• Drax power plant claims £1bn in subsidies despite being UK’s largest carbon emitter

    The Drax power plant in Yorkshire claimed £999m in subsidies from the government in 2025 despite the controversial nature of its claims to be a low-carbon energy generator. The figures, calculated by the Ember think tank, showed that Drax received £728m through the Renewables Obligation (RO), which covers three of the four generating units, and Contracts for Difference (CfD) payments for the remaining units, worth £271m. The 2.6GW facility now uses biomass as its primary fuel following a lengthy conversion process from its roots as a coal-fired power plant. The wood pellets burned by the power plant have an equivalent carbon intensity to coal – which is considered to be the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel – but are burned at higher volumes due to their low energy density, meaning that…

  • Decommissioned oil fields offer new life as hydrogen storage sites

    Depleted oil fields could be used to contain liquid hydrogen as much of the infrastructure already in place can be repurposed, researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have said. Hydrogen is a clean-burning gas that could help to tackle climate change by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels as it can be produced from water using renewable energy. But storing and transporting the gas is typically very expensive and involves a number of technical challenges such as high-pressure gas tanks or cryogenic systems that operate at very cold temperatures. The oil industry is currently in a peak period of decommissioning, with assets installed between the late 1970s and early 1990s reaching the end of their 30-40-year design lives. The decommissioning market is…

  • 10,000 UK manufacturers to see electricity bills cut by up to 25% from 2027

    The UK government has announced it will expand the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) to cover 10,000 electricity-intensive manufacturing businesses from 2027. In June 2025, the government launched BICS to boost UK industry’s competitiveness by reducing high electricity costs. At the time it said that from April 2027, 7,000 businesses in manufacturing sectors such as automotive, aerospace, steel and pharmaceuticals would see their electricity costs reduced by up to 25%. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has now announced that the scheme will be expanded to a further 3,000 eligible businesses. A one-off payment in 2027 will cover support firms would have received if BICS had been in place from April 2026. Reeves said: “Today’s announcement will cut energy bills for over 10,000 manufacturers…

  • Rolls-Royce unveils two-seater electric convertible

    Rolls-Royce has revealed Project Nightingale, the first vehicle in its ultra-exclusive Coachbuild Collection programme. The British luxury car maker will create just 100 Project Nightingale vehicles, a 1920s-inspired electric convertible. They will be hand-built at its headquarters in Goodwood, West Sussex, with deliveries to its invitation-only client base expected to start in 2028. “Some of the most discerning Rolls-Royce clients in the world asked us for our most ambitious work. We responded by bringing three things together that have never coexisted within our brand: the complete design freedom of coachbuilding, our powerful, near-silent all-electric powertrain, and a uniquely potent yet serene expression of open-top motoring – an experience that only this technology makes possible…

  • Portable atomic clock could keep ships on course without GPS

    A portable atomic clock that has been successfully tested at sea could change the future of marine navigation. Highly precise clocks could support future positioning systems that work even when satellite signals are unavailable or disrupted. In telecommunications, they could improve the synchronisation of large networks that transmit enormous volumes of data every second, while scientists have proposed using them in radio astronomy, where extremely accurate timing helps link observations from telescopes around the world. Adelaide University researchers have created a portable optical atomic clock that uses laser-cooled atoms of the element ytterbium to keep time with extreme precision. By cooling the atoms with lasers and measuring a very specific atomic transition, the clock can track…

  • £1.3bn UK fusion strategy sets out path ‘from lab to grid’

    Government-owned firm UK Fusion Energy (UKFE) has unveiled a strategy setting out how the country can move fusion energy from research to commercial deployment. The strategy in particular sets out how the UK will deliver its first-of-a-kind prototype fusion power plant, the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP). The plant is currently under development at a site in north Nottinghamshire and is targeted to be operational by 2040. UKFE, a subsidiary of the government’s UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), is overseeing the design, build and delivery of the plant, bringing together industrial partners, research expertise, and advanced digital and AI capabilities. Lord Vallance of Balham, minister for science, innovation, research and nuclear, said: “The government completely backs…

