"Conventional filters used to clean up plastic can’t capture the smallest fragments, and even nano-sized filters designed specifically for the task work slowly, if at all. Clean-up approaches that accelerate the breakdown of plastic can release other pollution, and still don’t work quickly enough for wastewater treatment plants. This new technology can work within an hour, the researchers say. The plastic that’s captured can then be recycled."
"It seems everyone but our state legislators understand that renewable energy and fossil fuels don't have to be mutually exclusive. If we want to keep the lights on for the foreseeable future, especially during severe weather events, we need as much reliable thermal power available as possible. But our short-term needs shouldn't derail Texas from the long-term goal of having an efficient, more affordable grid powered mostly by clean energy. If we want to remain the nation's leader in renewable energy, we can't treat it like an inconvenience."
"To put it in simple terms, optimism is what’s missing from the climate dialogue. Flashy headlines decry a climate apocalypse without acknowledging that our world population is growing because more people are surviving into their child-bearing years. That’s good news. Now, we have to work toward solutions that will keep the planet healthy for our growing population."
"Some venture capitalists are especially excited about fusion. It’s the type of nuclear energy that powers stars, and it generates no long-lasting radioactive waste — but so far, it’s proven fiendishly difficult to create a lasting fusion reaction on Earth and impossible to generate enough energy for commercial generation."
"The company took about a decade to develop a process using microbes that suck up methane or carbon dioxide to grow a biological material called polyhydroxybutyrate, which is used to make biodegradable resins that can replace plastic. The private company sources captured emissions from dairy farms, ethanol plants and landfills, and is expanding into coal mines and exploring direct-air capture."
"U.S. allies are upset about the Inflation Reduction Act’s generous subsidies for domestically manufactured green technologies. In his trip to Washington last week, Mr. Macron said the U.S. subsidies may 'perhaps fix your issue but you will increase my problem.' They’re really a problem for everybody."
"Lawmakers’ dubious reaction to the proposed redesign appears to have morphed into a red light after senators heard testimony that the untested marketplace would make investors skittish to commit to building coveted natural gas plants in Texas."
"'I wanted to capture that sense of mission for a new era,' he explains. 'For this generation, it’s climate change and the energy transition.' As director, he has led advances in everything from decarbonization to supercomputing, while creating one of the most diverse leadership teams among the 17 national labs run by the Energy Department. 'Diversity of ideas and diversity of experience are very important for labs that tackle really big, challenging problems,' he explains."
"The current generation of nuclear power reactors in the United States runs on uranium, formed into a ceramic somewhat like the material that makes up a coffee mug. The ceramic comes in the form of pellets about the size of a pencil eraser, and these are stacked in long, thin tubes. The tubes are bundled together into fuel assemblies that are up to 15 feet long and weigh about 1,000 pounds each. When they are new, they are barely radioactive, and technicians can handle them wearing cotton gloves."
"While Houston is synonymous with the oil and gas industry, the city has recently been gaining a competitive advantage in numerous renewable energy industry sectors due to the high concentration of energy expertise and experience among its residents."
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