Special Report on Energy and Fuels - New Scientist Environment

Special Report Energy and Fuels

TOP STORY

Steam power takes to the road again

Eighty years after it went out of fashion, steam is back – but this time it's clean and green, says Vivien Marx

Economic turmoil could scupper EU climate plans

The European Union was planning to impose limits on CO₂ emissions from cars, but car makers argue that the financial crisis will make the targets impossible to achieve
Breaking News - 03 October 2008
High-tech sponge could take hydrogen cars further

The battle to squeeze the most gas safely into hydrogen vehicles continues, but will "nanosponges" or ants' poison win out?
Breaking News - 03 October 2008
Google announces plan to wean US off coal and oil

The search company that already funds green technology now has a plan to help the US stop burning fossil fuels for power
Breaking News - 02 October 2008
Tax credits promise brighter outlook for solar energy

If the US extends tax relief for commercial and residential solar power, installations could reach triple the levels expected without credits
News - 02 October 2008
Is Google gobbling up too much power?

Computer data centres like those owned by the search giant will consume 5% of the world's electricity supply in 10 years if efficiency isn't improved
Technology - 01 October 2008
Steam power takes to the road again

Eighty years after it went out of fashion, steam is back – but this time it's clean and green, says Vivien Marx
Features - 03 October 2008
Invention special: Green technology

This week's new patent applications aim to make the world a cleaner place: from electricity generation by osmosis, to crops that refine biofuels, and nod-powered headsets
Breaking News - 30 September 2008
Fuel thinner turns diesel cars into greener machines

A cheap device that makes oily diesel flow more easily gives a less-polluting burn, as well as improved range in some models
Breaking News - 29 September 2008
Climate change: how Obama and McCain compare

If the US is to share the burden of tackling climate change, how do the presidential candidates intend to take up the challenge?
Breaking News - 24 September 2008
US House lifts 27-year ban on coastal drilling

The nation is taking major steps towards drilling for oil off its coasts – but will it be worth it?
News - 25 September 2008
Mean machines go green

Stunning performance, awesome economy, no compromise. Electric cars are coming of age, says Jim Giles
Features - 17 September 2008
Editorial: A helping hand for clean technologies

Consumers will buy clean technologies if given the right incentives – it's up to governments to help create them
Editorial - 17 September 2008
Invention: Oil-sands digester

Breaking down sticky oil sands when they are underground allows them to be pumped to the surface like normal crude, says a patent application
Breaking News - 17 September 2008
New bug ferments green fuel on the cheap

Bacteria that ferment plant pulp at higher temperatures could make producing cellulosic ethanol more economically viable
Breaking News - 09 September 2008
International nuclear rules bent for India deal

A cartel of 45 countries has decided to lift a ban on nuclear commerce with India after pressure from the US
Breaking News - 08 September 2008
'Formula Zero' kart race could drive fuel cell technology

Go-karts powered by hydrogen fuel cells compete in the first 'Formula Zero' race, which may one day be a green alternative to 'Formula 1' races
Breaking News - 25 August 2008
Offshore oil drilling in the US: what's at stake?

In an apparent U-turn, Presidential candidate Barack Obama is now considering offshore drilling
Breaking News - 13 August 2008
Green fuel for the airline industry

The airline industry's insatiable demand for fuel is bad news for the environment. But can biofuels provide the solution, asks David Strahan
Features - 13 August 2008
Virgin rainforest targeted for oil drilling

An area of the western Amazon almost as large as Texas has been provisionally earmarked for oil and gas exploration
Breaking News - 13 August 2008
80% of British biofuels are unsustainable

Most biofuel in UK pumps fails to meet basic standards for sustainable production, while some offer scant environmental benefits
Breaking News - 12 August 2008
How to turn gas guzzlers into green machines

The US could halve its gasoline consumption by 2035 if the car industry changes its definition of "improvement". Consumers should lead the way
Breaking News - 11 August 2008
How to green America's gas guzzlers

The US could halve its gasoline consumption by 2035 if the car industry changes its definition of 'improvement'. Consumers should lead the way
Breaking News - 08 August 2008
Electrode lights the way to artificial photosynthesis

A material that extracts oxygen from water at room temperature using relatively little electricity could lead to a way of storing solar energy
Breaking News - 31 July 2008
Solar-cell material can soak up more Sun

Today's solar cells ignore the 50% of the Sun's energy that reaches Earth as infrared light, but cells made from the new material could harness that too
Breaking News - 31 July 2008
Are 'disposable' reactors a safe energy solution?

How do you sell the world nuclear power while keeping the fuel out of the hands of undesirables? Phil McKenna investigates a cunning plan
Features - 04 August 2008
Material that turns heat to power gets efficiency hike

Adding the right metal to a thermoelectric compound can more than double its efficiency – paving the way for heat wasted by engines and computers to be recovered
Breaking News - 24 July 2008
Interview: Driving towards the 100-mpg car

Millions of dollars in prizes and free publicity await the team that can build a production-ready 100-mpg car. The competition's director John Shore tells New Scientist about the Automotive X Prize
Breaking News - 23 July 2008
Chemical breakthrough turns sawdust into biofuel

Lignin makes up a third of the dry mass of wood, but nobody knew how to convert it into ethanol – until now
Breaking News - 18 July 2008
Who needs coal when you can mine Earth's deep heat?

