Innovation Pipeline

There are a lot of big ideas in the field of alternative power, from massive solar arrays to fields of wind turbines stretching toward the horizon. And then there are microbes.
Scientists are hoping that some sophisticated bioengineering on their part can leverage billions of years of bacterial evolution to combat our growing energy crisis.
Single-celled bacteria [...]

[Read more →]

The efficiency and elegance of materials occurring in nature have always been an inspiration to researchers. Trying to achieve similar results via nanoengineering, scientists are now working on nanoscale particles that automatically orient themselves into unique materials with powerful properties.
It makes sense, this self-assembly approach, because it’s simply too difficult to manipulate nanoparticles with lab [...]

[Read more →]

For all the unpleasant characteristics green algae possesses, it is beloved in cleantech circles because it can manufacture biofuels.
Now, scientists at the Angstrom Laboratory at Uppsala University in Sweden have discovered green algae’s distinctive cellulose nanostructure can also provide an effective coating substrate for batteries. It provides two advantages: it’s lighter in weight and much [...]

[Read more →]

The U.S. stimulus package had a clear message and mandate for renewable energy. There was far less stimulus devoted to the water industry and people wondered how that would impact the business.
As it turns out, a recent water industry survey of businesses and technologists indicates there’s a rebound in water-project spending expected over the next [...]

[Read more →]

Evolution is an elegant and powerful force. And if you’re looking for an effective design, what better source to borrow from than nature? That’s what researchers do in the emerging field of biomimicry, which uses natural forms for inspiration.
They study how nature solves problems and maximizes efficiency in areas like propulsion and mobility. Leonardo da [...]

[Read more →]

No doubt, cleantech companies were upbeat when the White House stimulus package allocated 13 percent of the total $104 billion stimulus package for green technology. Much of the economic stimulus will flow to cleantech infrastructure, but exactly where will it go?
Cleantech sectors, which were big winners, include smart grid technology with $4.5 billion, energy efficiency [...]

[Read more →]

The Australian government said yesterday it is trying something new to prevent algae blooms from harming limited supplies of drinking water.
The government is using solar-powered water pumps that sit on the surface of the water in Sydney’s Wrragamba Dam to prevent algae from forming.
It is the first time the Australians have tried using solar-powered water [...]

[Read more →]

In a landscape of endless sand and brilliant sunlight, Abu Dhabi has embraced a solar ambition to match its towering skyline and ultra modern cities.
For the past 50 years, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been known as a powerhouse for oil production. But over the next half century, it wants to become known as a [...]

[Read more →]

For more than 200 years, scientists have observed the phenomenon of specific materials’ dual personality to convert heat into electricity and electricity into heat. Known as the thermoelectric effect, the challenge for scientists and researchers has been how to harness this energy conversion.
A team of researchers from MIT and Boston College have developed nanotech [...]

[Read more →]