This week’s ten biggest climate innovation stories — 21 December
How might a floating solar rig produce hydrogen fuel? How will the UK tackle plastic waste? And, how can we make cryptocurrency transactions more eco-friendly?
This, and more, in the week’s ten biggest climate innovation stories.
1.
Burning wood instead of coal in power stations makes sense if it’s waste wood
The environmentalist and advisor to Drax power station, Tony Juniper, says the wood used to create energy can be coppice thinnings and waste material.
Burning wood instead of coal in power stations makes sense if it's waste wood https://t.co/JElWHLd1Ot
The environmentalist and advisor to Drax power station, Tony Juniper, says the wood used to create energy can be coppice thinnings and waste material pic.twitter.com/vLbGCGnMpb— Svein Tveitdal (@tveitdal) December 20, 2017
2.
This metric challenges companies to reuse ‘waste’ energy
It’s time to become more familiar with a metric: energy reuse effectiveness (ERE), which illustrates how data center energy is used by other parts of a facility, or even in nearby building such as offices, homes, restaurants, hotels, greenhouses, and swimming pools.
Wasting energy is a waste of energy: This metric challenges companies to reuse 'waste' #energy https://t.co/IWAtDn5DaY @CLOUDandHEAT
— GreenBiz (@GreenBiz) December 19, 2017
3.
Pinecone-shaped apartment building unveiled for former military camp in Norway
Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter just unveiled a striking apartment complex for the town of Ski, Norway. The 4,000-square-meter high-end apartments will take on a sculptural, pinecone-like shape in the green new neighborhood in Ski Vest.
the reiulf ramstad arkitekter‘s new high quality housing project in ski, norway will offer innovative apartments sheltered in a green new neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/h5zq0XaEjd
— designboom (@designboom) December 15, 2017
4.
Floating solar rig produces hydrogen fuel
A floating “solar fuels rig” could one day use solar energy to split apart seawater and generate hydrogen fuel. A team of scientists recently described the design for the new rig in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. A scaled-up version of their prototype could someday float out on the open sea, they say, producing renewable fuel from sunlight and seawater.
Floating Solar Rig Produces Hydrogen Fuel https://t.co/YT6zfYG6KE
— IEEE Spectrum (@IEEESpectrum) December 18, 2017
5.
UK plan to tackle plastic waste threat
A four-point plan for tackling plastic waste has been outlined by the Environment Secretary Michael Gove.
Michael Gove ‘haunted’ by plastic pollution seen in Blue Planet II https://t.co/hf5T6ykmI3
— Guardian Environment (@guardianeco) December 19, 2017
6.
Bitcoin reforms proposed to curb soaring carbon footprint
Revamped cryptocurrency transactions could be cleaner than credit cards, experts say, while the underlying blockchain technology can bring climate benefits
Read more on Climate Home News.
NEW | #Bitcoin reforms proposed to curb soaring carbon footprint https://t.co/SxMupn09vB, by Ivan Castano | #climatechange pic.twitter.com/VYiAeYHU2Q
— Climate Home News (@ClimateHome) December 15, 2017
7.
Gorgeous green-roofed studio features a rainwater reflecting pool
Designed by London-based Tonkin Liu Architects, the Sun Rain Room is clad in glass panels and topped with a green roof. It’s is also equipped with one awesome feature—a grey water system that showers collected rainwater over the patio at the push of a button, transforming it into a beautiful reflecting pool.
Sun Rain Room by @tonkin_liu Architects, London #greenroofs https://t.co/Guk0bjUrmQ
— Greenroofs.com (@greenroofs) December 15, 2017
8.
The most powerful micro-scale biological solar cell ever created
Two Binghamton University scientists designed a small biological solar cell that could be useful for lab-on-a-chip devices, which are typically a few square centimeters in size. Their solar cells generate a greater power density for a longer period of time than other similar cells, making them the most powerful ones created to date.
The most powerful micro-scale biological solar cell ever created https://t.co/h1q5a7nrrr pic.twitter.com/S6w9t9DqMw
— CleanAcres (@CleanAcresCTC) December 20, 2017
9.
Sea water and scrap metal could sequester 850 million tonnes of carbon dioxide
Researchers at the University of York in the UK are putting forward an idea they say could capture almost a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year at relatively low cost and turn it into the mineral Dawsonite, known chemically as sodium aluminium carbonate hydroxide or NaAlCO3(OH)2.
Sea Water & Scrap Metal Could Sequester 850 Million Tons Of Carbon Dioxide https://t.co/dR3ec1ipTZ pic.twitter.com/XZyJSTH5Vb
— CleanTechnica (@cleantechnica) December 18, 2017
10.
Thousands of tomato-sauce jars to turn into “tomato architecture” at Mutti
Carlo Ratti Associati just unveiled their competition-winning design for the new masterplan and factory in Italy that playfully taps into something they call “tomato architecture.” The visitor center’s walls will be made up of thousands of glass tomato sauce jars for dramatic effect. A 240,000-square-foot biodiversity park will also surround the renovated factory.
Thousands of tomato-sauce jars to turn into “tomato architecture” at Mutti
https://t.co/RMQUQfbR2j pic.twitter.com/WlaAnuSC26— Inhabitat (@inhabitat) December 20, 2017