If the energy held in hot subterranean rocks can be harnessed economically, it could provide abundant green power anywhere on Earth
Technology - 17 July 2008
Contaminated US site faces 'catastrophic' nuclear leak

The risk of a serious leak from a storage site for nuclear and chemical waste in Washington State is sharply increasing by the year
News - 14 July 2008
Nanotubes bring artificial photosynthesis a step nearer

Carbon nanotubes have the right properties to allow a key step in photosynthesis that has eluded chemists until now, say experts
Breaking News - 11 July 2008
Organic dye lets window panes harvest the Sun

Trapping sunlight inside normal sheets of glass could reduce the cost of generating photovoltaic power
Breaking News - 10 July 2008
Wind power sails ahead in UK as US solar plans freeze

The UK government has big plans for wind farms off its coast, but similarly bold plans for solar power in the US are put on hold
News - 05 July 2008
Cold war 'caterpillar drive' could harvest sea power

A failed method of powering submarines with superconducting magnets rather than propellers may instead end up generating energy from tidal currents
Features - 02 July 2008
Comment: Kicking the oil habit

Don't imagine that pumping more oil will get us out of our current mess, argues Matthew R Simmons – dealing with the addiction is the only option
Comment and Analysis - 25 June 2008
Oil: The final warning

Price is just the start of it. We need to kick the petroleum habit or we'll soon be in real trouble, says Ian Sample
Features - 25 June 2008
New technologies promise biofuel 'plan B'

Biofuels have failed to live up to their early environmental promise, but fuels made from plant waste and weeds may turn this around
Technology - 18 June 2008
Time to go ahead with Nevada nuclear dump?

The scientific debate over the site's suitability has run its course and it's time to forge ahead with a test facility, say two senior geologists
News - 18 June 2008
Have we underestimated total oil reserves?

A statistical flaw means that global oil reserves could be up to twice as big as estimated, according to a former industry advisor
News - 11 June 2008
US considers nuclear-powered assault ships

Rocketing fuel prices make nuclear-powered warships an attractive option for the US navy – but how safe are they?
Technology - 11 June 2008
Algae oil promises truly green fuel

A bright-green crude oil, produced by photosynthesis in algae, could fuel cars, trucks and aircraft without consuming crops that can be used as food
Technology - 10 June 2008
The greening of Silicon Valley

The venture capitalists who brought us PCs and the internet are planning to clean up by investing in green energy, says Justin Mullins
Features - 28 May 2008
Exotic nitrogen could offer safe rocket fuel

Stringing nitrogen atoms together inside a nanotube could make for an energy-dense and safe fuel - the only problem is making it
News - 28 May 2008
Interview: Bring on the solar revolution

German Social Democrat MP Hermann Scheer says converting the world to renewable energy will be surprisingly painless
Interview - 21 May 2008
'Self-digesting' biofuel plants could ease food crisis

As biofuel helps push up food prices, researchers say that unusual genetic engineering may be the best way to get cheap ethanol from inedible plants
Breaking News - 16 May 2008
To make the most of wind power, go fly a kite

Tethered kites sent high into the air could be far more efficient than land-based wind turbines, says Michael Brooks
Features - 14 May 2008
When burning gas is good for the planet

Rural families are slashing their energy costs, improving indoor air quality and helping preserve local forests by using biogas plants
Breaking News - 12 May 2008
Fuel prices hit US drivers where it hurts

As oil prices rocket, a dramatic drop in greenhouse-gas emissions may result as people opt for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars
News - 07 May 2008
Women farmers face eviction in biofuels boom

Female subsistence farmers in developing countries will be moved off their land to make way for huge biofuel plantations, says the UN
News - 06 May 2008
'Flammable ice' could be mined for fuel

A test in the Canadian tundra shows that extracting methane hydrates to burn as fuel may soon be possible on industrial scales
News - 23 April 2008
Nuclear super-fuel gets too hot to handle

As the nuclear industry tries to squeeze the most possible energy out of uranium, safety fears are emerging and a waste-disposal problem looms
News - 14 April 2008
Editorial: Nuclear industry must not forget past lessons

The UK and US are ploughing ahead with new nuclear plants, yet questions remain over safety and how to deal with radioactive waste
Editorial - 12 April 2008
Harnessing river whirlpools puts energy on tap

Whirlpools created by rivers as they flow around obstacles are capable of tearing bridges apart – now scientists are attempting to harness that power
Technology - 11 April 2008
Biofuel corn makes cow bug enzyme to digest itself

A genetically modified corn given genes from a microbe found in cows could help biofuel production by breaking down its own cellulose
Breaking News - 08 April 2008
Australia pressed to take lead on carbon capture

The country should delay new coal-fired power plants until the technology to capture and store CO₂ is ready, says influential climate scientist
News - 05 April 2008
Chief scientist revolts over biofuel legislation

A UK government scientist questions the wisdom of switching to biofuels when they may do more harm to the climate than fossil fuels
News - 29 March 2008
Nanomaterial turns radiation directly into electricity

New materials that generate power from radiation, doing away with steam turbines or heat converters, could power a new era of spacecraft
Breaking News - 27 March 2008
Can coal live up to its clean promise?

