October 12, 2024

Weekend Reads: Big Tech Eyes Nuclear; A Solar Desalination Breakthrough

It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web:

Big Tech has cozied up to nuclear energy (The Verge)  Tech giants are increasingly eyeing nuclear reactors to power their energy-hungry data centers. Amazon and Microsoft each inked major deals this year with nuclear power plants in the US. And both Microsoft and Google have shown interest in next-generation small modular reactors that are still in development.

An ancient log demonstrates the ability of wood to sequester carbon (Live Science)  A really old and remarkably well-preserved log buried almost 4,000 years ago provides key evidence to support a simple and effective way of locking away carbon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — burying dead trees in giant graveyards — scientists say.

WEBINAR: Scope 1 Emissions Reduction: Why All Eyes Are On Heat Pump Technology (Trane)  Institutions with sustainability goals that include a transition from direct fossil fuel usage (Scope 1 emissions) are increasingly adopting heat pump technology as a low-carbon solution for heating and cooling requirements. Heat pumps, which are nearly a 100-year-old technology, provide ultra-high efficiency cooling and enable heating requirements to be met with the same high-efficiency technology.  The outcome is reduced operational expenses and reduced electrical capacity requirements relative to traditional electrical resistance heating technology. Join Trane to learn more about this technology, how it dovetails with corporate sustainability commitments, and a future outlook on technology capabilities. REGISTER HERE

ASU-led initiative announces first decarbonization projects for US industry (Arizona State University)  An Arizona State University-led initiative aims to reduce manufacturing CO2 emissions by up to 60 million metric tons over the next 15 years. 

Green hydrogen far pricier than projected (The Harvard Gazette)  Prices for hydrogen produced with clean energy will remain high, Harvard researchers demonstrate in the journal Joule, but the fuel may remain the only way to decarbonize some sectors.

MIT unveils battery-free solar desalination device with 77% efficiency (Interesting Engineering)  Researchers have created a novel desalination system that runs with the rhythms of the sun. The MIT team’s solar-powered device adjusts desalination speed to match sunlight variations, increasing output as sunshine intensifies and reducing it during cloudy moments.

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