• EU responds to US and Chinese green subsidies in leaked plan

    The European Union (EU) is said to be preparing a comprehensive plan to respond to the US's Inflation Reduction Act and loosen the continent's dependence on Chinese technology, the Financial Times has reported.  According to the leaked document, the European Commission would be planning to extend some of the s implified state aid rules that already apply to some renewable technologies, in order to include renewable hydrogen and biofuel storage. In addition, EU member states will be able to offer help to EU companies that are being offered equivalent financial aid from foreign governments with measures such as tax benefits.  Some of the €800bn (£707bn) included in the NextGenerationEU Covid-19 recovery fund could also be redirected towards tax credits, according to the draft. This move…

  • ChatGPT owner launches ‘imperfect’ tool to detect AI-generated text

    ChatGPT is a free app that generates text in response to a prompt, including articles, essays, jokes and even poetry. It has become spectacularly popular in the short time since its release in November, while simultaneously raising inevitable concerns about copyright and plagiarism. The AI classifier , OpenAI's language model trained on the dataset of pairs of human-written and AI-written text on the same topic, aims to distinguish the text which was written by the latter. It uses a variety of providers to address issues such as automated misinformation campaigns and academic dishonesty, the company said. In its public beta mode, announced in a blog post today (Wednesday 1 February), OpenAI acknowledges the detection tool is currently "very unreliable" on texts under 1,000 characters and…

  • First self-driving bus service to launch in Edinburgh this spring

    Passengers are set to board the bus service in Edinburgh from the spring after it became one of seven autonomous passenger and freight vehicle programmes to win a share of the new funds. The service, which will receive £10.4m in funding, will be comprised of five self-driving single-decker buses that will carry members of the public between Ferrytoll park and ride in Fife and the Edinburgh Park train and tram interchange via the Forth Road Bridge. As well as the Edinburgh project, automated shuttles in Belfast and lorries in Sunderland will also get support. The North East Automotive Alliance will receive £8m to roll out self-driving and remotely piloted HGVs between the Vantec and Nissan sites in Sunderland. Hub2Hub will receive £13.2m to develop a new, zero emissions, self-driving…

  • Tech Nation to shut down after losing government funding

    Tech Nation has explained its planned closure is as a direct result of the government's decision to stop providing the organisation with £12m in grant funding, and award it instead to Barclays Bank.  With this foundation removed, Tech Nation’s remaining activities are "not viable on a standalone basis", the organisation said in a statement.  Founded in 2010, Tech Nation has worked with nearly a third of the UK’s 122 unicorns and supported the rise of companies such as Monzo, Revolut, Ocado, Skyscanner and Deliveroo. The company also run the UK’s global tech talent visa, in collaboration with the UK Home Office.   Although Tech Nation was never a government organisation, it heavily relied on government funding to continue its operations.  In September last year, it was reported that…

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    E+T Magazine

  • China’s clean heating policies cut premature deaths by 23,000, study suggests

    From 2015 to 2021, the impact of winter heating on China’s capital Beijing and 27 other cities saw concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from heating activities reduce by 41.3 per cent. This compares favourably with a drop of 12.9 per cent in other northern Chinese cities which used lower levels of clean fuels than those in the Beijing region. China’s centralised winter heating strategy is one of the world’s largest energy-consumption systems, providing free or heavily subsidised heating to urban residents. The system is usually switched on from mid-November to March each year. Whilst coal has been the main heating energy source in northern China – accounting for 83 per cent of the total heating area in 2016 – new policies have encouraged the use of cleaner fuels such as gas…

  • View from India: Budget outlines seven priorities for the next financial year

    Seven is believed to be a lucky number, and the FM has announced that the Budget will focus on seven areas for growth. These include inclusive development, reaching last mile, infrastructure and investment, unleashing potential, green growth, youth power, and the financial sector. The Finance Minister described the seven priorities as the “Saptrishis (seven sages) guiding us through Amrit Kaal”. Sitharaman has indicated that the Indian economy has increased in size. It has moved from being the 10th to the fifth largest in the world in the last nine years. “In the 75th year of Independence, the world has recognised India as a bright star. Our growth for the current year is estimated at 7 per cent. This is the highest among all major economies, in spite of massive global slowdown caused by…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Hands-on review: Hozo Design Meazor 3D measuring tool

