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EU sets out windfall tax plans to combat ‘astronomic’ energy bills

EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has introduced the bloc's plan to address the rise in energy costs brought forth by the Russian shutdown of the key Nord Stream 1 pipeline and exacerbated by the climate crisis and lingering effects of the Covid pandemic. The five “immediate” moves proposed to help tame Europe’s energy emergency include: s etting a price cap on Russian gas,; mandatory measures to reduce energy use during peak times, funding for ailing utility companies, a windfall tax on fossil fuel companies and a cap on energy companies' revenues. “We are facing an extraordinary situation because Russia is an unreliable supplier and is manipulating our energy markets,” Von der Leyen said while outlining the Commission’s plan. “Our unity and our solidarity will ensure that…

E+T Magazine in Power Utilisation
Money & Markets: Inflation is here; what happens next?

It was a long time ago when I first wrote about inflation here. At that point, many respected authorities were claiming deflation was imminent. Then the call was transitory inflation, then followed mea culpas about not seeing it coming. Well, here it is and inflation is everywhere in the headlines. It appears there is no consensus on what is going to happen next. Here is my thesis. Typically it’s cresting. It is my observation that attention in accidents is at its peak after they have happened, not before or during. The very moment of peak interest is exactly when is over and hopefully in a repair phase. I am lucky here that my readers appreciate the second, third and fourth derivatives when many are struggling with the first. I keep coming back to this, but inflation is always a…

E+T Magazine
Bizarre Tech at IFA 2022: Go Colop e-mark, Bob the mini dishwasher, and Respiray

Go colop e-mark Hold me closer, tiny stamper. Austrian-based stamp manufacturer (riveting in itself) Colop was showing off its new mobile printing device, the e-mark , at this year’s IFA. The “innovative” e-mark can “design unique and personalised imprints and print them immediately on many surfaces” like paper, cardboard, cork and wood. FYI, it doesn’t work on skin. I tried it: resembled a specific scrape you would get on the playground. Also, felt a bit warm. Would not recommend. Anyway, it’s designed for professionals, and you can print company logos, texts and images in colour. It holds four designs, and you tap on the wee printer to switch them out. However, watching the Colop sales rep go tappa tappa tappa, seemingly on end, trying to get it to change the design, was a somewhat…

E+T Magazine
Truss to ‘tweak’ Online Safety Bill to protect free speech

The Prime Minister said the Online Safety Bill will continue its progress through Parliament but confirmed the legislation will not be passed in its current form. The Online Safety Bill has been presented by the government as a ground-breaking law that will protect the privacy and safety of children in the digital sphere. Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has said it will make the UK “the safest place in the world for our children to go online”. In her first PMQS Truss discussed the legislation, saying: “There are some issues that we need to deal with. What I want to make sure is that we protect the under-18s from harm but we also make sure free speech is allowed, so there may be some tweaks required. “But certainly he is right that we need to protect people’s safety online.” …

E+T Magazine in Ethical Aspects
Letters to the editor: volume 17, issue 9

How do you upskill without experience? I’m currently a technician working in the food and packaging industry, but also have experience in the variable-speed and HVAC sector. I gained my engineering degree in 2016 with a view to moving into nuclear. Sizewell is close to where I live, and this seemed an ideal location to further my professional career. This is proving a difficult challenge. I recently had an interview with them for an engineering position and was turned down on one particular sticking point – I don’t have any nuclear experience. It seems that apprentices are accepted, as they will go through the company’s set training. It also seems that young graduates can gain entry too, seemingly as they have a longer working life ahead of them. I’m 49 years young, with a significant…

E+T Magazine
Breaking down stereotypes is key to encouraging developer talent

Professional stereotypes exist in all industries. Investment bankers in sharp suits, advertising gurus with horn-rimmed glasses sipping flat whites – they’re everywhere. The tech sector is equally susceptible, with developers in particular being regularly typecast. For many, the title ‘developer’ conjures up thoughts of a young, white male wearing a hoodie and most likely working alone, illuminated by the soft glow of their monitor. And yes, there are plenty of developers who fit this description. Yet they don’t benefit from this stereotype either. Many enjoy characteristics, attributes and lives outside of the tech world that would most likely defy this narrow stereotype. And if we are to achieve diversity among developers and help ease the talent crisis, we need to completely break these…

