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Global offshore wind power installations surge by 21% over the past year

Global installations of offshore wind turbines increased by a massive 21% over the past 12 months, from 61.5GW to 75GW, a report has found. According to RenewableUK, China and the UK have retained their top positions in offshore turbine building at 36.7GW and 14.7GW operational capacity respectively. Germany is third with 8.3GW, the Netherlands fourth with 3.7GW and Denmark fifth with 2.7GW. The symbolic threshold of 75GW is roughly equivalent to the energy requirements of the entirety of the UK in 2020 and the new capacity added over the past year generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 14 million UK homes. The global pipeline of projects at all stages of development (operational, under construction, consented, in planning or at an early stage of development…

E+T Magazine in Renewable Energy
US plans to invest $900m to ramp up deployment of small modular reactors

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced it will fund up to $900m to support the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs). In a statement by the DOE, the development of SMRs will help the US increase its nuclear energy capabilities, drive clean energy goals and create skilled job opportunities. The advantages of SMRs over nuclear power reactors lie predominantly in the fact that they are a fraction of the size of a conventional nuclear power reactor and are modular. These features alone help lower overall project costs compared to large nuclear power plants. SMRs can more easily be built in factories as prefabricated units, then shipped and installed in a variety of settings not suitable for larger nuclear power plants. Another advantage is that SMRs have the ability to meet…

E+T Magazine in Nuclear Power
Connected health surge in biopharma and medtech, new report finds

The biotechnology and pharmaceutical (biopharma) industry expects a fifth of its annual revenue to come from connected health services/products in the next five years, according to a new Capgemini report. The connected healthcare market is growing exponentially. The Covid-19 pandemic, and being prevented from seeing healthcare providers (HCPs) face-to-face, spurred on the integration of digital technology into healthcare. From mobile apps and smart medication adherence monitors to the integration of generative AI technologies, the adoption of connected health continues to accelerate post-pandemic. According to Market.US, a market research and analysis company, the global connected health market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 25%, reaching $520.6bn by 2032 from…

E+T Magazine in Telemedicine
Comment: Election insecurity – why our government can’t protect us from cyberwarfare

David Critchley, regional director of UK & Ireland at Armis, draws insights from new research to showcase the risk cyberwarfare poses to democracy, as well as society, in a crucial election year. 2024 will see half of the global population head to the polls. This includes elections in the US, Europe, Africa, India and, of course, the UK. While this should be a cause for celebration, the threat of cyberwarfare is now jeopardising democracy. The digital realm has erupted into an invisible war, where the UK is under constant attack. Yet, in this kind of warfare, everyone is on the front line: every company, every person. There are no borders. That’s what makes this such an effective form of warfare. It’s not simply about data breaches or financial gains either. These attacks are a calculated…

E+T Magazine
UK electricity prices could dip 20% by 2028

Reduced demand for gas coupled with high levels of gas storage across Europe should see baseload electricity prices in the UK drop by around 20% over the next four years, energy experts have said. According to Aurora Energy Research’s latest forecast, carbon prices are also predicted to fall – further lowering prices to an estimated £19/MWh by 2028. As long as the falls are reflected in domestic energy bills, the lower prices should come as some relief to households that have been battered by record-high energy prices since the Ukraine war began in 2022. However, Aurora does not foresee further falls beyond that date due to delays at Hinkley Point C, Britain’s next nuclear power plant. While originally planned to be brought online as early as 2017, it is now not expected until 2029 at…

E+T Magazine in Fossil Fuels
Alstom signs £370m deal for 10 Elizabeth line trains that will secure future of Derby plant

Alstom, a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer, has signed a contract worth around £370m for 10 new nine-car Aventra trains for Transport for London’s Elizabeth line, along with maintenance until 2046. The Elizabeth line is the fastest-growing railway in the UK. The route passes through 41 stations, stretching over 60 miles, from Reading and Heathrow airport in the west through central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. According to Transport for London (TfL), the Elizabeth line has seen more than 350 million journeys since it opened two years ago in May 2022. On average, there are around 700,000 passenger journeys on the line every weekday, with the busiest day recorded on 18 April 2024 when there were 787,000 journeys across the line. With passenger demand predicted…

