Renewable Energy

Giant single-bladed turbines could create more power in floating offshore arrays, at half the cost of a traditional design

Energy

Single-bladed floating wind turbine promises half the cost, more power

We haven't seen a floating offshore wind turbine like this before. Touchwind claims its innovative single-blade turbines will solve several problems to drive down cost and downtime, using a single, huge blade with no fancy active pitch controls.

Antora is installing the "world’s first field demonstration of a thermal battery capable of outputting zero-carbon heat and power for days on end"

Energy

Ultra-hot carbon batteries promise super-cheap heat and energy storage

Bill Gates-backed startup Antora Energy is preparing to roll out a containerized, modular heat battery, designed to store renewable energy at the lowest possible cost – then release it efficiently as electricity or industrial process heat.

This colossal 16-MW turbine is now the largest ever connected to a power grid

Energy

World's largest wind turbine is now fully operational and connected

Three Gorges Energy has connected the world's first 16-megawatt monster offshore wind turbine to the power grid. With a mind-boggling 260-meter (853-ft) rotor diameter, this towering colossus will supply clean energy for about 36,000 Chinese homes.

Fervo's first commercial pilot plant has been confirmed at 3.5 MW of production, setting new flow and power records for enhanced geothermal power

Energy

Fervo heralds a revolution in geothermal power technology

Fervo's "next-generation geothermal" technology has proven itself in testing, becoming the most productive enhanced geothermal plant in history. The company hopes its approach will radically expand access to clean energy, like shale did for oil.

A new report predicts there will be a tripling in solar and wind generation by 2030

Energy

Renewables surprisingly "on track" to meet net zero by 2050

Renewable energy is taking off at exponential rates, putting global clean power "in line with ambitious net-zero scenarios." A new report suggests fossil fuel demand in the energy sector has already peaked, and "will be in freefall" by 2030.

Aircraft

Ecojet airline aims to fly hydrogen-electric aircraft from 2025

Green-energy businessman Dale Vince has revealed plans to set up the UK's first electric aviation company. Ecojet will repurpose conventional aircraft to fly on hydrogen-electric power, with domestic flights planned to start as early as 2025.

Energy

Super-cheap gigawatt-scale rust battery greenlit for Minnesota

Gates- and Bezos-backed startup Form Energy is one of the most exciting companies in the grid-level renewable energy storage space, with a multi-day iron-air battery system just 10% the cost of lithium. A 10-MW/1-GWh demo system has now been approved.

GA Drilling has demonstrated its Anchorbit technology, a walking anchor system designed to stabilize and accelerate super-deep drilling

Energy

"Walking" anchor and plasma drill promise cheap, deep geothermal power

Slovakia's GA Drilling has demonstrated a pair of new technologies it says could unlock geothermal power generation more or less anywhere on the planet. Anchorbit and Plasmabit promise much faster and cheaper drilling into hot rock 10 km underground.

The technique uses different charges on a film to create a current, much in the same way clouds give birth to bolts of lightning

Energy

Tiny holes key to making lightning-like energy from air, says study

As anyone who's ever seen a bolt of lightning knows, the air around us can be filled with an astonishing amount of energy. A new study shows a way to harvest this power using a perforated nanofilm that can be made from a vast variety of materials.

URB's Dubai Reefs is the world's largest ocean restoration project

Environment

Dubai Reefs: World’s largest ocean restoration project unveiled

URB has unveiled the "world’s largest ocean restoration project" on the Dubai coast, the stunning and sustainable Dubai Reefs. The floating community is intended to be the center of marine research, eco-regeneration and eco-tourism worldwide.

Gazelle says its innovative floating wind platforms can handle enormous offshore turbines up to 20 MW in a stable and cost-effective manner

Energy

Pivoting arms could stabilize massive floating offshore wind turbines

Irish company Gazelle has announced the third generation of a fascinating new floating wind platform design it says can stabiliize massive offshore turbines up to 20 MW in capacity, while radically reducing weight, cost and sea floor cable tension.

The facilities to manufacture large-diameter pipes on-site at wind farms can be set up and ready to go within about a month, says Keystone

Energy

GE installs world's first spiral-welded wind turbine tower

Denver's Keystone Tower Systems says it can cut the cost of wind energy with tech borrowed from pipemaking. It uses spiral welding techniques to roll sheet steel into huge turbine towers on-site, stronger, faster and cheaper than current techniques.