E+T Magazine in Computing
Gadgets: Victrola Revolution Go, Wallbox Pulsar Max, Logitech Lift and more

Victrola Revolution Go An unusual portable turntable with built-in rechargeable battery (12-hour life), so you can spin vinyl at a picnic in the park. The guitar strap gives it a messenger bag look and the lid pops off to display favourite albums. Plus two-way Bluetooth: stream to it from a phone or from it to another speaker. £199 victrola.com Read Caramel’s full hands-on review. Miele B 4826 FashionMaster Everything you need for professional ironing results in one powerful machine. The iron boasts 4.0 bar steam pressure, a non-stick honeycomb soleplate and a 1.25-litre reservoir for an hour’s ironing. Meanwhile the steam button triggers the board’s built-in fans to either inflate clothes or suck them flat to the board for faster results. .

E+T Magazine in Signal Processing
Researchers 3D-print walls that can grow plants

By combining soil and seeds into 3D-printable "soil inks", the University of Virginia scientists believe greenery could be built into the very fabric of architectural features rather than just layered on top. To build these green walls, the UVA research team is combining additive manufacturing’s speed, cost efficiency and low energy demands with locally resourced, bio-based materials. The team has already had success covering these materials in greenery, leading the team to compare the prototypes to "oversized Chia Pets". This construction material has the potential to reduce the need for more emissions-intensive building materials and replace them with a circular alternative, which the researchers say can be can be reused again and again. "We are working with local soils and plants…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
US bans ‘advanced tech’ firms from building facilities in China for 10 years

The guidelines were announced as part of US President Joe Biden's $50bn (£43bn) plan to boost the domestic production of semiconductors. The news is the latest development of a long -running technological dispute between Washington and Beijing, as US firms demand more government support to reduce reliance on components produced in Chinese factories. "We're going to be implementing the guardrails to ensure those who receive Chips funds cannot compromise national security. They're not allowed to use this money to invest in China, they can't develop leading-edge technologies in China for a period of ten years," said Gina Raimondo, US Commerce Secretary. The ban on the building of new technology factories in China comes only a week after US chipmaker Nvidia revealed it had been told by…

E+T Magazine in Semiconductor Technology
Truss’ plans for tackling energy crisis to be unveiled this week

Liz Truss used her first appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) today to promise to work with MPs across the House to tackle “the challenges we face” at a “vital time for our country” and to deliver action to give consumers "certainty" over soaring energy costs. Truss confirmed that her plan - which is expected to freeze household bills at around £2,500 - will be set out in Parliament. However, she rejected the idea of using a windfall tax on the bumper profits made by oil and gas giants to fund her package - which will reportedly cost the UK up to £150bn - indicating that she intends to instead push the burden onto taxpayers. Truss told the Commons: “I will make sure that in our energy plan we will help to support businesses and people with the immediate price crisis, as well…

E+T Magazine in Engineering with a Disability
California penguin receives life-saving prosthetic shoes

The prosthetics - made of neoprene and rubber - have allowed the four-year-old penguin to get back on his feet, and ease some of the worst symptoms of his degenerative disease. Lucas was diagnosed with a condition known as bumblefoot, which causes painful lesions on the feet and can lead to sepsis, infection and death if left untreated. The condition was a result of a spinal infection he suffered as a young chick, which left him without the ability to stand properly. Unfortunately, Lucas's condition is permanent. For this reason, officials at the San Diego Zoo, where he resides, developed the "boots" to help him walk better and minimise the pressure on his feet when he moves. The shoes were created in partnership with the animal prosthesis organisation Thera-Paw , which makes artificial…

E+T Magazine in Biotechnology
MPs demand action as data calls into question water company self-monitoring

Data obtained by E&T through freedom of information rules has found that on average, from 2017 to 2020, of the almost 300,000 samples taken by water companies at wastewater treatment plants, just 228 water quality breaches were reported. This amounts to a failure rate of 0.08 per cent. In comparison, EA monitoring of just over 45,000 private sewage discharges found a total of 3740 breaches, equating to a failure rate of 8.3 per cent. The EA said the failure rate of private discharges, for instance at pubs, hotels and nursing homes, is higher as a percentage than for water companies because wastewater treatment is not their primary business. But chair of the EAC, Philip Dunne, told E&T it was clear based on current evidence, that “existing practices do not allow for the full picture of…

