Algae are not yet profitably cultivated for energy production purposes. The cultivation is challenging especially in cool climate where there is little daylight in winter. Production is expensive compared with wood and agricultural biomass. But the findings of the ALGIDA project indicate that establishing profitable algae cultivation can also be possible in Finland. […]
Power Electronic Tips
Photos of the Day: The ship’s bridge of the future
VTT and Rolls-Royce have joined forces to imagine what the bridge of a ship will look like in the year 2025. As depicted, there was a heavy emphasis on augmented reality displays and personalizations. Each design came from studies of crew operations and ideas from current crews. The stations are capable of detecting and adjusting […]
Sorption energy storage and conversion for cooling and heating
New materials and technologies are making it possible to utilize thermal energy more efficiently. Visit Hall 13 at the Hannover Messe (April 7-11) to find out how researchers from the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance are applying this to heat and cool spaces and industrial processes.In many industrialized countries, city skylines are dominated by imposing glass façades […]
New Technique Makes LEDs Brighter, More Resilient
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new processing technique that makes light emitting diodes (LEDs) brighter and more resilient by coating the semiconductor material gallium nitride (GaN) with a layer of phosphorus-derived acid. “By coating polar GaN with a self-assembling layer of phosphonic groups, we were able to increase luminescence without increasing […]
Power Board Approves Ohio Wind Farm
The state has approved a wind farm with 176 turbines and associated electric transmission facilities to be located in western Ohio. The Scioto Ridge Wind Farm in Hardin and Logan counties will be capable of generating 300 megawatts of electricity and will include up to 60 miles of access roads, 83 miles of underground electric […]
Antimony nanocrystals for batteries
Researchers from ETH Zurich and Empa have succeeded for the first time to produce uniform antimony nanocrystals. Tested as components of laboratory batteries, these are able to store a large number of both lithium and sodium ions. These nanomaterials operate with high rate and may eventually be used as alternative anode materials in future high-energy-density […]
AC Dynamometer Testing System
SAKOR Technologies, Inc. (Okemos, MI) has announced its complete AccuDyne AC Dynamometer system for wind power testing applications. The system can be used by multiple engineering groups to test and verify designs, as well as for quality control testing after manufacturing. Features include: The available in sizes ranging from 3kW to 10 MW. A seamless […]
New Algorithm Improves Efficiency of Small Wind Turbines
In recent years, mini wind energy has been developing in a spectacular way. According to estimates by the WWEA-World Wind Energy Association, the level of development of the mini wind energy industry is not the same as that of the wind energy industry, although forecasts are optimistic. The main reason is that the level of […]
Making Flexible Carbon Nanotube Circuits More Reliable
Engineers would love to create flexible electronic devices, such as e-readers that could be folded to fit into a pocket. One approach they are trying involves designing circuits based on electronic fibers, known as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), instead of rigid silicon chips. But reliability is essential. Most silicon chips are based on a type of […]
Unlocking Nanomaterials’ Power Potential
Brain sensors and electronic tags that dissolve. Boosting the potential of renewable energy sources. These are examples of the latest research from two pioneering researchers selected as this year’s Kavli lecturers at the 247th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society. The meeting features more than 10,000 […]