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Curbing Aircraft Emissions Through Engineering Innovation
The economic and environmental effects of aircraft emissions are considerable, and reducing emissions is the subject of research at numerous companies and organizations around the world. If commercial aviation were a country, it would rank seventh in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to a recent report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).
Leap in Conductivity Measured When a Semiconductor Is Exposed to High Pressure
Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) obtained conductivity values for stroncium iridate that were 250 times higher than in normal conditions.
Methanol-powered Ship Ready to Sail
The world’s first methanol-powered ship will soon be sailing international waters. Stena Germanica, a ferry that is owned and operated by Swedish ferry operator Stena Line and takes vehicles and passengers across the Baltic Sea, has passed fire risk assessments.
Offshore Wind Farm Could Include 400 Turbines, 2400 MW of Generating Capacity
Plans for what could be the world’s largest offshore wind farm have been given the green light by Britain's energy secretary. An array of up to 400 turbines may be built 80 miles off the Yorkshire coast on the Dogger Bank.
Researchers Identify Possible Silicon Substitute for Future Electronics
A new form of germanium, germanane, may emerge as a viable replacement to silicon in future electronic devices, leading to more efficient LEDs and lasers, according to researchers at Ohio State University.
Scraping the Sky: The 1 km-Tall Kingdom Tower
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has long served as a port for Muslims arriving by sea for the Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. With a population of 5.1 million, Jeddah is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia and ranks as the largest city on the Red Sea. If all goes as planned, by 2020 pilgrims flooding the city will be treated to a modern marvel, a skyscraper more than 1 km in height called the Kingdom Tower.
Web Surfing Using Light: Is LiFi Coming?
Researchers at Oxford University are developing a wireless networking technology that uses light to beam information through the air at more than 100 gigabits per second, according to a report in The New Zealand Herald.
Airbus Awards Contract for A330 Wing Part to India Company
Airbus says that India-based Dynamatic Technologies Ltd. will supply a wing part for its A330 family of aircraft. Under the contract, Dynamatic will source flap-track beams for the Airbus wide-body A330 aircraft.
Clutch-less Drive Attracts Auto Part Companies to India
As automated manual transmission’s (AMT) popularity in India has grown, new technology may be able to lower the cost of those vehicles. Robert Bosch, an auto components maker, and UK-based Drive System Design are two companies considering options to bring more affordable drive systems to the Indian market.
Flight Tests on Electric Propulsion System for Aircraft
JAXA is testing its electric propulsion system on a prototype motor glider. The flight test phase made a successful jump flight at Otone Airport in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, in November 2014.
Gases Excluded from Montreal Climate Deal Are Harming Ozone, Researchers Say
A report finds that a man-made chemical, dichloromethane, which is not included in a United Nations treaty aimed at protecting the ozone layer, is contributing to ozone depletion.
Go-ahead Urged for Watts Bar 2 Nuclear Power Plant Licensing
An independent body within the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recommended proceeding with the licensing process for the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) 1,150-megawatt (MW) Watts Bar Unit 2 nuclear reactor.
Sheep Could Bring Internet of Things to Rural Wales
A computer scientist from Lancaster University has been awarded more than £171,000 to bring the Internet of Things (IoT) to rural Wales—by way of sheep.
DOT and FAA Propose Rules for Small Unmanned Drone Aircraft
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration proposed what it says is a framework of regulations that would allow routine use of certain small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the U.S. aviation system.
Is a Metal-seated Ball Valve for You?
Metal-seated ball valves were first introduced to the market to address many of the shortcomings of their soft-seat counterparts. The ability to withstand severe service conditions such as high temperatures, cryogenic conditions, abrasive mediums, slurries, and flow control make them ideal candidates for use in the oil refinery, petrochemical, mining, pulp and paper, iron and steel mill, electric power generation and water treatment industries.
Could Driverless Vehicles Mean Fewer Cars, More Miles?
Autonomous vehicles may reduce the number of vehicles a family needs, but may lead to an increase in total miles driven, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Engineering Buildings That Rock in an Earthquake
Buildings that rock during an earthquake and return to plumb would withstand seismic shaking better than structural designs commonly used in vulnerable zones, according to a researcher at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio.
Hawaiian Utility to Double Its Solar Hosting Capacity
Hawaiian Electric Cos. (HECO) is proposing to double its hosting capacity for solar energy. The utility announced its intentions in late January to increase its penetration limits for rooftop solar minimum daytime load (MDL) from 120% to 250% of MDL. Those increases would be among the highest thresholds for solar penetration on distribution circuits in the U.S.
Policymakers Are Addressing Nuclear Power Plant Market Issues, Says NEI
There has been a "significant evolution in thinking in a relatively short period of time" among U.S. federal regulators, state officials and regional transmission organizations (RTOS) to address the market issues negatively impacting nuclear power plants in the U.S., says Marvin Fertel, CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), as reported in World Nuclear News.
Swiber Wins $310m Contract for Offshore Natural Gas Field Work
Swiber Holdings Limited, an offshore construction and support services company based in Singapore, has won its second-largest contract; a $310 million engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) contract from an unidentified national South Asian oil company.