E+T Magazine in Air Pollution
Work begins on new Silvertown Tunnel crossing under River Thames

Transport for London (TfL) announced that a tunnel boring machine (TBM) has been launched at Royal Docks to excavate the 1.4km (0.9-mile) Silvertown Tunnel under the River Thames. Once it has completed the first tunnel by reaching the Greenwich peninsula, the TBM will be turned around and directed back to Royal Docks to create the second tunnel. Climate protesters have expressed concern about the new crossing’s impact on traffic and air pollution. Silvertown Tunnel is expected to open in 2025 and will be used by cars, vans, lorries and buses. TfL said that the new tunnel will reduce congestion at Blackwall Tunnel. Charges will be introduced for using both tunnels once Silvertown Tunnel opens. The level of charges, and the varying toll fees according to vehicle size, have not yet been…

E+T Magazine in Road transport systems
Wind and solar farms have ‘overwhelming’ public support, poll suggests

More than 77 per cent of Britons back renewable technologies to tackle the rise in energy costs, according to a poll of 6,114 residents across all British constituencies commissioned by RenewableUK and published today [Wednesday 7 September] by Survation. The survey also reveals high levels of support for renewables across the board, with 76 per cent of all those polled supporting offshore wind, 81 per cent backing solar and 74 per cent in favour of onshore wind – and even higher backing from Tory voters for all three technologies. Among those surveyed, 82 per cent said they plan to vote Conservative in the next general election, despite opposition to solar farms from the new Prime Minister Liz Truss, and 84 confirmed they had done so in 2019. “These findings are a wake-up call to every…

E+T Magazine in Renewable Energy
View from India: Optimise gender diversity and gender parity for better business

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), in compliance with the Companies Act 2013, made it compulsory to have at least one woman on a board from October 2014. While most of the top 1,000 listed companies have complied with SEBI’s directive, boards still have a long way to go before they become part of more inclusive and impactful decision-making processes. Women form a substantial part of the workforce. “The world is changing in almost all dimensions. Companies could focus on gender diversity and gender parity for better outcomes. Women constitute around 50 per cent of the geography and having them on corporate boards is natural and much required. They could be catalysts for change,” said Dr SK Gupta, former MD and CEO, Insolvency Professional agency of ICMAI and MD…

E+T Magazine in Professional Aspects
Scotland’s space sector aims to become the greenest on Earth

The new sustainable space roadmap is the first of its kind in the world, and sees Scotland’s space sector declare its commitment to reducing its impact on the environment. The roadmap sets out the steps needed to achieve the long-term goals of Scottish space missions, which are to be space-debris-neutral, to have zero emissions created from on-the-ground activities, and for Scotland to gain global recognition as a leader in sustainable space. National and international expert interviews, in-depth study into other sustainability initiatives and consultation with the space industry informed the roadmap contents, which address areas such as the environmental impacts of building, fuelling and launching satellites, as well as the importance of promoting satellite data for environmental monitoring…

E+T Magazine in Space
Scientists develop rechargeable cyborg cockroaches

The RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR) researchers have equipped the robotic insects with a tiny wireless control module that is powered by a rechargeable battery attached to a solar cell, allowing the cockroaches to roam freely for long periods of time. Wireless control of the leg segments has been one of the key challenges scientists have faced when developing cyborg insects. Moreover, in order for the devices to be used for monitoring purposes, it was fundamental that their batteries were long-lasting, to ensure that the cockroaches would be under control at all times. The scientists at RIKEN overcame this challenge by fitting their cyborg insect with an ultrathin 0.004mm-thick organic solar cell module, which was mounted on the dorsal side of the insect's abdomen. “The body…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Europe's largest nuclear plant goes offline as the bloc prepares for an energy shortage

Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear plant has been knocked off Ukraine’s electricity grid after a fire caused by Russian shelling brought down its last transmission line, the facility’s operator said. The news comes as the European Union prepares for a harsh winter marked by high energy prices as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The developments came a day before UN inspectors were due to report on their efforts to avert a potential disaster at the Ukrainian site. In a perilous mission, experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency travelled through the war zone to reach the plant last week. By the time the plant went offline, four of six UN nuclear agency inspectors had completed their work and left the site, according to Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear power plant…