E+T Magazine in Railways
Rio Tinto’s lithium mine project in Serbia poised to get green light

Europe’s electric vehicle (EV) industry could be given a boost if the Rio Tinto lithium mine in Serbia gets the green light, two years after the project was called off. To increase the production of EVs there needs to be a ramp-up in the minerals used to produce them. Lithium is crucial as this light yet energy-dense metal is a key component of the batteries that will power these vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries have resulted in a huge spike in demand for lithium over recent years. However, there has been speculation as to whether there will be sufficient resources to meet demand. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has forecast that the supply of lithium by 2030 will reach 420,000 metric tons, not quite reaching the forecast demand, which is estimated at 443,000 metric tons. However…

E+T Magazine
Northrop Grumman’s Manta Ray drone completes testing as it is seen gliding in the ocean

Northrop Grumman, the multinational aerospace and defense technology company, has for the past four years been developing a massive uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) called Manta Ray for the US military. In 2020, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a military research and development agency, released a request for proposals on a new class of UUV that is capable of performing long-duration, long-range and payload-capable undersea missions without human supervision. Northrop Grumman answered the call with a type of UUV called an extra-large glider, which features a propulsion mechanism that includes an hydrodynamic hull and a buoyancy system that enables the craft to glide forward using minimal power to undertake long missions. Taking its name from the massive ‘winged…

E+T Magazine in Defence Industry
Report warns that UK is heading towards its ‘first deepfake election’

With voters heading to the polls in just a matter of weeks, a Centre for Policy Studies report warns that with deepfake content already spreading rapidly, this could become the UK’s first deepfake election. You may have come across some suspicious videos on social media platforms recently. Perhaps you have seen a satirical TikTok video showing Rishi Sunak saying that he could not care less “about energy bills being over £3,000”? Or maybe a video of the shadow health secretary Wes Streeting calling his Labour colleague Diane Abbott a “silly woman” on Politics Live? A report from the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) called Facing Fakes warns that given the current general election campaign, we should be particularly wary of deepfakes aimed at spreading election misinformation and disinformation…

E+T Magazine
Labour Manifesto: party plans energy, rail and infrastructure shake-up

The Labour Party has finally unveiled its manifesto for the next general election, making pledges to introduce measures designed to improve the UK’s energy and transport infrastructure while bolstering industry. Energy Labour has reaffirmed its commitment to create a new publicly-owned energy firm called Great British Energy that will aim to boost domestic electricity production through investments in low-carbon sources such as renewables and nuclear. As part of the plans, it will work with the private sector to “double onshore wind, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind by 2030”. It will also boost investment in carbon capture and storage, plus hydrogen and marine energy, and will ramp up long-term energy storage. The UK’s current plan, as announced under the Tories, is to fully…

E+T Magazine in Ethical Aspects
Swimming microrobots deliver cancer-fighting drugs directly to metastatic lung tumours

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed microscopic robots, known as microrobots, that swim through the lungs to deliver cancer-fighting medication directly to metastatic tumours. The lungs are the most prominent organ for cancer metastasis. This is cancer that has developed in other areas of the body, or other parts of the lungs, and then spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to the lungs. Currently there is no specific treatment tailored for advanced metastatic tumours in the lungs. Chemotherapy is a common approach; however, its effectiveness has proven suboptimal due to poor lung accumulation and targeting issues. The microrobots deliver drug-loaded nanoparticles to the tumours to inhibit the progression of lung metastasis. To create the microrobots…

E+T Magazine in Robotics
Designing Hyper Energy Efficient Facilities

This webinar will mainly focus on some key regulations and standards for: Last update of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD 2024), published in the Official Journal of Europe on May 8, 2024Deploying and prescribing building automation, controls and building management standards as key contribution for the Energy performance of buildings (ISO 52120-1, IEC 63044 Serie,etc.)Prescribing the measures required for energy-efficient and prosumer electrical installation in buildings (IEC 60364-8 Serie)Being prepared for Buildings Electrical Flexibility (EN 50491-12 serie, IEC 63402 serie, example of GOFLEX indicator-France)Designing and measuring Energy data collection for buildings in conjunction with ISO 50001 (EN 17267, IEC 62974-1, IEC 61557-12)This Webinar offers a guide to these…

