How storm surges could impact your workplace
Businesses along the Norwegian coastline are becoming increasingly vulnerable to storm surges and flooding. Researchers have now created digital maps that show who is most at risk.
Energy and environment
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This little trout died of decompression sickness – a sign of hydropower’s hidden problem
Hundreds of Norwegian hydropower plants threaten fish and bottom-dwelling animals by exposing them to water that is oversaturated with air. The danger increases with wilder, wetter weather and more flooding. The solution may be to use sound in a new way.
Streamlining the production of ‘green’ hydrogen
So-called ‘green’ hydrogen is currently very expensive to produce, but recent research can help save time and resources.
Gold particles and sunlight can help purify water
Fresh water is under threat on many fronts. Researchers are working hard to solve this problem. One solution uses sunlight and bismutite.
Old rules do not work for reindeer husbandry
The Norwegian ‘rules of use’ for Sámi reindeer husbandry were intended to help keep reindeer husbandry sustainable and allow for self-governance. But “sustainability” and “self-governance” can mean something completely different for authorities than reindeer herders.
ERC grants totalling NOK 48 million for projects on ecojustice and a more efficent power grid
The European Research Council has awarded two grants to NTNU researchers for very different projects related to the environment.
No, we don’t need more and more data about nature. We need more people to use the data.
Norwegian municipalities are collecting more and more data on how what they do affects the natural world, but do not always know what to do with it. They wade in green facts, but continue to sacrifice the environment, colouring the landscapes grey.
Data centres’ insatiable demand for electricity will change the entire energy sector
When the first large language models were unleashed, it triggered a headache for authorities around the world as they tried to figure out how to satisfy data centres’ endless demand for electricity.
First complete record of global underground CO₂ storage
The first-ever audited account of the actual amounts of CO2 stored underground by CCS projects globally has been released. It was created by a new international consortium of scientists and industrial partners, including NTNU.
Can we tap the ocean’s power to capture carbon?
The oceans have to play a role in helping humanity remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to curb dangerous climate warming. But are we ready to scale up the technologies that will do the job?
Poor indoor air quality often found in small new urban dwellings
You’ve just bought a new apartment. The developer followed the minimum building code requirements. So shouldn’t everything be in order? Extensive research indicates that the answer is unfortunately no.
Forever chemicals affect the genes of unhatched ducklings
There are many different types of PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’. Maybe it is time to prohibit them all.
This is how two contra-rotating propellers can make ships more energy efficient
By using two propellers that rotate in opposite directions, a ship can use less energy to move forward. New knowledge means that more ships can use the technology, including Hurtigruten’s Sea Zero project for its coastal cruise ships.
Want to cut your carbon footprint? Move out of your house
There’s no getting around it: downsizing the kind of housing you live in is the best thing you can do for the environment.
Ships need maintenance too. For the climate, it’s best to do it at home
If a worn propeller requires repair, the CO2 footprint will be a full 40 percent lower if the job is done in Norway than if the repair is done in China, the researchers write in this article.
A new approach to cutting marine plastic pollution
Many measures have been initiated to reduce plastic pollution in Norway. Only a few of them will lead to extensive change and cleanup, a new study shows.
The properties of slate make it a winner
Different building materials carry different climate footprints. Norwegian natural stone, such as Otta slate, turns out to have surprisingly good properties as a façade material.
How penguins’ air tricks could help the shipping industry
‘Bubbles’ – taste that word – and think soda, soap, play and well-being. But did you know that air bubbles can also reduce fuel consumption and emissions from oceangoing vessels?
When it comes to storing carbon, the Arctic presents a winter surprise
The ocean holds gigantic amounts of carbon, much more than in all land-based plants and soil. Scientists previously studied these carbon stocks in spring and summer. Now they have looked at what happens in winter.
How better paper can save billions in the power grid
Norway can save investment costs of a staggering 25 billion NOK [ca. €2.1 billion] in the power grid by upgrading the quality of insulation paper used in transformers – dramatically increasing their lifespans.
Scientists are revealing the secret lives of bees using sensors
Bees do more than just pollinate plants. They are also nature’s own warning signal. Placing sensors in their hives allows researchers to see when the bees need help doing their job.
A new way to prevent icing problems for aircraft and drones
Ice formation on wind turbine blades, aircraft and drones can lead to both delays and accidents. But a new material repels cold water droplets that land on the rotor blades before they freeze onto the surface.
An ultra-thin smart filter can significantly extend EV battery lifespan
This new invention could make today’s heavy electric vehicle batteries lighter, safer and increase their range. The researchers behind the technology believe it is also ideal for use in aviation, space travel, drones and shipping.
Solving a dirty problem with sunlight and oil
Wastewater can contain many harmful substances, but a new method enables researchers to purify this water using sunlight and droplets of oil.