  • Amazon moves into satellite race with $11.57bn Globalstar acquisition

    Amazon has announced an $11.57bn deal to buy Globalstar as it looks to increase its space presence and compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink. Globalstar operates a satellite constellation in low-Earth orbit for phone service, low-speed data transmission and Earth observation. The firm should enhance Amazon Leo’s satellite broadband services to help it compete with Starlink, which is the current market leader. In particular, Globalstar’s technology would enable Leo to offer direct-to-device (D2D) services that allow smartphones to connect to space-based 4G and 5G networks without any additional hardware. “There are billions of customers out there living, travelling and operating in places beyond the reach of existing networks, and we started Amazon Leo to help bridge that divide,” said Panos…

  • Eccentric Engineer: Building a jet in 143 days

    War demands instant solutions. Kelly Johnson understood that if the US military wanted a jet fighter immediately, the engineering had to come first. Clarence ‘Kelly’ Johnson seemed born to do aeronautical engineering, winning his first aircraft design prize aged just 13. All that could possibly have held him back was his attitude. In a famously collaborative vocation, Johnson was a little, well, brusque. Indeed, he got the nickname Kelly at junior school after breaking the leg of a child who had the temerity to call him ‘Clara’. Yet this rather forthright attitude would prove his making. In particular, he didn’t have much time for onerous management or ‘groupthink’ – as he demonstrated as a student, when he had the confidence to tell his professor that the Lockheed Model 10 Electra airliner…

  • Urban methane emissions surge linked to hidden sources detected from space

    Methane emissions from the world’s largest cities have unexpectedly risen 6% since 2019, according to satellite data, suggesting that some sources are unaccounted for. The study, led by University of Michigan researchers, found that urban emissions of methane are rising faster than ‘bottom-up’ accounting estimates anticipated. The discrepancy was found with satellite measurements of methane over 92 major cities around the world. For 72 of the cities, there was sufficient data to track changes in methane emissions between 2019 and 2023. Overall, global urban methane emissions in 2023 were 6% higher than 2019 levels and 10% higher than 2020 levels, although they tended to decrease in European cities. In contrast, accounting methods that tally emission estimates of individual methane sources…

  • Leafy vegetables could ‘mine’ toxic yet valuable metals from soil

    Leafy green vegetables could be used to extract toxic metals from contaminated soil for use in electronics and medical technologies, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have used advanced scanning techniques to show how kale accumulates trace amounts of the heavy metal thallium from polluted soil. Brassicaceae – which include kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts – are hyperaccumulators of thallium. They extract the metals through their roots and shoots, accumulating it in a crystallised form in their leaves and stems. Thallium is a highly toxic heavy metal fatal to humans and animals. Before the 1970s it was commonly used in rat poisons and insecticides, but has since been recognised as a major environmental pollutant. Despite its high toxicity…

  • Evil Engineer: Just how big a boat can I build?

    This month, the Evil Engineer offers practical tips to a villain in search of a bigger boat – a much bigger boat. Dear Evil Engineer,Despite having been in the villainy industry for less than 10 years, I have already been forced to move my business between countries eight times. Wherever I go, I’m made to feel unwelcome as a villain. So many communities preach tolerance, then clutch their pearls when I have a rival CEO and his family fed to my pet orca. I’m sick of being forced to accept the constraints placed upon me by society – so I’m going to found my own country. Having considered all the possibilities, I am most intrigued by the idea of forming a self-governing nation on a ship, ever roaming the lawless seas. Could you advise me how large a ship I could build? Yours,An Oppressed…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Fully electric cruise ship could cut emissions by up to 95%

    German shipbuilder Meyer Werft has unveiled a cruise ship concept that would run entirely on batteries. While still in the concept phase, Meyer Werft says project ‘Vision’ could become a reality by the early 2030s. The vessel is planned to be over 275 metres long, weigh around 82,000 gross tonnage and accommodate 1,856 passengers. The aim behind the project was to demonstrate how cruise ships could reduce CO2 emissions and contribute to decarbonisation. According to the shipbuilder, the design could enable a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of up to 95%. Global shipping is responsible for around 3% of the world’s GHG emissions and, with global trade predicted to quadruple by 2050, these emissions will increase rapidly without urgent action. The shipping sector is considered…