E+T Magazine
Thermal Health Monitoring for the Built Environment: Accelerating Product Development with COMSOL Simulations

This webinar will explore how lean technical teams can leverage simulation to reduce the cost and increase the speed of product development cycles in the advanced materials sector. In developing next-generation printed electronic sensors for thermal health monitoring, Vector Homes has invested in digital tooling to accelerate development. Digital twins are used to verify printed sensor performance and guide future design iterations. Collaborations with the Energy House 2.0 allow for characterising in situ real-world performance in a state-of-the-art environmental chamber. Vector Homes is working to accelerate and decarbonise affordable house-building in the U.K. It is collaborating with housing associations, contractors and developers to reduce the cost, carbon footprint, and complexity…

E+T Magazine
Scientists urge drastic cuts to nitrous oxide emissions to prevent rampant global warming

Emissions of potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N20), which have been rising steadily since 1980, could have “dire consequences for the planet”, researchers from the Global Carbon Project (GCP) have said. It’s estimated that agricultural production accounted for around 74% of human-driven N2O emissions in the 2010s – a gas thought to have 300 times more global-warming effect than carbon dioxide. In a report – Global nitrous oxide budget (1980-2020) – researchers attribute its production primarily to the use of chemical fertilisers and animal waste on croplands. It is also produced from stationary combustion sources, predominantly from the burning of coal at electric power plants. At a time when greenhouse gas emissions must decline to reduce global warming, in 2020 and 2021 nitrous…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
New report calls for urgent action as shipping industry falls behind climate goals by 17%

A report from the Sea Cargo Charter reveals that the shipping industry fell behind minimum international climate goals by 17% on average in 2023 – a shortfall of 165 million metric tonnes of CO2e. Shipping accounts for 3% of global CO2 emissions. Currently, dry bulk, general cargo and tankers account for around 400 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. With global trade predicted to quadruple by 2050, there is an urgent need for the industry to reduce emissions. The UN maritime agency, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), sets climate goals for the maritime industry. In July 2023, the IMO revised its greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy, setting a new ambition to reach net zero GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050. The Sea Cargo Charter (SCC), a global transparency initiative…

E+T Magazine in Renewable Energy
EU study finds pricing carbon emissions does not result in economic losses for regulated firms

A EU study examining the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) policy found that pricing carbon emissions does not have a negative economic impact for those manufacturing firms regulated under the policy. A study by Imperial College Business School, in collaboration with the University of Virginia and University of Mannheim, examined whether the ETS, which came into force in 2005, has resulted in a decline in economic activity for those manufacturers that have been regulated under the policy. The ETS is a ‘cap and trade’ policy that establishes a price for the right to emit CO2. This is achieved by imposing a cap on the total emissions from more than 12,000 power and manufacturing plants in 31 countries across Europe. The cap covers 40% of the EU’s emissions. The researchers found the manufacturing…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change
Yara officially opens Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant in Norway

Norwegian chemical company Yara International has opened the largest green hydrogen and green ammonia production facility in Europe at Herøya Industrial Park, Norway. During an inauguration event, the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, officially opened Yara’s 24MW renewable hydrogen plant at Herøya Industrial Park. Hydrogen at the plant is produced with electrolysis of water and renewable energy, replacing natural gas as feedstock. This shift is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 41,000 tonnes annually from the site. Since it was founded in 1905, Yara has established itself as a global crop nutrition company, producing, distributing and selling nitrogen-based mineral fertilisers and related industrial products. Its ambition now is to drive the green transition…

E+T Magazine in Renewable Energy
Evil Engineer: The Bioship of my dreams

This month, the Evil Engineer brings a villain reaching for space with an unconventional ship back down to Earth. Dear Evil Engineer, You might recognise my name. I am indeed that biotech entrepreneur, who – after making Evil + Treachery magazine’s 30 Under 30 list in 2018, then the cover two years later when my start-up reached unicorn status – was exposed by a newspaper investigation and companion documentary series. Since then, I’ve been charged with a list of crimes that would make an FTX founder blush. My lawyer has advised me that I am certain to be condemned to decades in prison. So, I’m going to forfeit my bail and escape somewhere with no extradition treaty: space. I plan to drift through space for the rest of my life, an astronomical nomad. For this, I’ll need a spaceship…

