• Ofgem needs more powers to save businesses amid energy crisis, BCC says

    In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and both leadership candidates for the Conservative party, the body called for extra support for both businesses and households as the UK sits on the brink of a recession. BCC research has shown that over the last 18 months, businesses have faced “unprecedented inflationary pressures”, with two thirds of firms in Q2 2022 expecting further price rises. Energy bills, raw materials, and labour costs are all cited as the top drivers of price rises. The study also found a reduction in the percentage of firms expecting to grow in the next twelve months, from 63 per cent in Q1 to 54 per cent in Q2. In January, some 23 per cent of businesses surveyed were looking to scale down or even consider closure in response to rising…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Sponsored: How to choose the right IT rack to support digital transformation efforts

    IDC forecasts that direct digital transformation (DX) investment growth between 2022-2024 will hit $6.3 trillion – equating to 55% of all ICT investment by the end of 2024. Data centres are the very heart of the digital economy and their infrastructure, especially within micro data centres and edge computing environments, is often the basis of digital transformation efforts. However, these efforts differ from one business to the next and the mission-critical architecture that underpins these transformative projects can be the very difference between success and failure. Often overlooked as one of the most basic IT requirements, rack systems provide foundational infrastructure on which this scalable architecture is built. In fact, rack systems provide the building blocks of many businesses…

  • Japan considers developing new nuclear reactors in major policy shift

    Eleven years after the triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Japan is considering a sharp U-turn on its nuclear strategy.  In a surprise statement, Kishida revealed he had directed a government panel to look into how “next-generation nuclear reactors equipped with new safety mechanisms” could be used to help Japan achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The panel's conclusions are expected to be published at the end of the year.  The plan is effectively a total reversal of the nuclear safety measures the country imposed after a powerful  tsunami destroyed Fukushima Daiichi’s backup electricity supply, causing three of its six reactors to suffer meltdowns . In order to prevent a similar disaster from repeating itself, Japanese authorities shut all existing…

  • PPE could be recycled to make stronger concrete

    The team of engineers, from RMIT's School of Engineering, is investigating the feasibility of recycling three key types of PPE - isolation gowns, face masks and rubber gloves - into concrete. Published in the journals 'Case Studies in Construction Materials', 'Science of the Total Environment' and 'Journal of Cleaner Production', the three studies demonstrate the potential for PPE to be used as reinforcement materials in structural concrete. The studies found shredded PPE could increase the strength of concrete by up to 22 per cent and improve resistance to cracking. Industry partner Casafico Pty Ltd is now planning to use the research findings in a field project. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, an estimated 54,000 tonnes of PPE waste has been produced on average globally each…

  • Rise in UK vehicle production suggests global chip shortage could be easing

    According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), production was up 8.6 per cent to 58,043 units compared to the same time last year. In 2021, the UK car industry saw the worst output for the month of July since 1956 as the sector struggled with ongoing staff shortages associated with the ‘pingdemic’ alongside strained supplies of semiconductors. The chip shortage forced Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen, General Motors, Nissan, Daimler, BMW, Renault and Toyota to shut factories, scale back production or exclude high-end features such as integrated satellite navigation systems, which rely on sophisticated semiconductor technology. US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo recently warned that the global semiconductor crisis is expected to last through 2023 and perhaps longer…

  • View from India: New fuel efficiency rules help in drive towards greener transport

    The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued an official statement to the media that prior to this notification, compliance with annual fuel consumption standard was applicable to vehicles of M1 category (motor vehicle used for carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats, in addition to the driver's seat) with gross vehicle weight (GVW) up to 3.5 tonnes. With the amendment, the intent is to expand the ambit of vehicles for compliance with FCS, and therefore introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles. In one move towards green transport, the Bharat Stage (BS) VI standards on emissions have have applied to new motor vehicles since 2020. This could take care of vehicular toxic emissions. And now, fuel efficiency is another dimension that could be addressed. Ah…

  • Book review: ‘Tomorrow’s Parties: Life in the Anthropocene’

