Fracking May Drive Down Real Estate Values, Survey Finds
Fracking for natural gas may negatively impact the value of homes near the drill site, according to a survey to be reported in a forthcoming issue of The Journal of Real Estate Literature.
U-M Technical Reports Examine Hydraulic Fracturing in Michigan
University of Michigan researchers today released seven technical reports that together form the most comprehensive Michigan-focused resource on hydraulic fracturing, the controversial natural gas and oil extraction process commonly known as fracking.
Indy 500 Race Cars Showcase Green Fuels
Mention cars that get barely 3 miles to a gallon and are built for speed rather than cleanliness, and images of gas-guzzling, pollution-belching menaces burning leaded gasoline or nitro may spring to mind. But experts today described how ethanol blends used as fuel in the race cars of the Indianapolis 500 actually make those emissions cleaner than cars on the street. They spoke at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
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State E-Waste Disposal Bans Have Been Largely Ineffective
One of the first analyses of laws banning disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) in landfills has found that state e-waste recycling bans have been mostly ineffective, although California's Cell Phone Recycling Act had a positive impact. However, e-waste recycling rates remain "dismally low," and many demographic groups remain unaware of their alternatives, according to the study, which was presented today at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
General in the Solar Army to High School and College Students: 'We Are Recruiting'
High school and college students got a recruiting call today to join the Solar Army and help solve one of the 21st century's greatest scientific challenges: finding the dirt-cheap ingredients that would make sunlight a practical alternative to oil, coal and other traditional sources of energy. Harry B. Gray, Ph.D., described the army's mission during the "Kavli Foundation Innovations in Chemistry Lecture" at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
Reverse Combustion? Turning Carbon Dioxide From Burning Fossil Fuel Back Into Fuel
With almost 40 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) released each year from burning coal, gasoline, diesel and other fossil fuels in the United States alone, scientists are seeking ways to turn the tables on the No. 1 greenhouse gas and convert it back into fuel. Those efforts are the topic of a symposium in Indianapolis today at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.
Scientific Symposium on the Toxicology of Alternate Fuels
"Biofuel" is a global buzzword, with cars and trucks powered by fuel made from corn, switchgrass and waste cooking oil, envisioned as a way to stretch out supplies of crude oil and cope with global warming. A symposium being held here today at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society considers: What are the health and environmental effects of alternative fuels, and how do they compare with conventional fuels?
3D Graphene: Solar Power's Next Platinum?
A scientist at Michigan Tech has developed a new, inexpensive material that could replace the platinum in solar cells without degrading their efficiency.
Microbial Team Turns Corn Stalks and Leaves Into Better Biofuel
A fungus and E. coli bacteria have joined forces to turn tough, waste plant material into isobutanol, a biofuel that matches gasoline's properties better than ethanol.
Can Solar Energy Help Save Greece?
What happens to renewable energy programs in a country in a full-scale debt crisis -- do the programs whither and die in the winds of austerity? How do people view such programs when many of them can't afford to heat their houses? The answers to these two questions are actually linked, according to a new analysis in the JRSE.
Wireless Devices Go Battery-Free with New Communication Technique
University of Washington engineers have created a new wireless communication system that allows devices to interact with each other without relying on batteries or wires for power. The technology could enable a network of devices and sensors to communicate with no power source or human attention needed.
Regulating Electron 'Spin' May Be Key to Making Organic Solar Cells Competitive
Organic solar cells that use carbon-based molecules to convert light to electricity have not been able to match the efficiency silicon-based cells. Now, researchers have discovered a synthetic, high-performance polymer that could make inexpensive, highly efficient organic solar panels a reality.
Self-Healing Solar Cells 'Channel' Natural Processes
To understand how solar cells heal themselves, look no further than the nearest tree leaf or the back of your hand. NC State University researchers have developed a regenerative solar cell that uses branching channels to best mimic natural processes.
Localized Wind Power Blowing More Near Homes, Farms & Factories
A new report details how more Americans are installing wind turbines near their homes, businesses and farms to generate their own energy as part of a growing field of wind power called distributed wind.
Interface Superconductivity Withstands Variations in Atomic Configuration
Brookhaven Lab scientists discover that critical temperature remains constant across interface superconductors regardless of changes in electron doping levels, challenging leading theories.
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Key Factors for Wireless Power Transfer
What happens to a resonant wireless power transfer system in complex electromagnetic environments? Researchers explored the influences at play in this type of situation and describe in AIP Advances how efficient wireless power transfer can be achieved in the presence of metal plates.
Rensselaer Researchers Identify Cause of LED "Efficiency Droop"
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers have identified the mechanism behind a plague of LED light bulbs: a flaw called "efficiency droop" that causes LEDs to lose up to 20 percent of their efficiency as they are subjected to greater electrical currents.
Thin, Flexible Glass for Energy Storage
A new use for glass is being developed by researchers in Penn State's Materials Research Institute that could make future hybrid-electric and plug-in electric vehicles more affordable and reliable.
Wind Power Does Not Strongly Affect Greater Prairie Chickens, Seven-Year Study Finds
Wind power development does not ruffle the feathers of greater prairie chicken populations, according to a seven-year study from a Kansas State University ecologist and his team. They found that grassland birds are more affected by rangeland management practices and by the availability of native prairie and vegetation cover at nest sites.
A Nano-Tool for Designing the Next Big Battery
It's a jungle down there at batteries' atomic level, with ions whacking into electrodes and eventually causing failure. Now, a Michigan Technological University scientist has developed a device that lets researchers spy on the actions of lithium ions inside a nanobattery--and use that data to develop better, longer-lasting batteries to power everything from electric cars to cell phones.
New Catalyst Could Cut Cost of Making Hydrogen Fuel
A discovery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison may represent a significant advance in the quest to create a "hydrogen economy" that would use this abundant element to store and transfer energy.
Exotic Alloys for Potential Energy Applications
"Thermoelectric materials," used in wine refrigerators and spacecraft, promise to help deliver greener energy in the future.
Power for Seaports May Be the Next Job for Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Thanks to research at Sandia National Laboratories in California, providing auxiliary hydrogen power to docked or anchored ships may soon be added to the list of ways in which hydrogen fuel cells can provide efficient, emissions-free energy.
New Solar Car From U-Michigan Has Sleek, Asymmetrical Design
The lopsided solar car named Generation, unveiled today, might be the oddest-looking vehicle the top-ranked University of Michigan team has ever built. But the bold shape is a calculated effort to design the most efficient car possible, given major changes in World Solar Challenge race rules.