• UK government seeks to curb dominance of digital giants

    The Digital Markets Unit (DMU) was launched within the Competition and Markets Authority in non-statutory form in April, with special responsibility for regulating the digital economy. According to the government’s plans, it will be given the power to designate technology companies with substantial, entrenched market power with 'Strategic Market Status' (SMS). SMS will require them to follow a code of conduct which lays out its responsibilities to competitors and customers. The government hopes that the rules will result in more innovation and fairer terms for UK businesses – especially tech start-ups, news publishers and advertisers – as well as giving consumers real choice to switch to a different service provider. The code of conduct covers acceptable behaviour as it relates to fair…

  • Smart technologies and data posited to future-proof energy supply

    Smart and flexible energy systems will be needed if the UK is to meet its world-leading commitments to tackling climate change by 2050. Meeting the increasing demand for electricity, as fossil fuels are phased out, will require a system that ensures the supply of clean energy from renewable sources is guaranteed even when the wind is not blowing or the Sun is not shining. The 'Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan and Energy Digitalisation Strategy', published jointly by the government and Ofgem, is intended to deliver on the commitments made by the government in its  'Energy White Paper'  and represent a step forward on the path to providing flexibility for the nation’s energy network. According to the joint coalition, unleashing the full potential of smart systems and flexibility in the…

  • Covid economic recovery plans failing to target green energy, IEA report warns

    The amount of clean energy spending in the second quarter of this year totalled around $380bn, or just 2 per cent of their total stimulus funds in response to the pandemic. These sums of money, both public and private, currently fall well short of what is needed to reach international climate goals, the report suggests. These shortfalls were particularly pronounced in emerging and developing economies, many of which face financing challenges. Under the current recovery spending plans, global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are set to climb to record levels in 2023 and continue rising in the following years. “Since the Covid-19 crisis erupted, many governments may have talked about the importance of building back better for a cleaner future, but many of them are yet to put their money where…

  • Cyber attack takes Northern Trains’ ticket machines offline

    The ticketing system has been offline since last week while an investigation is being conducted, but Northern Trains said that these are the only machines affected. The operator installed more than 600 new ticket machines across the network earlier this year as part of a £17m scheme to provide passengers with modern touch-screen machines at over 400 stations across the north of England. The servers that operate these ticket machines have now been impacted by the suspected cyber attack. “This is the subject of an ongoing investigation with our supplier, but indications are that the ticket machine service has been subject to a ransomware cyber attack,” Northern said. It added that no customer or payment data had been compromised and that customers could still buy train tickets online. Flowbird…

  • Scientists develop world’s thinnest magnet

    According to the researchers, the magnet could make advances in next-gen memories, computing, spintronics – such as high-density, compact spintronic memory devices – and quantum physics. It was developed by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley. “We’re the first to make a room-temperature 2D magnet that is chemically stable under ambient conditions,” said senior author Jie Yao, a faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division and associate professor of materials science and engineering at UC Berkeley. Graduate student at UC Berkeley, Rui Chen, added: “This discovery is exciting because it not only makes 2D magnetism possible at room temperature, but it also uncovers a new mechanism to realise 2D magnetic…

  • UK and allies blame Chinese government for orchestrating Microsoft hack

    The cyber attacks took place in early 2021, targeting Microsoft Exchange (Microsoft’s email software) servers. A group known as Hafnium compromised Microsoft Exchange, allowing it to penetrate into the IT networks of its targets. The attack was so widespread that at the time, the White House National Security Council formed an emergency response group to deal with the attack. Microsoft said that by end of March, 92 per cent of customers had been patched against the vulnerability. Now, according to British officials, the attack was very likely to have been carried out to enable “large-scale espionage”, including stealing personal information and intellectual property. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)  is “almost certain” that the compromise was initiated and exploited by actors…