    ‘Tomorrow’s Parties: Life in the Anthropocene’ (The MIT Press, £15.99, ISBN: 9780262544436) is the latest in the 'Twelve Tomorrows' series, an annual anthology of sci-fi short stories published in partnership with MIT Technology Review that explores the application and impact of emerging technologies in our future. This instalment has a noble aim: to use fiction to examine visions of life in a world reshaped by climate change and other forces, while avoiding hopepunk or ‘material for doomscrolling’. Instead, it takes the welcome approach of ‘rational optimism’. Editor Jonathan Strahan has brought together high-calibre contributors. The writers (who span many continents) include Hugo Award winners, plus a Philip K. Dick Award winner, and the collection opens with an interview with science…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Germany inaugurates world's first all-hydrogen rail line

    Germany's inauguration of a railway line powered entirely by hydrogen has been hailed as a “world premiere” and a significant step forward for green train transport. The fleet, which cost £93m (£78m), is expected to prevent 4,400 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere each year, according to regional rail operator LNVG.  The trains were provided by French industrial giant Alstom and are described as a "zero emission" mode of transport. Each of the trains has been fitted with a fuel cell, installed on its roof, which allows them to mix hydrogen on board with oxygen present in the ambient air, producing the electricity needed to pull the train. Other partners in the project are the Elbe-Weser railways and transport company (evb) and the gas and engineering company Linde,…

  • England will receive 1,000 new EV chargepoints with £20m scheme

    The UK is badly in need of improved infrastructure for EVs. A study from last year found that installations needs to be ramped up by five times the current rate if the plan to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 is to be achieved. https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2021/02/five-fold-increase-in-ev-charging-point-installations-needed-by-2030-expers-say/ Freedom of Information requests sent to local UK councils found that 52 per cent spent nothing on chargepoints in 2021 despite booming EV sales. The DfT’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme will see local authorities and industry working together to create new, commercial EV charging infrastructure for residents, from faster on-street chargepoints to larger petrol station-style charging hubs. It is the first tranche…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UK and Ukraine negotiate ‘landmark’ digital trade deal

    The UK and Ukraine have kicked off talks on a digital trade agreement, aimed at providing support for “Ukrainian jobs, livelihoods, and families” following Russia’s invasion. The digital trade agreement is expected to support Ukrainian businesses by cutting red tape and helping them to trade with the UK more efficiently, as well as  make it easier for UK companies to work with Ukrainian businesses and support their economic recovery. The announcement was made today (Wednesday August 24) - a symbolic date that acknowledges both the 21st anniversary of Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union, as well as marking six months since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on February 24 2022.  The negotiations began yesterday (Tuesday), when international trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Nasa develops laser designed to detect water on the Moon

    Previous experiments have confirmed the existence of small amounts of water across the Moon, although most technologies cannot distinguish between water, free hydrogen ions and hydroxyl. An instrument known as a heterodyne spectrometer could zoom in on particular frequencies to definitively identify and locate water sources on the Moon. It requires a stable, high-powered, terahertz laser - which is also small enough to take on space missions - and this has now been prototyped by Nasa. “This laser allows us to open a new window to study this frequency spectrum,” said Dr Berhanu Bulcha, an engineer at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “Other missions found hydration on the Moon, but that could indicate hydroxyl or water. If it’s water, where did it come from? Is it indigenous to the formation…

  • Sponsored: Scale deployment of sustainable, resilient data centres at the network edge

    Deploying distributed network edge data centres at scale has unique challenges related to power and cooling, remote management, environmental impact and cybersecurity, due to a wide variety of locations and environments. Data centre owners and operators must elevate sustainability from a concern, to a core value to minimise energy use, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, and waste. These data centres must also be designed to meet resiliency and performance targets. This white paper looks at best practices to deploy sustainable and resilient data centres at scale at the network edge. Key Learning Points: What is the network edge? How the telco cloud and IT cloud architectures will converge into a single and complementary architecture. Different distributed local edge data centres that…