  • UK households will be paid to use more electricity this summer

    Households may be encouraged to maximise their energy consumption this summer by running appliances such as dishwashers or charging their electric cars in order to help balance the grid. As the UK grid is decarbonised, it becomes increasingly reliant on low carbon sources of energy such as wind and solar. This means that at times electricity generation can exceed demand, especially in the summer when solar generation is at its peak and demand for heating is negligible. To ensure a balanced system, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) has said it will update its Demand Flexibility Service in the coming months that will see measures implemented to encourage consumers and businesses to ramp up their energy consumption. It could see energy firms asking their customers to adjust power…

  • AI traffic cameras go live in Sussex to catch dangerous drivers autonomously

    A suite of AI-powered cameras are being deployed in Sussex to detect drivers who are using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt. According to Sussex Police, over the last three years 82 people have been involved in a collision where someone was driving while using a mobile phone, and 214 people have been injured in a collision due to not wearing a seatbelt. The deployment of the cameras follows a successful trial by National Highways in 2024, which saw 458 offences detected across seven days in Sussex. Of these, 330 were for a driver not wearing a seatbelt, 118 were for a driver using a mobile phone and 10 were for both offences combined. The high-definition cameras come with an infrared flash that allows them to capture clear images through windscreens, day or night, and in all weather…

  • BMW iX5 hydrogen model to offer 750km range and five-minute refuelling

    German car maker BMW has revealed that its upcoming hydrogen fuel-cell SUV will achieve a range of up to 750km following a five-minute refuelling. This range is achieved with what BMW refers to as a ‘hydrogen flat storage system’. This comprises seven carbon-fibre reinforced composite chambers housed within a single enclosed metal frame. Instead of individual pressure vessels, these 700-bar high-pressure chambers form an enclosed unit controlled by a central main valve. With a total of 7kg of hydrogen stored across the chambers, it takes less than five minutes to refuel the system from empty. The system will be integrated into the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, the brand’s first hydrogen-powered model. BMW announced last year that the new BMW X5 – a mid-size premium SUV – will have five different…

  • Europe faces flight cancellations as Strait of Hormuz closure triggers jet fuel crisis

    European airports are facing severe shortages of jet fuel in the coming weeks if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened as soon as possible, an industry body has said. ACI Europe, a trade body representing airports around Europe, has written to EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas expressing “increasing concern” about the shortage of the fuel. It warns that large numbers of flights face cancellation within weeks. In the letter, ACI called for “proactive EU monitoring and action” to ensure the aviation sector was getting the fuel it needed, which includes identifying alternative import sources. In recent decades, aviation has become increasingly reliant on the Middle East for its jet fuel supplies due to closures of older refineries in the West and the opening of state-of-the…

  • Rolls-Royce secures deal to deliver UK’s first small modular reactor power plant

    Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) and Rolls‑Royce SMR have signed a contract to deliver the UK’s first three small modular reactors (SMRs) at Wylfa – an island off the coast of North Wales. In June 2025, the UK government confirmed that it had selected Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred bidder to partner with GBE-N on SMR plants, alongside a further £2.5bn in funding. The move forms part of what energy secretary Ed Miliband called the “golden age” of nuclear energy. In November 2025 it was announced that Wylfa would host the UK’s first SMR power plant, subject to final government approval. This approval has now been granted and the contract has been signed. Work to construct the initial three SMR designs on site will now start, which will include ordering critical components from its…

  • World’s first ammonia-powered ships launched in South Korea

    South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has built two ammonia dual-fuel gas carrier vessels. The two ships will now make their way from HHI’s Ulsan shipyard, on the south-east coast of South Korea, to Exmar LPG France, a subsidiary of Belgian shipping company Exmar, following final outfitting. Measuring 190 metres long by 30.4 metres wide, the two 46,000m3 ammonia-powered vessels – named Antwerpen and Arlon – are equipped with three cargo tanks designed to enable the safe transport of liquefied gas cargoes such as ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas. According to HHI, ammonia will be stored in pressurised tanks onboard the vessels at around 8 bar or in refrigerated tanks at -33°C without the need for cryogenic technology. In liquid form, it has about 1.7 times higher…