  • Equinor confirms bid for major offshore wind platform on Scottish coast

    The firm has already floated wind turbines at Hywind, located off the northeast coast of Scotland, that are now generating energy. Equinor's bid follows the closure of the ScotWind Leasing process on Friday, with final offers from all firms expected by no later than 5pm on that day. ScotWind was launched in June 2020 and was the first round of seabed leasing for offshore wind in Scottish waters in over a decade. Scottish Power and Shell put forward their own tender for a floating offshore wind farm last week . The sector is expected to be a significant area of green growth this decade as technology costs fall and the floating tech could prove particularly cost-effective in areas with deep waters where fixed offshore wind is not feasible. The Scottish coast is seen as an ideal location…

  • Covid-19 simulations at cellular level for in silico drug trials

    The applied mathematics researchers are using in silico experiments to replicate in great detail how the human immune system responds to the novel coronavirus. This refers to trials carried out via computer simulations, rather than in vitro or in vivo experiments situated in test tubes or in living organisms; in silico trials are a complement to these real-world trials. “It’s not that in silico trials should replace clinical trials,” said Professor Anita Layton, who holds a chair in mathematical biology and medicine. “A model is a simplification, but it can help us whittle down the drugs for clinical trials. Clinical trials are expensive and can cost human lives. Using models helps narrow the drug candidates to the ones that are best for safety and efficacy.” Their model describes the control…

  • Siemens to build major battery storage facility in Germany

    Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Zukunftsenergie Nordostbayern GmbH have together signed a letter of intent in Wunsiedel for the turnkey construction of a 100MW battery storage facility in the German town. The plant, with a storage capacity of 200MWh, is intended to use surplus renewable energy and cover demand peaks in the power grid. The 5,000 square-metre energy storage facility is capable of supplying 20,000 typical households with electricity for a year. The lithium-ion battery storage system will be provided by Fluence, a joint venture between Siemens and AES. Siemens will handle project management, including a technical implementation concept, as well as the construction of a medium-voltage switchgear system and connection to the high-voltage grid. The letter of intent also includes…

  • National Grid to be stripped of role operating UK’s electricity networks

    In 2017, Ofgem gave National Grid two years to separate its functions involved in operating the electricity system. This led to the creation of the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) in 2019, although it was still owned outright by National Grid. However, in January Ofgem recommended creating a new body entirely free from National Grid that would lead the transformation of the UK’s electricity system to its long term goal of carbon-free power. It was also concerned that the relationship between National Grid and its subsidiary ESO could create conflicts of interest. It seems the Government has now taken that recommendation on board and will, according to The Times, unveil a consultation outlining the creation of a “Future System Operator”. The body would manage the UK’s electricity…

  • View from India: Airports adapt to post-pandemic travel

    Nowadays, the airport is more like a city. Looking ahead, large airports could start to resemble an integrated township, complete with shopping malls, hospitality brands and hospital units. “As the airport will have all the tech updates of a smart city, operational efficiencies will improve and sustenance will become profitable. Sustenance takes into account the electricity-water usage and wastage,” suggested Sanjay Sudhakaran, CEO, Schneider Electric Infrastructure Limited, speaking at a recent webinar hosted by CII/Schneider, titled 'Sustainable and Resilient Airports of Tomorrow'. Software solutions could help in the management of electricity and water, with software tools and data analytics to enable ease of operations. A data-centric approach could help in creating a seamless experience…

  • Analysis: Illegal gold mining in Peru set to continue

    The price of gold is sensitive to crisis, but can itself be the cause of turmoil, especially in an environmental context. During the past year and a half of the global pandemic, the gold price reached historic heights. As a result, an artisanal gold-mining boom swept the world, notably in countries that are but resource-rich. From African states like Ghana or the Democratic Republic of Congo , to Indonesia in Asia, dangerous and often deadly illegal gold-mining has flourished. Some criminal narcotics gangs are even said to have dropped the drug trade and are concentrating on artisanal gold mining because of its higher profitability. Despite a global illegal gold-mining trend, its impact might be nowhere near as consequential and devastating for the climate as it is right now in Latin…

  • Sensors on floor of Atlantic Ocean to measure Earth’s ‘pulse’