  • Chinese province plans ban on sale of petrol and diesel cars

    China is the world's leading market for electric vehicles, accounting for approximately 46 per cent of the global fleet, according to data from June this year, when 10 million highway-legal plug-in passenger cars were on Chinese roads. The ruling Communist Party is promoting electric cars to help clean up China’s smog-choked cities and gain an early lead in a growing industry. The Hainan provincial government declared that sales of fossil fuel-powered cars will be banned on the island by 2030 and that electric vehicles will be promoted with tax breaks and by expanding the charging network, as described in its 'Carbon Peak Implementation Plan'. “By 2030, the whole province will ban sales of fuelled vehicles,” according to the plan, which goes on to state that Hainan aims to have electric…

  • UK businesses to delay net zero transition as energy bills soar

    In a survey of businesses, 69 per cent said they expected their energy costs to increase in the next three months, with almost a third anticipating rises of more than 30 per cent. Firms are doing their best to absorb higher bills, with around a third saying they do not expect to pass on additional energy costs to consumers. But 30 per cent said that energy prices would be likely to negatively impact their current or planned investment in net zero measures. The CBI also warned that energy-intensive industries are already feeling the pinch and further energy price rises could push many viable businesses to the brink unless urgent action is taken to support them and their supply chains. The body called on the government to “urgently” introduce targeted interventions for the most vulnerable…

  • UK-built satellite to ‘weigh’ Earth's forests

    The European Space Agency’s Biomass satellite, which   is currently being assembled by prime contractor Airbus UK in its Stevenage space facility, will measure the carbon stored in the world’s forests Biomass is the first satellite to carry a fully polarimetric P-band radar. The radar has a 70cm wavelength that will allow it to go through the whole forest layer and map the trunks and branches hidden below, unlike previous missions. This will help scientists better assess the effects of deforestation on climate change more accurately, significantly reducing the uncertainty around current measures. The mission is expected to last five years, scanning the world’s forests every six months. People will be able to track the satellite as it orbits the Earth. Maria Cody, head of ESA policy at…

  • Business needs should drive choice of building information software

    A building information modelling (BIM) approach brings a multitude of different benefits to the built environment, from enhanced team communication to improved efficiency. However, to fully realise the potential of BIM, choosing the right software is essential. There’s much debate about what qualifies as true BIM software, and organisations are likely to find conflicting information when searching online. The reality is that BIM software in the literal sense does not exist. BIM can leverage any software, but it’s not software in itself. Additionally, there’s no silver bullet out there that gives companies the upper hand or is universally recommended by the BIM community. However, there is a vast range of software available that enables businesses in the built environment to generate, share…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Book review: ‘Volt Rush’ by Henry Sanderson

    Throughout the 20th century, access to oil equalled power. This century, argues Financial Times journalist Henry Sanderson, what will matter is access to the finite raw materials that power our devices and, increasingly, our vehicles and homes. 'Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green’ (OneWorld, £20.00, ISBN 9780861543755) examines this new gold rush. For many, ‘mining’ is evocative of a grimier, poorer, polluting past. However, we are mining more minerals now than at any time in history, and this can only increase as the world phases out fossil fuels and builds new clean energy infrastructure. “Despite talk of artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and an imminent takeover by robots, our societies have in many ways not moved on from the practices of the past…

  • British Airways’ San Francisco flights to use sustainable aviation fuel from 2025

    Renewable fuels company Aemetis has announced a multi-year agreement with International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns BA and Irish carrier Aer Lingus. The agreement follows experimental usage of the fuels by BA last year, which sourced SAF to cover the requirements for all its flights between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh during the COP26 climate conference in October. SAFs are typically derived by combining jet fuel with alternatives such as bio-fuels or recycled oils from industrial food facilities. IAG will purchase a total of 78,400 tonnes of SAF over seven years, enough to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 248,000 tonnes across the same time period. Eric McAfee, chairman and CEO of Aemetis, said: “Sustainable aviation fuel continues to be shown to be a great solution to decarbonise…