Turning the dirty black stuff into a zero-emission fuel could power us cleanly into the future. Fred Pearce checks out progress so far
Features - 27 March 2008
Melting glaciers will trigger food shortages

The glaciers that feed Asia's mightiest rivers are disappearing, and with them irrigation water that feeds millions
Breaking News - 20 March 2008
Reincarnated material turns waste heat into power

Destroying and then rebuilding the alloy lets it scavenge waste heat and turn it into electricity much more efficiently than existing "thermoelectric" materials
Breaking News - 20 March 2008
The microchips that could heat your home

A new cooling system developed by engineers at IBM allows the waste heat from computer chips to be put to use for domestic heating
Technology - 08 March 2008
Biofuel blends not as green as they seem

An analysis of blended biofuels on sale in the US reveals that buyers may not be getting what they are paying for
News - 08 March 2008
Solar-power paint lets you generate as you decorate

A coat of high-tech paint could generate power from the steel roofs and wall of buildings
Breaking News - 07 March 2008
Souped-up battery prepares to slay the gas guzzlers

Having overcome a small problem with spontaneous combustion, lithium ion cells are showing their power
Technology - 29 February 2008
Turning CO₂ back into hydrocarbons

The gas that's wrecking the planet could help us kick our addiction to oil, says Duncan Graham-Rowe
Features - 03 March 2008
Green invention special: Long-life solar cells

This week's "green" patent applications include a protective coating for solar cells, a way of predicting the health effects of nanotechnology, and a light-fed bioreactor
Breaking News - 25 February 2008
Solar cell speeds hydrogen production

Cars could be fuelled by a device that mimics photosynthesis to split water into oxygen and hydrogen
Breaking News - 18 February 2008
The power walk that charges your phone

A leg brace equipped with an electricity generator produces enough energy to power 10 cellphones with little extra effort
Technology - 16 February 2008
US pulls the plug on flagship clean coal project

Development of carbon capture and storage technologies has been set back by three to five years as a result of funding cuts, say energy experts
News - 09 February 2008
Biofuels emissions may be 'worse than petrol'

When changing land use is taken into account, biofuels could actually increase greenhouse gas emissions, say two major new studies
Breaking News - 07 February 2008
Super-efficient car to green up the highway

Creating a car capable of 100 miles per gallon is not as difficult as you might think. Is this the end of the road for the gas guzzler?
Features - 02 February 2008
Algae hold the key to the biofuel conundrum

Growing algae in ponds could supply all of the US transportation fuel needs using a tiny amount of total agricultural land
News - 02 February 2008
Sacking of nuclear official prompts row

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's decision to close a reactor critical for medical supplies has cost its chief her job
News - 27 January 2008
Editorial: Don't mess with nuclear safety

The role of a nuclear safety watchdog should be straightforward enough. Not so in Canada
Editorial - 26 January 2008
Pitter-patter of raindrops could power devices

Rain has been ignored as a source of electricity, but piezoelectric materials can generate charge with every drop
Technology - 24 January 2008
Europe unveils ambitious energy plan

Proposals to make Europe a world leader in tackling climate change and renewable energy are released by the European Commission
Breaking News - 23 January 2008
'Smart heating' fits the bill

A system which monitors energy prices and adjusts thermostats in response can ease peak loads on power grids and save consumers money
Technology - 23 January 2008
Editorial: Supporting role for nuclear power?

There is a case for nuclear power in tackling global warming, but the future lies with renewables
Editorial - 19 January 2008
Coal: Bleak outlook for the black stuff

Reserves of coal were supposed to last for centuries, but rock bottom could come a lot sooner than that. David Strahan reports
Features - 19 January 2008
Carbon-trading plans could boost nuclear power

Draft legislation of Europe's new carbon trading scheme brings more good news for the nuclear industry
News - 18 January 2008
Mixed news for US agency over emissions

The beleaguered Environmental Protection Agency gets some rare good news, but the threat of legal action over its carbon targets tarnishes any celebrations
News - 12 January 2008
Prairie grass revives hopes for biofuels

North American switchgrass produces more than 540% more energy than that needed to grow it and convert it to ethanol, field studies show
Breaking News - 08 January 2008
US to turn off power-hungry light bulbs

Incandescent bulbs are to be phased out in the US, thanks to new laws on energy saving
Technology - 05 January 2008
Can we stop the internet destroying our planet?

Recent studies have shown the high environmental cost of computer servers, now the tech titans aim to reduce their impact
Technology - 03 January 2008
Marine algae get the green light from Shell

Unlike biofuels such as corn, algae don't use up land or water that could be used to grow food – now an oil company is to use them to produce biodiesel
Technology - 20 December 2007
Carbon electrodes could slash cost of solar panels

Transparent electrodes made of thin sheets of graphene could make solar cells and LCDs without using up rare mineral resources
Breaking News - 19 December 2007
Is the biofuel dream over?