    Since we last looked at Hozo Design's impressively fully featured and pocket-friendly (to both your actual pockets and your wallet) multi-function measuring tool, Meazor , the company has now upped the ante with the addition of a new model, bringing with it 3D floorplan scanning functionality, one-upping the original D of its predecessor. Meazor 3D remains physically unchanged from its 2D sibling. It's stainless-steel frame is still pleasingly compact (approximately 100mm x 54mm x 21.3mm) and reassuringly flexible (retaining and building on 2D's 6-in-1 multifunctional laser measuring skills). The six core functions are a point scanner, scale/rolling measure (built using a long-lasting 4096-grade magnetic encoder), laser measure, curve scanner, protractor and spirit level. The same tempered…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Bad memories

    There are no better canaries of the health of the semiconductor industry than the memory sector. It is the one that most closely resembles a classic commodity like wheat, pork bellies or orange juice. And it is quite poorly indeed: the indicators are flashing sell, sell, sell. If only the chipmakers sitting on stocks of unwanted memory chips could do the same. Well, they will in the not too distant future. Unlike those other commodities, they don’t go off all that quickly, though if a crash comes ahead of a transition in process nodes, the weaker suppliers can find themselves having to dispose of older, less dense memory at bargain prices. And that could be a big issue for any that isn’t one of the top behemoths. Malcolm Penn, president of analyst firm Future Horizons, made the point last…

  • Why UK energy customers need to be able to make smart decisions

    The relationship between UK energy suppliers and consumers must change. As well as migrating towards a smarter and more logical system for distribution and use, we need to become smart customers, using intelligent energy. The UK energy market faces two problems. First, energy is unnecessarily valued at a commodity trading price, even if it has not been purchased and its costs of generation have not increased. Secondly, tariffs for energy vary between ever greater extremes due to imbalance between supply and demand, but become fixed when it is consumed. Neither situation is sustainable. At the same time, the UK should seek to become as self-sufficient as possible to minimise the impact of a weaponised energy market. This will automatically make UK renewable energy more important. UK electricity…

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    E+T Magazine

  • AI could bring £200bn to Mediterranean countries by 2030, study finds

    A new study shows the importance that AI will have in the countries of the Mediterranean Arc, as well as its benefits in health, meteorology, the environment, the elderly, education and the public sector. The report was commissioned by Mediterranean Geopolitics & Public Policies (Geomett) and presented to the European Parliament by VRAIN researchers from the UPV.  The document highlights how Turkey has the fifth most significant investment in AI over the last ten years, spending almost $3.4bn (£2.7bn), and Israel ranks fourth among the MEA countries.  The report's findings highlight that the growth of AI in the consumer, enterprise, government and defence sectors is increasing. As a result, there has been a shift from talking and reporting on AI to planning and building AI solutions…

  • Europe avoided coal power surge in 2022 despite issues over Russian oil imports

    With the move away from Russia-supplied fossil fuels, concerns were raised that Europe would be forced to rely heavily on coal power to get it through the winter. Think-tank Ember has found that coal power share increased by only 1.5 percentage points to generate 16 per cent of EU electricity in 2022, with year-on-year falls in the last four months of 2022. Despite the UK’s plans to shut down all coal plants by 2024, it was forced to fire up two coal generators in December in preparation for possible disruptions to the country’s electricity supply caused by the freezing weather conditions. Ember's report also showed that wind and solar generated a record fifth (22 per cent) of EU electricity in 2022, overtaking fossil gas (20 per cent) for the first time. Dave Jones, Ember’s head of…

  • US halts export licences to China's Huawei

    Washington is moving towards a total ban on the sale of US technology to Huawei, as the country stops approving export licences to the Chinese technology giant, according to reports. Several people familiar with discussions inside the administration have told the Financial Times the commerce department had notified some companies that it would no longer grant licences to any group exporting American technology to Huawei.  The US has restricted China’s access to semiconductor technology since at least 2019 when the Trump administration  banned Huawei   from buying vital US technology, citing national security concerns.  Despite the change in administration, the country has continued to impose strict export controls on the Chinese electronic maker. Both Huawei and the Chinese government…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Sponsored: DC-DC converter design trends and technology

