Search Results for: ornl

Florida Gulf Coast where Ian hit. Image courtesy of Cynthia Shahan, CleanTechnica.

Coastal Chemistry Improves Methane Modeling

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using a new modeling framework in conjunction with data collected from marshes in the Mississippi Delta to improve predictions of climate-warming methane and nitrous oxide emissions from soils in coastal ecosystems. Underlying processes such as sulfur cycling and influences like salinity in these … [continued]

Scientists applied a simple approach for growing hBN films on the surface of ubiquitous steels and other metal alloys to “armor” them and thus increase their capabilities. Credit: Adam Malin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Armor For Steel: New Method Could Enable Advances In Energy, Electronics, & Aerospace

Researchers demonstrated that stainless steel and other metal alloys coated with hexagonal boron nitride, or hBN, exhibit non-stick or low-friction qualities along with improved long-term protection against harsh corrosion and high-temperature oxidation in air. Metal alloys — mixtures of two or more metals — are created to be strong, durable … [continued]

Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL.

Announcing the 2023–2024 JUMP Into STEM Challenge Winners

The 2023–2024 JUMP into STEM Challenge Winners include nine teams of college students with diverse backgrounds and academic majors exploring solutions toward an equitable clean energy future through building science. Now in its sixth year, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have utilized this competition to provide hands-on … [continued]

Top Clean Energy Accomplishments from U.S. Department of Energy in 2023

DOE Concludes 2023 by Celebrating Billions in Historic Clean Energy Investments, Successful Energy Cost Saving Programs, and Workforce Training Initiatives that will Boost our Clean Energy Economy WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) made monumental strides in advancing the clean energy goals of the Biden-Harris Administration. … [continued]

Conceptual art depicts machine learning finding an ideal material for capacitive energy storage. Its carbon framework shown in black, has functional groups with oxygen, shown in pink, and nitrogen, shown in turquoise. Credit: Tao Wang/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy.

New Carbon Material Sets Energy-Storage Record Likely To Advance Supercapacitors

Guided by machine learning, chemists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory designed a record-setting carbonaceous supercapacitor material that stores four times more energy than the best commercial material. A supercapacitor made with the new material could store more energy — improving regenerative brakes, power electronics and auxiliary … [continued]

Midjourney-generated image of energy flows around the globe.

Tracking Climate Action: How the World Can Still Limit Warming to 1.5°C

This article focuses on the 2023 findings of the annual State of Climate Action report series. View past articles here: 2022 | 2021 | 2020. Today’s climate change headlines often seem at odds with each other. One day, it’s catastrophic wildfires wreaking havoc around the world; the next, it’s an … [continued]

Success Story: New Tool Connects Multiple Microgrids to Increase Community Resilience

To ensure continual power during an outage, communities and local energy planners can install microgrids, which have their own power sources and can deliver renewable energy, like solar, to strengthen community resilience. Now, there is a tool designed to connect and coordinate multiple microgrids to maintain reliable electric service, integrate more solar … [continued]