As well as consuming precious land and water, growing biofuels may emit more greenhouse gases than it saves
News - 15 December 2007
Editorial : Clearing up the confusion over biofuels

Given plans to expand production of biofuels, you would think that scientists broadly agreed that they are a good thing. If only things were that simple...
Editorial - 15 December 2007
Mine waste could fuel its own clean-up

Waste water leaking from disused iron mines could be cleaned up using fuel cells, producing electricity and useful iron compounds into the bargain
Technology - 09 December 2007
Red Sea mega-dam would be 'irresponsible'

Plans for a huge dam to generate gigawatts of clean energy has been condemned by experts who say it would wreak untold ecological ruin
Breaking News - 07 December 2007
Electric cars could act as batteries for the energy grid

Electric and hybrid vehicles could act as cheaper energy stores while not being driven, say US researchers
Breaking News - 04 December 2007
Bulgarian nuclear plant on shaky ground

The first Russian-designed nuclear power plant in the European Union is to be built on a site near an active fault, despite previous concerns
News - 04 December 2007
Russian nuclear security is 'disturbing'

A large number of nuclear facilities have "insufficient" security measures and may pose a trafficking risk, says a new report
News - 01 December 2007
Plugging into the Sun

Out beyond the atmosphere there is power aplenty. Can harnessing it solve our energy problems, ask Dan Cho and David Cohen
Features - 24 November 2007
China surges ahead on clean energy spending

The nation will invest more than $10 billion on wind, solar, hydropower, and biofuels this year – double the US spend in 2006
News - 23 November 2007
Termite tummies give scientists something to digest

Termite guts teem with bacteria that produce wood-digesting enzymes – researchers hope these might lead to new ways of making biofuel
News - 21 November 2007
Cheap hydrogen power gets a nanotube boost

A hydrogen-based economy may be a step closer as scientists successfully use carbon nanotubes to harness power from the gas
Breaking News - 21 November 2007
Nanotube tangles power printable batteries

Cheap, flexible batteries that can be printed onto a surface could be on the way thanks to networks of carbon nanotubes
Breaking News - 16 November 2007
China on target to meet renewable energy goal

Plans to double the nation's use of renewables are "realistic", say experts, but growing CO₂ emissions must also be tackled
Breaking News - 15 November 2007
Hydrogen brewing gets an electrical boost

A zap of electrical charge helps microbes ferment almost all of the hydrogen from organic waste – the process might one day provide greener fuel
Breaking News - 12 November 2007
The return of coal poses a huge climate threat

A massive switch to burning coal, especially in China and India, will make it harder to limit global warming in the coming 25 years, says a major new report
News - 10 November 2007
China special: The solar power king

There's a green face to China's energy boom, and it's already made one solar entrepreneur a billionaire
Features - 07 November 2007
Hydrogen power lights up the seas

A fuel cell is being used to power a lighthouse on England's North Sea coast, replacing a cabled electricity source that was prone to wave damage
Technology - 06 November 2007
Bush administration's nuclear plan criticised

Plan to encourage worldwide adoption of nuclear power could be "greatest technological debacle in US history" say experts
News - 03 November 2007
'Humanity at risk' from ecological debt

A UN planetary health assessment shows we need 1.4 Earths to sustain our lifestyles, prompting calls for more sustainable living
News - 03 November 2007
Waste wafers give solar power a silicon boost

A simple method of recycling refined silicon from microchips could help ease the shortage of the material for photovoltaic panels
Breaking News - 30 October 2007
Depleting oil supplies threaten 'meltdown in society'

Oil supplies peaked in 2006, say analysts, furthermore future shortages could mean mass unrest around the globe
News - 29 October 2007
Brazil rides biofuel bandwagon to Africa

Brazil now meets 30% of its demand for automobile fuel with bioethanol – now its president tells the developing world to follow suit
News - 19 October 2007
Light-harvesting nanowire could drive tiny devices

The silicon nanowire, which resembles a coaxial cable, harvests enough electricity from light to power nanoscale electronic circuits
Breaking News - 17 October 2007
Mechanical 'fish' could tap turbulence for energy

Mimicking the way fish get an energy boost from eddies in water could revolutionise wind and water power
Breaking News - 16 October 2007
Go nuclear for a third industrial revolution, says EC

We need nuclear power to fuel the low carbon age in Europe, says the president of the European Commission, but not all countries agree
News - 13 October 2007
Pentagon backs plan to beam solar power from space

The US should spend $10 billion to build a test satellite to collect solar energy and beam it to Earth, a new Pentagon report argues
Breaking News - 11 October 2007
Semiconductor uses the sun to split water

A chemical has been used to extract hydrogen from water using sunlight - it could prove an efficient way to make fuel for transport
Technology - 08 October 2007
Grass-munching bugs could charge rural phones

The bacteria-powered cellphone charger is aimed at poor countries where plant waste is more accessible than electricity
Breaking News - 03 October 2007
Rocks could be novel store for wind energy

Can a pocket of porous rock beneath the American Midwest transform the way we use wind energy?
Features - 01 October 2007
'Smart roofs' can keep you cool and save energy

Why use power-hungry air conditioning when a modified roof and attic space could absorb the Sun's heat and release it again at night?
Technology - 18 September 2007

Expert Guide

Instant Expert: Energy and Fuels

Access to cheap energy is a linchpin of modern industry and civilisation. Energy, mostly from fossil fuels, allows us to heat homes, and power factories and transportation systems. Worldwide every day, we devour the energy equivalent of about 200 million barrels of oil, but much of this energy comes from coal, gas and nuclear fuel too.

