Norwegian researchers are developing ice-cold eco-technology
Thanks to toxin-free technology that also saves energy, Norwegians can eat their ice cream without worrying about the climate.
Energy and environment
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Clothing, furniture play a role in ocean and freshwater pollution
Lakes choked with algae and marine “dead zones” result from too many nutrients in the water. The traditional culprit is agriculture, which relies on fertilizer to boost plant growth. But the production of consumer goods, like clothing, is also a major — and growing — contributor.
Debatable whether Norway will become Europe’s green battery
Can Norwegian hydropower and natural gas play a role in Europe’s future power market? Results of a recent study show that Europe needs to craft a new and shared vision for energy policy for Norway to be a player.
In the future, our houses will have built-in solar cells
A new EU project will provide greener cities through cheaper and simpler solar cell systems.
Driverless ferries to replace footbridges
Soon the prototype for the world’s first driverless electric passenger ferry will be ready to launch in Trondheim.
New filter removes run-off chemicals
The filter will first be used to recover aircraft de-icing chemicals. In the future it will also be used in urban areas to remove environmental toxins, pollution and probably microplastics.
Envisioning a future where all the trees in Europe disappear
Global climate change is already affecting the globe, as demonstrated by the shrinking polar ice cap, melting glaciers and cities in the grips of longer, more intense heat waves. Now a team of researchers has conducted a radical thought experiment on how extreme land use changes could influence future climate.
Global trade doubles material use for fashion, electronics over two decades
A new database gives researchers — and potentially policymakers — the ability to see how global trade affects environmental impacts.
Robot vision makes solar cell manufacture more efficient
In order to maintain the leading position of Norwegian solar cell manufacture on the global stage, we need sensors that can see what humans can’t.
New study estimates the carbon footprints of 13,000 cities
Many see cities as the new front lines of the climate change fight. Identifying the mayors and city councils in cities with the biggest carbon footprints, and the most power to make big changes, could mobilize a wave of reinforcements.
Capturing CO2 using heat pumps
Capturing the greenhouse gas CO2 from industrial processes such as cement manufacture is a demanding and therefore expensive exercise. However, by introducing a renewable powered heat pump in the capture system, the energy required to capture CO2 is reduced by three quarters.
Nine things to know about microplastics
Picking up a plastic bag from the beach makes a bigger difference than you might imagine.
Researchers are hunting microplastic with jellyfish
In the innovative EU project GoJelly, researchers are working to solve the microplastic challenge by using products from nature itself.
Salmon delivered by hyperloop and mail by drone?
Research scientists have been gazing into their crystal balls. These are the technological trends that will affect the transport systems of the future.
Advice from Norway for the world’s largest hydropower producer
When China wants to exploit its hydropower resources, they can ask Norwegian researchers for advice. It is now possible for hydropower companies in China to read the handbook for environmental design of regulated rivers in their own language.
Plastic in rivers and lakes a growing concern
Almost all research on plastic contamination in water systems focuses on oceans. But the biggest problem is plastic that ends up in freshwater ecosystems, according to an NTNU biologist.
Measuring devices for the world’s most extreme environment
Norwegian research scientists are contributing to the development of the world’s hottest geothermal well in a non-volcanic area. The goal is to exploit the inexhaustible supply of heat from the interior of the Earth, and this calls for equipment that can withstand the most extreme conditions.
Your wood stove affects the climate more than you think
Fortunately, a new study indicates that heating with wood has a cooling effect.
Preventing hurricanes using air bubbles
Many people have tried to find ways of preventing hurricanes before they make landfall, resulting in the loss of human lives. Norwegian researchers believe that the answer lies in cold bubbles.
How well do solar cells really work in the Nordic climate?
Experiments in SINTEF’s climate lab demonstrate that solar cells work very effectively in Norway in spite of the rain and cold. But there is one thing that owners should be aware of if they want to get the most from the sun’s energy.
Land under water: Estimating hydropower’s land use impacts
One of the key ways to combat global climate change is to boost the world’s use of renewable energy. But even green energy has its environmental costs. A new approach describes just how hydropower measures up when it comes to land use effects.
Plastic ends up on the ocean floor
According to a new research report, most plastic fragments end up on the ocean floor.
Predicting the fate of oil spills in a frozen world
Global warming and political decisions are opening the Arctic and its frosty seas to increased development. But what will happen if that expansion results in oil spills in the frozen ocean?
Revealing the geology’s X-factor
This ten-tonne test rig has been custom-designed by Norwegian researchers and built under contract by American engineers. It has finally been installed at SINTEF after eight years of planning and construction. This mammoth of a device, nicknamed the “Polyax Rocker” is now set to re-create with ultra-high precision the geological stresses acting on oil reservoirs.