    This high-power EV ecosystem demands reliable and efficient DC-DC power conversion. Energy efficiency depends on many factors, including temperature, operating voltage, percentage of rated power, and other environmental conditions. Click here  to view the  white paper registration page . Key Learning Outcomes: Power conversion differences between fully electric and mild hybrid EVs How the adoption of wide-bandgap power devices affects EV design and test How the regenerative power conversion tester addresses reliability, safety, and cost challenges for DC-DC converter design Download free white paper

  • Global offshore wind industry partners with Carbon Trust on sustainability

    The 11 developers collectively design, build and operate wind farms globally, including across Europe, North America and Asia, and represent around a quarter of global installed wind power capacity. The firms will work in collaboration with the Carbon Trust as part of the new Offshore Wind Sustainability Joint Industry Programme to develop the first industry-backed methodology and guidance to measure and address the carbon emissions associated with offshore wind farms throughout their lifecycle, including emissions from the manufacturing of materials and installation of wind farms. The aim is to help the global offshore wind industry scale as sustainably as possible and continue its key contribution towards meeting the world’s net-zero target by 2050, thus helping limit the most extreme…

  • Coastal erosion map shows homes worth £584m will be lost to the sea by 2100

    One Home’s ' England’s Communities Under Threat Interactive Map ' is an up-to-date look at the UK’s eroding cliffs and the threat this poses to the most at-risk seaside villages and hamlets. The map highlights where no new sea defences will be built to defend against erosion, meaning homes will be lost to the sea. In some cases, homeowners could be asked to pay thousands of pounds towards the cost of demolishing their homes, while potentially still paying a mortgage. Demolition grants of up to £6,000 are available from authorities, but costs above this must be met by the owner. The map was plotted using existing Environment Agency data and Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs), which outline the risks to an area and whether or not it will be protected from erosion. The coastal communities…

  • Green transition could bring £71bn to the UK economy, CBI finds

    The CBI's 'Mapping The Net Zero Economy' report found that the drive to achieve net-zero emissions in the UK involves more than 20,000 businesses and 840,00 jobs in sectors such as renewable energy and waste management. The report looked at the parts of the UK that have benefited most from policies aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, a sector that CBI said is  worth £71bn.  According to the researchers,  Scotland and English regions, such as Tyneside, Teeside, Merseyside and the Humber, had all done better than average, with the green economy being stronger and contributing more to growth than in London and the South East. Green jobs also pay significantly more, the report says, with the average wage (£42,600) significantly above the national average (£33,400). "The net-zero…

  • Air-filtering backpack designed by 12-year-old wins national competition

    Eleanor Wood's winning design features a built-in air filter and fans, powered sustainably by solar panels and a dynamo. The goal of the 12-year-old's design is to filter polluted air, helping the eight million people in the UK who suffer the often-crippling effects of asthma. Wood entered the 'Backpack To The Future competition' after her mother, who suffers from asthma, put the application form in her room, where she eventually drew up her winning design. She named it the 'Breathe Better Backpack'.  “I was really shocked when I found out I’d won," Wood said. "I thought of my backpack to help clean the air because some of my family and friends have asthma and hayfever and it could help them. "I’m very happy the judges chose my entry as the winner. I think it’s a great idea to have cleaner…

  • UK design firm presents sustainable car interior made of recycled foodstuffs

    Designers and engineers at Callum went beyond materials already under consideration to identify fresh sustainable options that its customers could benefit from choosing through its 'SMS' design study. The study was intended to send a message to the automotive industry that sustainable alternatives are feasible. Using a retromod Porsche 911 interior as the basis for the research, the team - led by Charlotte Jones and British designer Ian Callum CBE - identified coffee pulp, eggshells, red lentils, walnuts and rice as viable materials for a car interior in 2030. Image credit: Callum Designs With thousands of tonnes of food going to waste every day in the UK alone, Callum consulted with green-tech company Ottan to determine the most appropriate materials capable of…