Starting with coal, and then oil and gas in the 1800s, we have plundered our fossil fuel riches to drive development. But now, an energy crisis looms. New oil sources are dwindling, and smothering greenhouse gases threaten the Earth - yet energy demands will rise by 50% to 60% by 2030. We need to rapidly develop sustainable solutions - from hydrogen cells to wind turbines - to fuel our future.

Most of the energy on Earth comes from the Sun. In fact enough energy from the Sun hits the planet's surface each minute to cover our needs for an entire year, we just need to find an efficient way to harness it. So far the energy in oil has been cheaper and easier to get at. But as supplies dwindle, this will change, and we will need to cure our addiction to oil.

more...

World Energy Use Graphic

A to Z

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Infrequently Asked Questions

Redesigned petrol engine promises green gains

The prototype vehicle engine may improve future fuel efficiency by 25% and reduce emissions, say its developers
Breaking News - 12 September 2007
Computers learn to fly kites for renewable energy

A neural network has been taught to fly kites with the expertise of human kite surfers – it could make wind-powered turbines more reliable
Technology - 08 September 2007
Antarctic pod makes way for green research

The world's first zero-emissions Antarctic research station will be powered by wind and solar energy, and will recycle water supplies
Breaking News - 05 September 2007
Fossil-fuel hangover may block ice ages

Burning fossil fuels will disrupt the atmosphere for hundreds of thousands of years, and may prevent the onset of the next ice age
News - 22 August 2007
Underwater turbines set to generate record power

Soon, twin turbines off Northern Ireland will generate 1.2 megawatts of power in what will be the world's largest tidal power project
Breaking News - 21 August 2007
Can biofuels rescue American prairies?

Yes, say ecologists, but not if the current enthusiasm for corn ethanol continues to hold sway
News - 18 August 2007
Nations scramble for oil in Arctic

Russia, Denmark, Canada and Norway stake claims for territory around the North Pole
News - 17 August 2007
Forget biofuels - burn oil and plant forests instead

A new analysis suggests that more carbon could be offset by replanting forests and using conventional fossil fuels than can be saved by using biofuels
Breaking News - 16 August 2007
Energy-curbing bill passes Congress

But the wide-ranging legislation to reduce excess energy use in the US faces a presidential veto
News - 09 August 2007
Revealed: America's most polluting power plants

The electricity-generating plants that pump out the most sulphur dioxide and other noxious pollutants have been revealed in a new report
News - 03 August 2007
Buoys flex artificial muscles for renewable energy

The "muscles" are being used to turn the ocean's waves into electricity in a novel pilot project which could eventually provide cheap, clean power
Breaking News - 03 August 2007
Flying windmills could harness the jet stream

Currently at prototype stage, the novel devices could exploit an enormous resource of reliable, renewable energy
Breaking News - 26 July 2007
Renewable energy could 'rape' nature

Increasing use of solar, wind and biomass energy will use up vast amounts of land - nuclear power is a better option, argues a noted biologist
Breaking News - 25 July 2007
Summer sun can provide winter heat

Relying on solar heating might sound like a bad idea if you live in a country that sees little winter sun - but not in Sweden
Technology - 21 July 2007
Taking the fossil out of fossil fuel

Some natural gas is much newer than it looks - and researchers are hoping to make their own
News - 20 July 2007
China simplifies method for turning coal to gas

The new method could make it more economical to exploit coal seams that are otherwise difficult to reach, but also raises environmental concerns
Breaking News - 18 July 2007
Corn biofuel 'dangerously oversold' as green energy

The rapidly growing corn ethanol industry could damage the environment without significantly reducing dependence on fossil fuels, argues a new report
Breaking News - 18 July 2007
Amazon dam project gets the go-ahead

The Brazilian government gives preliminary approval for two huge hydroelectric dams, but environmental groups protest
Breaking News - 14 July 2007
Exfoliation produces lighter, cheaper solar cells

A new process of creating ultra-thin photovoltaic cells has been developed by US researchers - the new cells also have a higher electrical output
Breaking News - 13 July 2007
Rising prices could end wasteful gas flaring

Almost 170 billion cubic metres of natural gas were burned off in 2006 because it was too costly to recover – rising prices may change that
Breaking News - 12 July 2007
Biofuels could spell ecosystem disaster

Humans account for a quarter of Earth's productivity - increasing it by expanding biofuel production could have devastating effects
News - 07 July 2007
Could Russia claim the North Pole?