  • Teardown: Samsung Galaxy XR headset

    Samsung revealed its Galaxy XR headset in October as a startlingly late rebuttal to Apple’s Vision Pro. First released in early 2024, Apple’s mixed reality headset was an attempt to do virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) ‘right’, with a device that pulled out all the stops and spared no expense doing so. While VR never hit anywhere near the heights that the tech sector might have envisaged in the mid-2010s, the Vision Pro was positioned as something that could finally realise the true potential of the technology. At £3,499, it would have to be damn good to convince the unconverted to fully embrace VR. But aside from the price, there were just too many compromises to justify the purchase – a bulky battery pack, excessive weight that could cause neck strain and the uncanny EyeSight…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Tata Group secures £380m UK support for major EV battery plant

    The government has confirmed it will give a £380m grant to Tata Group’s in-construction battery plant ahead of plans to open the facility in late 2027. Batteries from the gigafactory, which will be built by Tata subsidiary Agratas, are expected to supply Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing operations in the UK. JLR has been owned by Tata Motors since a $2.3bn all-cash deal was made in 2008. While construction has already started on the project, some earlier delays in the development of JLR’s EV line-up saw its initial launch date pushed back. The factory is designed to eventually produce 40 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery capacity annually, making it one of the largest facilities of its type in Europe. Tata Group originally confirmed construction on the plant…

  • OpenAI halts UK data centre plans over energy and regulation concerns

    OpenAI has paused plans to roll out a series of data centres across the UK, citing concerns over the cost of energy and regulations. The Stargate UK project was announced in September with the goal of giving Britain “sovereign compute capabilities” that would bolster the government’s strategy to rapidly deploy AI throughout the economy. The firm said the initiative would help to accelerate scientific breakthroughs, improve productivity and drive economic growth. OpenAI said it still saw “huge potential” in the UK’s AI sector but did not want to “move forward” until the right conditions, such as “regulation and the cost of energy to enable long-term infrastructure investment” were met. The firm has never made a profit because of the extremely high cost of running an AI platform and limited…

  • Britain tracks suspected Russian operation near vital subsea digital infrastructure

    Russia has been accused of conducting a “nefarious” month-long submarine operation over British subsea infrastructure including pipelines and internet cables. According to defence secretary John Healey, the operation involved three Russian vessels – two Gugi spy submarines and an Akula class submarine – that did not damage any key infrastructure. Russia initially deployed an attack submarine entering international waters in the High North, which includes the European Arctic and the surrounding areas of the North Atlantic. But military personnel believed the vessel was being used as a distraction, and after working with allies including Norway identified other Russian vessels above some subsea infrastructure. The Royal Navy then deployed a Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans, RFA Tidespring…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Talking robot dog could help to ease shortage of guide dogs for the blind

    A robot guide dog that can speak to its owners and determine the ideal route to their destination has been developed by a team of researchers at Binghamton University, New York State. Traditional guide dogs are considered one of the most difficult service dogs to train, with the process normally taking 1.5-2 years and often with a 50% failure rate, as the dogs must be calm, obedient and capable of independent decision-making to ensure their handler’s safety. There is currently a significant shortage of guide dogs globally. In the UK, blind people often have to wait up to two years before they can receive one. In a bid to alleviate the shortage, the researchers have been working for several years on training robot guide dogs that can lead visually impaired people by responding to a tug on…

  • UK approves Britain’s largest power-producing solar farm

    The 800MW Springwell Solar Farm has been granted approval as Britain breaks the solar power generation record with the sunny spring weather. Located on land between Lincoln and Sleaford, once complete in 2029 the vast Springwell Solar project will export enough renewable electricity to the grid to power over 180,000 homes a year. This is the equivalent of half the homes in Lincolnshire. This news comes as the UK officially breaks its record for the amount of power generated from solar farms across the country. On Monday 14.1GW of low-carbon electricity was generated at lunchtime, surpassing the previous high of 14GW in July 2025. This record was then broken the very next day with a new high of 14.4GW on Tuesday afternoon. Jointly owned by EDF Power Solutions UK, a subsidiary of French…

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