  • $1 smart glove detects foetal position to minimise birthing mishaps

    The researchers created the device to assist healthcare staff in understanding how much pressure they are applying to the foetal head during labour, factors that can contribute to obstructed labour and poor birth outcomes. The technology provides real-time data during vaginal examinations, potentially improving birth outcomes in low-resource regions. When labour is not going as it should, clinicians can use a wide array of medical technologies to determine what is wrong. However, in low- and middle-income countries, these technologies and skilled staff who can use them are not always available. The researchers behind this latest study reported that 98 per cent of stillbirths occur in such countries, reflecting the cost of this problem. Obstructed labour, where the position or size of…

  • Emirates test flight runs plane engine entirely on sustainable aviation fuel

    The flight, which took off from Dubai International Airport, was designed to demonstrate the ability to power flights entirely with SAF as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions from the aviation sector, which is notoriously difficult to decarbonise. SAFs are typically derived by combining jet fuel with alternatives such as biofuels or recycled oils from industrial food facilities. Currently, SAF is approved for use in all aircraft, but only in blends of up to 50 per cent with conventional jet fuel. Following the successful trial on one engine, Emirates said it wanted to continue to develop the initiative with engine airframe manufacturers. Emirates worked alongside partners GE Aerospace, Boeing, Honeywell, Neste and Virent to procure and develop a blend of SAF that closely replicates…

  • US and EU officials sign ambitious AI agreement

    The European Commission and the US administration have recently signed an “administrative agreement on artificial intelligence for the public good” at a virtual ceremony.  The agreement was signed in the context of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC), launched in 2021 as a permanent platform for transatlantic cooperation across several priority areas, from supply chain security to emerging technologies. The last high-level meeting of the TTC was held in the US in December 2022. At the time, AI was presented as one of the most advanced areas in terms of cooperation. A senior US administration official called it "the first sweeping AI agreement between the United States and Europe", stressing that previous agreements on the issue had been limited to specific areas such as enhancing…

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    E+T Magazine

  • £110m scrappage scheme to help ULEZ-affected Londoners switch to EVs

    It follows Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s decision to expand London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) London-wide in August this year. The zone was first introduced in April 2019 in a bid to reduce air pollution and charges non-compliant vehicles – mostly diesel cars that are more than six years old and petrol cars that are more than 15 years old – £12.50 for each day they are in the zone. Already around 94 per cent of vehicles driving in inner and central London, and 85 per cent of vehicles driving in outer London already meet ULEZ standards. The new scrappage scheme and grace periods are designed to help drivers of the remaining non-compliant vehicles prepare. Londoners receiving certain means-tested benefits and non-means-tested disability benefits can apply for cash grants of up to…

  • Philips to cut 5 per cent of its global workforce

    Dutch consumer electronics and medical equipment maker Philips will cut 6,000 jobs over the next two years, in addition to the reduction of 4,000 staff announced in October, the company has revealed. The decision followed the reports that the company suffered a net loss of €1.6bn (£1.49bn) last year, down from a net profit of €3.3bn (£2.9bn) in 2021. The decline in revenue has largely been attributed to a write-down in the value of its Sleep & Respiratory Care business, which recently recalled 5.5 million ventilators used to treat sleep apnoea over worries that foam used in the machines could become toxic. The large-scale recall slashed around 70 per cent off  Philips' market value in 2022, according to reports.  Philips CEO Roy Jakobs said 2022 was “a very difficult year for Philips…

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    E+T Magazine

  • View from Brussels: EU Horizons to broaden in 2023 (kinda)

    The EU’s €95 billion research programme, Horizon Europe, looks set to expand in 2023 as officials aim to agree new association agreements with partner countries that include Canada, Japan and South Korea. According to EU research commissioner Mariya Gabriel, Canada is likely to be onboard in the first half of the year and exploratory talks with Japan and South Korea are “getting closer to an end”. That is good news for researchers operating in those countries as it means they will be able to access Horizon funding on the same equal terms as the EU’s 27 member states. The association agreements will include financial contributions to secure that access. Canada in particular is extremely keen to collaborate with the EU on energy technologies and innovation, including battery production…

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