The discovery of a sea-floor ridge that extends from Russia's Arctic coastal shelf to the North Pole suggests a territorial claim is possible
News - 07 July 2007
Biorefineries: Curing our addiction to oil

From transport to plastics, oil is a fundamental building block of our modern world - but it doesn't have to be that way
Features - 04 July 2007
Micro-generator feeds on good vibrations

The small 'energy scavenging' device could generate power for wireless sensors and even medical implants, say researchers
Breaking News - 04 July 2007
Giant microwave turns plastic back to oil

A US company is taking plastics recycling to another level – zapping them with a variety of frequencies to break down the hydrocarbon chains
Breaking News - 26 June 2007
Roll up for better hydrogen fuel storage

Storing the gas safely and in sufficient quantities for real-world applications could simply be a matter of storing it in carbon "nanoscrolls"
Breaking News - 25 June 2007
Invention: Superconducting ships

The week's batch of patent applications includes superconducting ship motors, a audio sweet-spot that follows listeners around and an easy-to-use child-seat for cars
Breaking News - 18 June 2007
Power-generating buoys shelter in the deep

A new kind of wave-power generator will be sited 50 metres below the surface to avoid the damaging effects of storms
Breaking News - 14 June 2007
Mini heat harvesters could be new energy source

A new generation of small and efficient acoustic heat engines - which convert heat into electricity - could provide power in a host of applications
Breaking News - 06 June 2007
New nuclear facilities could be in your backyard

Governments in both the US and Britain are considering the most suitable locations for a new wave of nuclear reactors
News - 26 May 2007
Russia to build nuclear reactor in Myanmar

The junta's long-held aim to achieve nuclear power may soon be realised if plans for Russia to construct a 10-megawatt research centre in the country go ahead
Breaking News - 15 May 2007
Biofuels demands eating into US corn stockpiles

Despite record corn yields, farmers will have trouble meeting American food demands if the rampant biofuels industry produces ethanol at the projected rate
Breaking News - 14 May 2007
Biofuel production may raise price of food

Without urgent regulation, the rapid growth of biofuels risks causing more harm than good – diverting valuable resources away from food production
Breaking News - 09 May 2007
High cost of capturing solar energy is diminishing

Hikes in the costs of conventional ways of generating energy mean a previously ignored form of solar power has become viable
News - 05 May 2007
Affordable solar power brings light to India

A thriving market for household solar panels has sprung up in India, with the help of a United Nations programme
Breaking News - 29 April 2007
Rapid-fire 'spark plug' may bring fusion power closer

It delivers a high-power pulse every 10 seconds and may boost a technology currently lagging in the pursuit of clean energy
Breaking News - 27 April 2007
Biofuel issues rekindle Berkeley's radical flame

Since the University of California joined BP on a big project to develop new biofuels, 130 Berkeley faculty members have signed a petition over concerns for academic integrity
News - 21 April 2007
US announces renewable fuel standards for vehicles

But the Environmental Protection Agency stopped short of committing to regulate the greenhouse gases that spur on global warming
Breaking News - 11 April 2007
Catalyst could help turn CO₂ into fuel

It might allow CO₂ from the atmosphere to be used instead of fossil fuels as the source for synthetic carbon compounds and even fuels
Breaking News - 15 March 2007
Europe's '2020 vision' to lead climate change battle

A long-term strategy on energy policy, calling for tough and binding targets, is agreed by the EU – the rest of the world is challenged to follow suit
Breaking News - 09 March 2007
US mobilises for a biofuelled future

In a lab originally created for the Manhattan Project, scientists are hunting for an environmentally friendly source of ethanol
News - 24 February 2007
Kyoto Protocol 'loophole' has cost $6 billion

The powerful greenhouse gas HFC 23, which can be cheaply destroyed, will no longer be included in the Protocol's carbon credits scheme
Breaking News - 09 February 2007
What are the major obstacles for sustainable energy?

Inadequate ways of storing solar energy, burying carbon dioxide and converting sugars into fuel are some of the answers given by scientists
Breaking News - 08 February 2007
Hot clean power under our feet

The US can kick its addiction to fossil fuels by drilling more geothermal wells, says a panel of experts
News - 27 January 2007
US urged to boost its geothermal power capacity

Mining the heat stored in deep rocks could meet a growing portion of US electricity demand and replace ageing nuclear and coal plants, says a new report
Breaking News - 23 January 2007
A bank for wind power

A last we can store vast amounts of wind energy and use it when we need it, as New Scientist reports
Features - 12 January 2007
European energy plan targets big carbon cuts

The plan amounts to a "post-industrial revolution", says the European Commission, and aims to beat the bloc's oil addiction and combat climate change
Breaking News - 10 January 2007
An ill wind blows for UK turbines

The nation is not as windy as its government thought - the UK's wind farms are not delivering the power they were predicted to generate
News - 19 December 2006
Humble grasses may be the best source of biofuel

Researchers estimate grasses could provide 19% of global electricity needs at the same time as soaking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Breaking News - 08 December 2006
'Evanescent coupling' could power gadgets wirelessly

