricity

Apr. 9, 2025 — Iron and its alloys, such as steel and cast iron, dominate the modern world, and there's growing demand for iron-derived products. Traditionally, blast furnaces transform iron ore into purified ...

Climate and Health Litigation Mounting in Australia as Exposure to Heatwaves Grows

Apr. 7, 2025 — Australia has experienced a 37 per cent rise in dangerous heat exposure over the past two decades, while becoming the world's second-highest hotspot for climate litigation, a new report ...

Strain 'Trick' Improves Perovskite Solar Cells' Efficiency

Apr. 3, 2025 — Researchers have found a way to dramatically reducing energy loss and boosting efficiency perovskite solar cells by incorporating rubidium using lattice strain -- a slight deformation in the atomic ...

Riding the AI Wave Toward Rapid, Precise Ocean Simulations

Apr. 3, 2025 — Scientists have developed an AI-powered fluid simulation model that significantly reduces computation time while maintaining accuracy. Their approach could aid offshore power generation, ship design ...

Carbon Capture Technology to Produce Clean Fuel from Air

Apr. 3, 2025 — A unique carbon capture technology could offer a more cost-effective way to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and turn it into clean, synthetic ...

Researchers Recycle Wind Turbine Blade Materials to Make Improved Plastics

Apr. 3, 2025 — A new method to recycle wind turbine blades without using harsh chemicals resulted in the recovery of high-strength glass fibers and resins that allowed researchers to re-purpose the materials to ...

Researchers Explore Using Soil for Heat Storage

Apr. 2, 2025 — When spring arrives and the heating season comes to an end, keeping warm becomes less of an issue. However, scientists remind us that it is not just a seasonal necessity -- heat is also a valuable ...

New Approach Makes One Type of Clean Fuel Production 66% More Efficient

Mar. 28, 2025 — Researchers have uncovered a more efficient way to turn carbon dioxide into methanol, a type of alcohol that can serve as a cleaner alternative ...

Human Urine, a Valuable Resource as Fertilizer for Sustainable Urban Agriculture, Study Concludes

Mar. 27, 2025 — The reuse of human urine would allow for the production of sustainable fertilizers for urban agriculture, with significant environmental benefits, a new study concludes. The research evaluates the ...

Study Documents Impacts of Large-Scale Entry of Rooftop Solar Panels on Competition

Mar. 25, 2025 — Fossil-fuel plants are increasingly being forced to stop and start production in response to changes in output from renewables. In a new study, researchers developed a dynamic competitive benchmark ...

Effect of Sulfur Composition on Tin Sulfide for Improving Solar Cell Performance

Mar. 25, 2025 — Researchers investigated different compositions of tin sulfides to find the ideal material for devices that harness solar ...

3D Nanotech Blankets Offer New Path to Clean Drinking Water

Mar. 24, 2025 — Researchers have developed a new material that, by harnessing the power of sunlight, can clear water of dangerous ...

Household Electricity Three Times More Expensive Than Upcoming 'Eco-Friendly' Aviation E-Fuels, Study Reveals

Mar. 23, 2025 — Existing tax policies during the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources will lead to major energy injustices and skewed priorities, new research ...

New Carbon-Negative Material Could Make Concrete and Cement More Sustainable

Mar. 19, 2025 — Researchers injected CO2 gas into seawater while applying an electrical current. The process transformed dissolved ions, minerals in seawater into clusters of solid particles. The clusters hold over ...

Nanocellulose Treated With Red Onion Dye Provides Effective UV Protection for Solar Cells

Mar. 19, 2025 — Researchers investigated how to use bio-based materials to produce effective UV protection films for solar cells. The study was the first to compare how the properties of different bio-based UV ...

EPA Regulations Cut Power Sector Emissions but Miss Opportunities for Deeper Reductions

Mar. 19, 2025 — Regulations finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2024 could cut emissions from the power sector by 51% over 2022 levels, compared to only 26% without the rules, according to a new ...