  • Autism in young children could be detected early with AI tool

    A team of scientists with expertise in food science and computer science/computer engineering are collaborating to develop a machine learning tool that can assist doctors and parents in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children.  The researchers have looked at biometric data and behavioural responses to strong smells and tastes as a way of detecting indicators of autism. The University of Arkansas' Han-Seok Seo and Khoa Luu have created a deep-learning algorithm that could potentially identify sensory cues from various foods in both neurotypical children and those known to be on the spectrum. The AI then analyses these responses, detecting the cases in which they correlate with behaviours associated with autism.  In addition to difficulties in certain social interactions…

  • Rishi Sunak pledges to make the UK a ‘science superpower’ if made PM

    Rishi Sunak has promised UK scientists a £15bn version of the Horizon Europe research programme, with the UK's associate membership of that EU programme still in limbo due to Brexit.  The former chancellor - believed to be trailing rival Liz Truss in the race to succeed Boris Johnson as leader of the Tory party, and thus become de facto prime minister until at least the next general election - made the announcement ahead of the latest Tory hustings in Birmingham, where he called the West Midlands the “birthplace of the first Industrial Revolution”.  The EU's flagship Horizon programme has been at the centre of Brexit controversies over the past few months, with the UK government recently writing to the European Commission demanding that the bloc ends “persistent delays”   to the approval…

  • James Webb Telescope uncovers the secrets of Jupiter’s atmosphere

    The telescope discovered giant storms raging inside its atmosphere, powerful winds, auroras, and extreme temperature and pressure conditions. “We hadn’t really expected it to be this good, to be honest,” said planetary astronomer Imke de Pater, professor emerita at the University of California, Berkeley. “It’s really remarkable that we can see details on Jupiter together with its rings, tiny satellites, and even galaxies in one image.” The two images come from the observatory’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), which has three specialised infrared filters that showcase details of the planet. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Jupiter ERS Team Since infrared light is invisible to the human eye, the light has been mapped onto the visible spectrum. Generally, the longest…

  • Drying technique helps flat wooden objects morph into 3D shapes

    In nature, plants and some animals can alter their own shapes or textures. Even after the cutting down of trees, the wood can change shape as it dries. It shrinks unevenly and warps because of variations in fibre orientation within the wood. Doron Kam, a graduate student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said despite warping being an obstacle, the research team behind the technique sought to understand this phenomenon and “harness it into a desirable morphing”. Unlike some natural objects, artificial structures can’t typically shape themselves, said Eran Sharon, one of the project’s principal investigators. In recent years, scientists have printed flat sheets that could form themselves into 3D shapes after a stimulus, such as a change in temperature, pH or moisture content. However…

  • 12 companies blamed for 70 per cent of UK’s branded packaging waste

    In a new study, the charity named Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, McDonalds, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Mondelez International, Nestlé, Tesco, Red Bull GmbH, Suntory, Carlsberg Group, Heineken Holding and Mars as the companies most likely to have their name branded on UK litter. Thousands of volunteers have been collecting packaging pollution through the charity's 'Million Mile Clean' over the last year, uncovering over 264 companies fuelling the packaging pollution crisis and filling up rivers and seas. Some 28,727 items were recorded overall, including both branded and unbranded items. Surfers Against Sewage said there had been little change in this year’s so-called 'Dirty Dozen', the charity's annual survey identifying the firms creating the most packaging pollution. It said the finding “makes a mockery…

  • Sponsored: Designing future-proof, energy-efficient green buildings

    This document takes the opportunity to provide information and support with regards to the 2019 update of the IEC 60364-8-1 standard and explain how EcoStruxure TM by Schneider Electric can help with compliance. Section 1 introduces the standard and its scope and describes the methodology to define a building’s energy efficiency class. Section 2 provides details about assessing measures, and proposes solutions, based on EcoStruxure TM digital applications. Key Learning Points: How to assess the rating of all the possible energy efficiency measures. How to improve the rating of energy efficiency measures. How to improve the overall energy efficiency class of buildings. Download free whitepaper

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