"The Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) said TEPCO's preparedness had improved and decided to lift the de facto ban. The body has carried out more than 4,000 hours of inspection of its facilities."
An Electrifying Improvement in Copper Conductivity
"When the research team added 18 parts per million of graphene to electrical-grade copper, the temperature coefficient of resistance decreased by 11 percent without decreasing electrical conductivity at room temperature. This is relevant for the manufacturing of electric vehicle motors, where an 11 percent increase in electrical conductivity of copper wire winding translates into 1 percent gain in motor efficiency."
AI-Optimized Grid Balancing Pilot Launched in Finland
"Exaum’s innovation balances the production and consumption of electricity along the power grid, an issue for generators and customers as more intermittent renewable energy is deployed. The technology allows the transmission system operator to adjust and control electricity consumption in the grid, while ensuring that sudden changes in production do not cause blackouts or grid imbalance. It can direct and channel excess power production to areas where it’s needed, such as industrial heating—an area of need in Finland."
NRC Approves First Non-Water-Cooled Reactor in More than 50 Years
The Hermes reactor will help to decarbonize industrial processes in the United States.
Report finds Texas methane emissions hit record low in 2022
"'The Permian Basin’s success in reaching some of the lowest methane intensity rates in the world exemplifies the region’s commitment to environmental stewardship. We will continue to proactively work to minimize oil and gas development’s environmental impact—all while producing affordable, abundant, and reliable energy,' Longanecker concluded."
Meet the boffins and buccaneers drilling for hydrogen
"Hydrogen has the highest energy density of all chemical fuels and is also very reactive, says Eric Toone, chief technology officer of Breakthrough Energy. This makes it potent. It could be used to make essential but currently dirty things such as liquid fuels, steel and ammonia."
The Florida Barrier Reef’s Last Stand
"If the reefs collapsed completely, it would be disastrous for the Florida Keys. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the reefs in Southeast Florida are valued at $8.5 billion and sustain 70,000 full- and part-time jobs. The barrier reef also protects the Keys from hurricanes and major storms by soaking up wave action."
Scientists unveil methane munching monster, 100 million times faster than nature
The chlorine atoms then steal hydrogen atoms from methane to make hydrochloric acid (HCl), which can be captured and recycled. The methane atoms decompose into carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen (H2), the same way it is processed naturally but at a rate that's roughly 100 million times faster in the reaction chamber."
From kicks to compost: Puma’s playbook for circular sneakers
"Footwear production accounts for 1.4 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2018 Quantis study — roughly equivalent to the emissions of Canada. Manufacturing accounts for 43 percent of those emissions, and extracting and processing raw materials 34 percent, the report found. Making a pair of sneakers generates 30 pounds of CO2, according to an analysis by MIT in 2013. A typical shoe contains several materials tightly sewn together — leather, plastic, cotton, rubber, synthetics and so on — and is thus very difficult to recycle. Ninety percent of old shoes end up in landfill sites."
The Future of Nuclear Energy Will Be Decided In Idaho
"INL calls itself America’s nuclear energy laboratory, and its core missions include keeping the existing fleet of reactors in service and developing the next generation of fission power plants. A total of 52 reactors were built and operated at the facility as the technology became a mainstream source of electricity. The last new one to go into service there was in 1973, though."