    The seismometers, which detect vibrations due to seismic waves, will be deployed in an array across a region encompassing the Canary Islands and the archipelagos of Azores and Madeira. They will continuously record Earth’s ground motions over the course of a year. The project particularly aims to gain more knowledge about massive “upwellings” of material pushing up from Earth’s mantle, which are poorly understood because they can occur far from the boundaries of continental plates and are therefore not covered by plate tectonic theories. Professor Ana Ferreira of UCL Earth Sciences said: “This is a first of a kind seismic experiment. It is the first time we have covered such a large region of the North Atlantic Ocean with these highly sensitive instruments. By analysing their data, we hope…

  • The eccentric engineer: ‘child hatching’ to save premature babies

    Persuading old institutions to adopt new technologies hard, and when the Establishment turns against you, even the best ideas can be relegated to the ranks of side-shows. In the 19th century, premature babies stood only about a 50 per cent chance of surviving due to their inability to maintain homeostasis. The first baby incubator was developed from Stéphane Étienne Tarnier’s idea that this might be controlled by isolation and a rigorous hygiene and feeding regime in a warm, humid environment. Tarnier introduced his prototype incubators, based on poultry incubators he’d seen at the Paris zoo, to the Paris Maternité in 1881. Simple devices – wooden boxes with glass lids, lined with hot water bottles – they reduced infant mortality at the hospital by 28 per cent. Soon more sophisticated machines…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX

  • Scottish Power and Shell propose North Sea floating windfarm

    The companies say their plan will create new jobs in the region (the north-east of Scotland) and contribute towards the UK’s 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target. Floating offshore wind is expected to be a significant area of green growth this decade as technology costs fall. It could prove a particularly cost-effective approach in areas with deep waters where fixed offshore wind is not feasible, such as the site to the north-east of Scotland proposed by the companies. The Scottish coast is seen as an ideal location for offshore wind investment thanks to the Scottish government’s renewable energy ambitions and geographic considerations. Hywind Scotland – the first floating offshore wind farm – has the highest average capacity factor for any wind farm in the country, with average capacity…

  • New broadband tech enables 25 gigabits on existing infrastructure

    Currently, the fastest speeds available to consumers top out around 1 gigabit, and even these speeds are only scantly available in the UK. The ‘25G PON’ technology can deliver download speeds of 25 gigabits per second over a single optical fibre, and it can run on the same underlying infrastructure that Openreach is already building across the UK. This means the technology could be rolled out relatively easily and quickly allowing consumers and businesses to upgrade without disruption. While the technology has been tested at Openreach’s Adastral Park lab in Ipswich, Nokia and Openreach plan to launch a field trial by the end of 2021 that will more clearly demonstrate how easily it can be integrated into current infrastructure. The trial will put the technology through its paces using…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX

  • Chancellor welcomes new manufacturing hub in Leeds

    UK tech start-up UtterBerry has bought premises in Leeds, which will open in the autumn, and will create up to 1,000 positions. UtterBerry, a spin-out from Cambridge University, is known for its AI sensor technology which has been used on projects such as Crossrail, Thames Tideway and London Underground. “There is so much talent in the area, and I want to invest in local people to create the jobs for the future,” said Heba Bevan, UtterBerry’s chief executive. “We’re proud to be bringing unique jobs to the area and to build the technology of the future in the heart of the city.” She added: “As the nation builds back stronger after the pandemic, we are looking forward to building the manufacturing hub that will educate and train the next generation and give opportunities to local workers…

  • Gigafactory ambitions ‘face dead end’ without extra investment

    The committee concluded that a government scheme intended to support the establishment of ‘gigafactories’ with the Automotive Transformation Fund is insufficient for the scale of ambition. The entire fund is worth £500m but a single Gigafactory costs £2-4bn to establish. There is one official Gigafactory in Europe (Giga Berlin), which will manufacture battery packs and powertrains for Tesla EVs. Deutsche Welle estimates that the factory will cost €4bn, of which the EU contributed €1bn from the €2.9bn European Battery Innovation fund. Witnesses told the committee that national governments in other European countries are supporting factories with £750m each. There are no so-called gigafactories in the UK, although the struggling automotive sector has been heartened in recent months with…

