Today’s Solutions: November 23, 2024

Energy

Transitioning to a world powered by renewable energy is key to tackling climate change. Here you can find the latest good news related to our clean energy transition, covering wind, solar, green hydrogen, hydropower, and more.

An African hedgehog rolling over on its spiky back.

Magnetic ‘hedgehogs’ could enormously expand data storage potential

As populations and the number of electronic devices increase, there is an ever growing demand for video and cloud data storage. At our ongoing rate, the current technology available will eventually run out of funds and space. Although, a research group from Ohio State might just have the solution Read More...

Sheep under solar panel

These Minnesota solar farms go beyond green energy production

Global renewables company Enel Green Power has installed 16 solar farms across Minnesota, but their arrays look a little different than others you find across the US. Instead of bare earth or gravel beneath the panels, you can find pollinator-friendly plants and grazing sheep. Recognizing the Read More...

Battery and wire installed on electric system of eco-car engine.

This is how bacteria can help us recycle electric car batteries

Though electric vehicles (EVs) emit much fewer greenhouse gas emissions than cars that burn petrol or diesel, the rare metals needed for manufacturing their batteries are increasingly in short supply. Currently, the EU recycles less than five percent of EV batteries, and the most common technique Read More...

Nicola Sturgeon blowing up Scotland's last coal-fired power plant

Scotland blows up its last coal plant as part of its green energy transition

In recent years, an increasing number of countries have moved away from coal in an effort to meet their climate targets. Scotland, for example, severed its ties with fossil fuel back in 2016, when it shut down its last remaining coal power plant. Last week, government officials blew up that same Read More...

little robot device with traditional battery stands next to other robot device with bio energy

New battery biodegrades after a month in soil

E-waste is one of the most rapidly growing and toxic waste streams in the world today, but scientists at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have come up with a partial solution by creating biodegradable batteries that can actually be buried in soil once they’ve reached the Read More...

A group of purple wildflowers next to an array of solar panels

This is how solar parks could be used to boost pollinator numbers

While solar parks are an integral part of our green energy transition, they are sometimes the subject of controversy over claims that they are an eyesore, spoil productive land, and harm nature. However, a new study has found that, if managed properly, solar parks can actually help provide habitats Read More...

Habitat for Humanity house

Prefab home design weaves sustainability and affordability together

In a quiet residential neighborhood in Brant County, Ontario, lies a home that outperforms neighboring houses not only in sustainable design, but also in affordability. Boasting Passive House standards — a highly energy-efficient building standard — the new house is an experiment for Habitat Read More...

US will stop financing fossil

US will stop financing fossil fuel projects abroad

The US government has officially halted federal aid to overseas fossil fuel projects. The new policy comes after the US joined nearly 40 other countries in a COP26 pledge to end foreign fossil fuel financing by the end of 2022. The funding change will mean no more US financing for coal plants, Read More...

Futuristic charging cable plugged into electric vehicle

This EV charger doubles as a storage device for excess renewable energy

In 2020, there were about 216,000 chargers for electric vehicles (EVs) in the US. That number will have to increase tenfold by the end of the decade, as EV ownership continues to grow at an exponential rate. Accelerating the expansion of EV infrastructure, however, can be quite challenging. A Read More...

Barcelona's bus fleet parked in a line

Barcelona’s bus fleet will soon run on biofuel made from sewage sludge

In recent years, Barcelona has made headlines with a number of successful urban planning initiatives. One of the most famous ones is the superblock — a car-free zone that prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists by diverting traffic to major roads outside the city center. Greener Read More...