Electronic devices would start charging themselves as soon as their owner walks into their home or office
Breaking News - 15 November 2006
Big boost to US renewable energy could cost nothing

Switching a large fraction of US energy to renewable sources by 2025 could involve no increase in cost, as long as current price trends hold firm
Breaking News - 14 November 2006
Geothermal power plants could also consume CO2

Pumping carbon dioxide through hot rocks could simultaneously boost efficiency and mop up greenhouse gases
Breaking News - 08 November 2006
'Nanoporous' material gobbles up hydrogen fuel

Hydrogen-powered cars could one day store fuel safely and efficiently using polymers filed with nanoscopic holes
Breaking News - 07 November 2006
Wave-powered 'ducks' could purify seawater

Devices that purify salt water by harnessing the motion of the ocean's waves could provide a more energy-efficient way for arid countries to produce drinking water
Breaking News - 07 November 2006
World faces 'dirty, insecure' energy future

The International Energy Agency warns that a dramatic shift towards climate-friendly energy policies is needed to avoid global economic disruption
Breaking News - 07 November 2006
Clean green hydrogen-making machine created

An efficient, super-fast new method of turning biomass waste into hydrogen could help reduce dependence on fossil fuels
Breaking News - 03 November 2006
Pulsing gels could power tiny devices

A gel that pulses regularly when doused with chemicals has been modelled in detail for the first time – it may one day power small mechanical components
Breaking News - 02 November 2006
Take a leaf out of nature's book to tap solar power

Why reinvent the wheel for harvesting the sun's power when there's a masterclass going on under our noses?
Technology - 13 November 2006
IEA's U-turn on energy growth

The International Energy Agency calls for limits on growth of energy demand for the first time
News - 11 November 2006
Solar sailing - poised to take off

Sun, solar-panelled sails and a sea breeze - they're all a modern ferry needs
Features - 16 October 2006
Is Venezuela's pipeline the highway to eco-hell?

Environmentalists are furious about the Venezuelan president's plans for a giant oil pipeline to unite the continent
News - 14 October 2006
Biofuel made from power plant CO₂

Power plants emit carbon dioxide, algae make sugar and oil out of it. It's time to put the two together
Technology - 06 October 2006
Plankton could power robotic submarines

If such subs are ever going to undertake lengthy missions into the vast unexplored deep, new power sources will be needed
Technology - 04 October 2006
AA battery charges through USB port

A drawback of the portable gadget revolution is having to carry the chargers to keep them going - but an innovative new battery may help
Technology - 30 September 2006
Fuels gold: Big risks of the biofuel revolution

Are biofuels really the greenhouse-busting answer to our energy woes? It's not that simple, says Fred Pearce
Features - 25 September 2006
GM bacteria churn out 'microdiesel' fuel

Bio-fuel generated by genetically modified E. coli could one day replace regular diesel and cause less environmental harm, researchers claim
Breaking News - 19 September 2006
Solar alchemy turns fumes back into fuels

It is the biggest contributor to climate change, and now chemists are hoping to convert carbon dioxide into a useful fuel, with some help from the Sun
Technology - 16 September 2006
Nuclear power: Return of the atom

Can the nuclear industry overcome decades of stagnation and capitalise on a shift in attitudes?
News - 15 September 2006
New type of hydrogen fuel cell powers up

A safer and more practical way of storing and releasing hydrogen could lead to powerful fuel cells for energy-guzzling portable devices
Breaking News - 13 September 2006
Small-scale renewable power - low-wattage thinking?

These schemes may sound great, but this flawed idea could wreck our chances of stopping global warming, argues George Monbiot
Comment and Analysis - 03 September 2006
Zapped crude oil flows faster through pipes

Exposing thick crude oil to a magnetic or electric field reduces its viscosity, allowing greater volumes through pipelines, researchers reveal
Breaking News - 29 August 2006
A fuel tank full of water

Cars that run on H₂0? It's not as daft as it sounds, as New Scientist discovers
Features - 01 August 2006
Wired-up bugs give fuel cells extra oomph

The discovery that a wide variety of bacteria can be persuaded to produce conducting, wire-like appendages boosts the potential of biofuel cells
Technology - 15 July 2006
UK energy review backs new nuclear stations

The review sweeps aside objections from anti-nuclear campaigners, but also aims to increase incentives for green energy production
Breaking News - 11 July 2006
Biodiesel beats ethanol in biofuel battle

In the race to create green biofuels for cars and trucks, biodiesel has a clear lead, new research suggests – but it's still just a drop in the world's fuel tank
Breaking News - 10 July 2006
The hidden cost of wind turbines

When the turbines go up, it’s not just the scenery that suffers, it's the atmosphere too. Ed Douglas reveals the environmental costs of wind power
Features - 08 July 2006
How to protect solar energy collectors from the wind

Floating rafts of solar energy collectors could provide cheaper electrical power than those based on land
Technology - 23 June 2006
Human health may be the cost of a nuclear future

As the world gears up to build new nuclear reactors the human cost of uranium mining is often forgotten
News - 10 June 2006
Editorial: Nuclear fusion must be worth the gamble