E+T Magazine in Space
Brompton’s new folding bike features wheel rims made from 100% post-consumer aluminium scrap

On its mission to manufacture a completely net zero bike by 2050, London-based folding bike company Brompton has partnered with Hydro, a German aluminium and renewable energy company, to create an aluminium wheel rim made with 100% recycled, post-consumer aluminium scrap. Founded in 1975, Brompton still makes every one of its folding bikes by hand in its London and Sheffield factories. Featuring a three-part fold, a Brompton is able to transform into a small locked package in under 20 seconds. Having become a certified B Corp recently and with the aim of producing net zero bikes by 2050, Brompton is now looking to its supply chain and the environmental footprint of the materials used during manufacturing. According to a study by the European Cyclists’ Federation, the materials used to…

E+T Magazine in Recycling
Nokia CEO makes world’s first ‘immersive’ phone call over a cellular network

Nokia has made the first cellular call using the new 3GPP Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS) codec, which enables users to hear 3D spatial sound in a fully immersive real-time experience. Currently, calls via smartphones over a cellular network are monophonic: the audio is compressed into a single channel rendering the sounds flatter and less detailed. However, Nokia has been working to change that with IVAS, a new voice and audio codec standardised by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), which brings together standards organisations to develop mobile protocols. IVAS technology, which is part of the upcoming 5G Advanced standard, enables high-quality, live immersive audio across any connected device, including smartphones, tablets and PCs. The technology enables a three…

E+T Magazine in Telecommunications
Extreme weather causes $41bn in damages and 2,500 deaths in just six months

Extreme weather has been responsible for an estimated $41bn in damages and 2,500 deaths in just the six months since COP28, Christian Aid has said. The charity pinpointed four extreme weather events in that time that were all scientifically shown to have been made more likely or more intense by climate change. These included: – Flooding in south and south-west Asia, which killed at least 214 people and resulted in $850m in insured damages in the UAE alone. – Simultaneous heat waves in west, south and south-east Asia that killed over 1,500 people in Myanmar, despite the fact that heat deaths are “notoriously under-reported”. The heatwave is expected to slow growth and increase inflation. – Finally, cyclones in east Africa, which caused flooding that killed 559 people, and was made about…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change
Genetics testing company 23andMe to be probed over a data breach that affected 7 million users

Data protection watchdogs in Canada and the UK have announced a joint investigation into a data breach at genetics testing company 23andMe that affected seven million customers in 2023. Since 2006, San Francisco-based genetic testing company 23andMe has sold over 12 million DNA testing kits. It analyses customers’ saliva to provide insights into health and ancestry. In October 2023, 23andMe reported a security breach in which hackers gained access to the personal information of millions of customers by using old passwords. In some cases, the information accessed included family trees, birth years and geographic locations. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) will examine the scope of information that was exposed…

E+T Magazine in Computing
Apple to integrate AI into MacOS, iOS and Siri later this year

Apple has announced plans to integrate AI, including ChatGPT, into its mobile and desktop operating systems, as well as its Siri personal assistant. Dubbed ‘Apple Intelligence’, the plan will see its devices gain new abilities, such as being able to understand and create language and images, take action across apps and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. The new features could be particularly useful in educational settings, where they will allow users to tidy up notes taken during meetings or seminars. A ‘Rewrite’ tool can alter text for use in specific situations, such as a presentation or a meeting. Apple has long positioned itself as an advocate for privacy online, but maximising the utility of AI as a personal assistant relies on understanding personal…

E+T Magazine in Computing
The EU’s initiative to create a highly accurate digital twin of Earth goes live

The European Commission has activated the Destination Earth (DestinE) digital twin system from the LUMI Supercomputer Center in Kajaani, Finland. Launched in 2022, DestinE is a flagship initiative of the European Commission that aims to develop a highly accurate digital twin of the Earth. The model will monitor, simulate and predict the interaction between natural phenomena and human activities. The aim is that with this data we will be better prepared to respond to major natural disasters, adapt to climate change and assess the potential socioeconomic and policy impacts of such events. “The launch of the initial Destination Earth is a true game changer in our fight against climate change,” said Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age. “DestinE…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change

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