Nuclear energy fuel

"Project Liberty," the result of a joint venture between US-based POET and the Netherlands' Royal DSM, will have the capacity to process over 750 tons of corn stover each day. Stover is the inedible parts of the plant: husks, cobs, the stalk and leaves. Although intended to work with corn (hence the Iowa location), it's possible that the facility could be used for other sources of cellulose, like grasses. … [Read more...] about US opens first commercial plant that converts corn waste to fuel

Global carbon emissions, a major driver of human-induced climate change, temporarily dropped about 17% due to the pandemic, "but have largely bounced back," said Susan Solomon, a professor of environmental studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a BAS Science and Security Board member. By the end of 2020, emissions were only about 4% lower than the year before, "and are expected to increase as the world emerges from the pandemic," Solomon said at the press event. In any case, pandemic-induced reductions in emissions isn't a sustainable plan for the future, Solomon added. … [Read more...] about Doomsday Clock stands at 100 seconds to midnight

Nikola has been the biggest example of hydrogen’s promises — and pitfalls. The startup claimed its H2-powered truck will have an operational range of as much as 1,200 miles when it was released in 2020. That never happened, though the company did spend most of last year watching its valuation soar to new heights thanks to the meteoric rise in Tesla’s stock price. As the hype grew, GM announced it would acquire an 11 percent stake in the buzzy company, while also lending a hand with Nikola’s battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, including the Badger pickup truck. … [Read more...] about General Motors, after flubbing its deal with Nikola, eyes a new hydrogen truck project

An expansion of agricultural land can only occur if whatever is presently on the land is sacrificed—this can mean abandoned lands, pastures, or natural systems. Natural systems such as grasslands and forests store large amounts of carbon; if turned into agricultural lands, this carbon could be released into the atmosphere. Though crops also store carbon as biomass during their growth, regular harvests do not allow for long-term carbon storage. From a climate perspective, this could be problematic. … [Read more...] about Crop-based biofuels will take years to truly help the environment

Initially, this is likely to happen with long-haul type driving, where safety issues from driver fatigue are a real problem. The elimination of collisions and the improvements that the logistics and transportation industry will enjoy alone will provide learnings for other things such as bus travel. Eventually, different kinds of autonomous rideshare and other transportation services will arise, which will offer a range of different types of autonomous vehicles depending on the needed application and desired amenity levels. As with anything else, there will be budget, business, and luxury offerings. … [Read more...] about 2024 will be the year Apple and Amazon release us from our automotive prison