Optimists say the ITER reactor could turn fusion power into a major energy source in 50 years, others say it may take 100. We need to try, for our environment's sake
Editorial - 07 June 2006
Demolition marks start of Three Gorges dam flood role

Just under 1000 explosions in 12 seconds removed a large temporary structure which had been holding back a reservoir behind the Chinese dam
Breaking News - 06 June 2006
Solar power - seriously souped up

Make solar cells as small as a molecule, and you get twice as much as you bargained for - could this be the route to limitless free power?
Features - 31 May 2006
Prizes for viable hydrogen fuel cell

The US Congress is offering rewards totalling $10 million for developing the key technologies needed to make hydrogen fuel cells viable for cars
News - 18 May 2006
How to kick the oil habit

Oil is more expensive than it's ever been, and consumers in the US are starting to feel the burden. Francis Slakey has a radical short-term solution
Comment and Analysis - 17 May 2006
Energy gap, what energy gap?

A UK conservation group says this "gap" is nothing more than a myth created to justify building a new generation of nuclear power stations
News - 13 May 2006
UK to get EU's largest wind farm

Shaking off its image as one of Europe's laggards on renewable energy, the UK has given the go-ahead for the onshore farm
News - 03 May 2006
China struggling to catch its breath

China's reliance on burning coal is fuelling an economic boom, but the enormous amounts of pollution are suffocating its people
Breaking News - 30 April 2006
Is it all over for nuclear power?

Governments are keen and the nuclear industry is on a 30-year high. But they've missed the crucial point, argues Michael Brooks
Features - 26 April 2006
Bio fuel cells could power portable gadgets

Using enzymes instead of expensive metal catalysts could make hydrogen fuel cells cheaper and simpler to make
Breaking News - 21 April 2006
Are days numbered for 'bubble fusion'?

The prospect of cheap energy from tabletop nuclear reactions seems as far from reality as ever, with its biggest proponent now under scrutiny
News - 18 March 2006
UK advisers say 'no' to nuclear future

A panel has urged the prime minister to reject nuclear power to combat climate change, supporting energy efficiency and renewables instead
News - 11 March 2006
Snap up wave power with a magnetic trick

A wave-driven generator with virtually no moving parts could make wave power a more efficient and competitive form of renewable energy
Technology - 11 March 2006
Growing hydrogen for the cars of tomorrow

If we're going to run tomorrow's cars on hydrogen, it doesn't come any greener than farm fresh - New Scientist visits the gas growers
Features - 25 February 2006
Getting up to speed on ethanol

Ethanol often gets a bad rap as a biofuel, but accusations that it is too inefficient to replace petroleum may be misguided, according to new research
News - 04 February 2006
Interview: Be green, think big

Jesse Ausubel is an optimistic environmentalist whose vision includes large-scale natural gas and nuclear plants, and superdense high-rise cities
Interview - 28 January 2006
The rooftop power revolution

Solar panels, plug-and-go wind turbines, and a whole range of micro-generators are about to turn the electricity industry on its head
Features - 21 January 2006
Clean-burn engine dodges ever tighter regulations

An engine that combines the best of all worlds could be leaner and greener - and not a moment too soon
Technology - 14 January 2006
Spill or leak may have ignited oil depot blaze

Europe’s largest fire incident in fifty years may have been caused by a fuel spill or leak, say experts, but the health and environmental effects should be limited
Breaking News - 12 December 2005
Energy diary helps correct bad habits

By offering instant feedback on the amount of energy consumers are using, a system trialled in Japan is helping people cut their emissions and bills
Technology - 02 December 2005
Forests paying the price for biofuels

The drive for "green energy" in the developed world is having the perverse effect of encouraging the destruction of tropical rainforests
News - 22 November 2005
UK gearing up for nuclear revival

In a clear sign that the UK is set to bolster its nuclear power industry, a £6 million research programme is launched to investigate reactor designs
Technology - 12 November 2005
Spoonful of sugar makes biofuel greener

Take a vat of vegetable oil and add a scorched sugar lump - the mixture could speed up the production and use of biodiesel in vehicles
Technology - 12 November 2005
UK wind power takes a battering

An energy analyst has claimed that the UK government's plan to derive one-fifth of the nation's energy from renewables by 2020 is not feasible
News - 12 November 2005
Powdered metal: The fuel of the future

The clean, green car of the future will cruise the highway on a tankful of powdered metal - welcome to the new Iron Age
Features - 22 October 2005
Editorial: A chance to crack the oil addiction

New legislation in the US may make it easier to build more oil refineries, but there are still radical ideas for clean energy waiting to be explored
Comment - 22 October 2005
Hot new fuel for nuclear reactors

A fuel pellet that is better at conducting heat than conventional pellets could make nuclear power cheaper and more efficient
Technology - 08 October 2005
Hydrogen generator could power electronic gadgets

The portable device would supply hydrogen to the micro fuel cells of electronic gadgets
Technology - 01 October 2005
Clean energy special: The big clean-up

The US, China and Australia have all signed up to a six-nation pact to use technology to halt climate change, but what will it mean for the world?
Features - 03 S