  • Scientists turn methane into methanol at room temperature

    Methanol is used to make various products, such as paints and plastics, and as an additive to gasoline. According to experts, methanol, which is rich in hydrogen, can drive new-age fuel cells that could yield significant environmental benefits. If natural gas, of which methane is the primary component, could be converted economically into methanol, experts believe the resulting liquid fuel would be much more easily stored and transported than natural gas and pure hydrogen. That also would greatly reduce the emissions of methane from natural gas processing plants and pipelines. Today, escaped methane, a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide, nearly negates the environmental advantages of natural gas over oil and coal. To use this knowledge, a team of researchers from…

  • Public transport and buildings need better ventilation to cope with virus threat

    Published by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the report finds that leading engineers believe ventilation is too often neglected, and the Covid-19 pandemic in particular has exposed flaws in the way in which we design, manage and operate buildings. With the government ending all lockdown rules from Monday but Covid cases rising rapidly again, experts have stressed the importance of employing simple steps to minimise the virus’s spread. The report warns that unless the ventilation issues are addressed, future pandemics could impose high financial and health costs on society and constrain our ability to address other challenges such as climate change. Efforts to increase resilience to infection must also work alongside the delivery of significant carbon emission savings from our buildings…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX

  • Back story: Esmeralda Ypsilanti, ‘There is more of a push in the UK to diversify engineering’

    Shini Somara: What inspired you to go into engineering? Esmeralda Ypsilanti: I was interested in designing products that make life easier for people. I enjoy bringing human-centric engineering to design in objects that facilitate people’s lives. SS: Are diverse and inclusive teams important in engineering? EY:   Definitely. Homogeneous teams predominantly design for people who look, act, and use things the same way they do. The more diverse a team, the more perspectives, opinions, and use-cases on the project, then the more viable for everyone. For example, new products are a lot more inclusive of people with disabilities, who occupy a huge portion of the population. This is thanks to diverse and inclusive engineering teams. SS:   I’m really inspired by your confidence. Where does that…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX

  • The measure of: Trombia Free autonomous electric street sweeper

    Developed by Finnish road maintenance equipment manufacturer Trombia Technologies, Trombia Free is an autonomous electric street-cleaner that uses less than 15 per cent of the power needed by current sweeping technologies and 95 per cent less water, while still being capable of heavy-duty operation, effectively removing both debris and fine PM2.5 dust. Image credit: . Built to operate in all weather conditions, the Trombia Free has the look of an oversized robotic vacuum cleaner or lawnmower. It makes use of lidar and machine vision technology to trundle around cleaning up city streets and pathways. The company equipped the sweeper with a safety margin zone so it can register obstacles in front and stop if needed. Vital statistics Working width: 2.2m (up to 3m…

  • Summer STEM Challenge: The Vacuum Engine

    “I sell what all the world desires: power.” So said Birmingham’s Matthew Boulton when he partnered with James Watt to make the world’s first powerful industrial engines. They were actually 'vacuum engines', with vacuum from condensing steam on one side of their pistons and atmospheric pressure on the other side. Here’s how to make a big working model of those pioneer engines, using a bike wheel, plastic plumbing and vacuum cleaner power instead of steam. Boulton and Watt’s enormous steam engines had a piston in a cylinder, pulling and pushing the flywheel via a crankpin and a valve to turn the vacuum on only when the piston is being sucked down and not otherwise. The valve needs to move with a quarter-turn lag after the piston. A front bike wheel makes a good flywheel since it has ball…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX

  • Teardown: Apple iMac 2021 desktop computer

    Apple’s strongest products have often been those that combine market-leading industrial design with ease-of-use. The 24-inch M1-powered 2021 iMac desktop computer aims to join that group. It may be serendipitous that the latest iMac arrives during a pandemic that has made mainstream consumers more conscious of the hardware that sits in the living room and elsewhere around the house. For many of them, working from home has meant sitting in front of a screen for much of the day as well as perhaps making it available for homeschooling. The iMac line has always aimed to look good. In its latest incarnation, the computer is a mere 11.5mm thick and available in seven colours, strong tones at the back and more muted ones at the front. It has then been configured to do all the things typical…

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