E+T Magazine in Nuclear Power
China still leading the world in EV market readiness, report reveals

According to EY's 'Electric Vehicle Country Readiness Index', China takes the top spot, just ahead of Norway, as its tight control of production and an infrastructure boom keep the Communist nation at the top. EY's Index looks at the preparedness of the top 14 vehicle markets for the arrival of EVs based on supply, demand and regulation. Norway, a new entrant to the index, is a close second to China due to huge uptake in demand and strong regulations. Sweden, Germany and the UK round out the top five positions respectively. The US remains in seventh position, despite recent regulatory action to encourage greater take-up of EVs. The UK is ranked in fifth place in terms of global EV readiness by the report, with consumer demand continuing to grow and consumers apparently willing to pay an…

E+T Magazine in Power Conversion
View from Brussels: Wildfires show need for collective response

Firefighters are now used to busy summers across Europe, as drier, longer sunshine months increase the likelihood of fires. It has even prompted the EU to create a dedicated crisis management scheme to help coordinate efforts on the ground and funding. But the programme is not enough to respond to every request for assistance. The EU’s head of crisis management, Slovenia’s Janez Lenarčić, admitted at an emergency meeting this week that some governments had not asked for help because they knew none was available. “At European level we have reached our capacity limit. Some overwhelming fires in some member states did in fact not lead to a request for assistance. The states in need knew that no capacities would have been available,” he told ministers from across Europe. It has prompted a…

E+T Magazine
X-rays, AI and 3D printing bring lost Van Gogh artwork to life

The researchers have dubbed the recovered artwork as ‘The Two Wrestlers’, which depicts two shirtless athletes grappling in front of an abstract background. The Dutch painter reused the canvas for an unrelated painting depicting flowers. It’s the latest in a series of recreations by PhD researchers Anthony Bourached (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) and George Cann (UCL Space and Climate Physics). Working with artist Jesper Eriksson, the UCL duo’s NeoMasters project brings lost works of art to life and has been a series the team has been working on since 2019. The team is using a newly developed process that uses X-ray imaging to see through every layer of paint, artificial intelligence (AI) to extrapolate the style used by the artist, and 3D printing to produce the final piece…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
HS2 Birmingham Interchange station will create 1,000 jobs, mayor says

After years of planning, disagreement and reviews, construction work preparing the land for the Birmingham Interchange High Speed 2 (HS2) station has already begun. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has described the station as “transformational for the Midlands economy”, adding that “opportunities for people and businesses in the region are being created right now, years before the station is open”. The station will be situated across the motorway from the NEC exhibition halls, providing direct transport links to the existing Birmingham International station and airport. The hub is expected to open in 2026. Artist's impression of the urban realm at Interchange / HS2 Image credit: HSA HS2 will connect London to Manchester and Leeds via Birmingham, with a Y-shaped…

E+T Magazine in Railways
New Climate Party vows to ‘take on’ Truss at the next election

The Climate Party was launched on the same day that it was announced that Liz Truss had won the Conservative leadership contest. Speaking at the launch of his new party, Ed Gemmell said: “We’re throwing the gauntlet down to Liz Truss on real leadership. Forget trying to appeal to people with a short-term political expediency of just the next election. We want to see climate leadership. “We will take on you and all your candidates that are in marginal seats; we will be there biting at the heels of all those candidates who are taking away the votes of centre-right climate-conscious voters. And we are going to take on the Net Zero Scrutiny Group.” The government currently has a target of net zero emissions by 2050, whereas the pro-business Climate Party backs a 2030 decarbonisation target…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change
Mobile app detects Covid-19 from the sound of someone's voice

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to detect Covid-19 infection in people’s voices by means of a mobile phone app, according to research to be presented on Monday at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Barcelona, Spain. One of the main symptoms of Covid-19 is inflammation in the upper respiratory tract and vocal cords, which usually leads to changes in the patient's voice. Therefore, University of Maastricht scientists decided to investigate whether these symptoms could be used as an accurate method for diagnosing the disease, particularly in low-income countries where PCR tests are expensive or difficult to distribute. With an 89 per cent accuracy rate, the AI model was able to make Covid-19 diagnostics more accurately than rapid antigen tests, according…

E+T Magazine in Biotechnology

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