Cooling off: Unusual electron movement could cool cleantech
Ohio State University researchers' specially engineered metal alloy could be used in a “heat switch” to cool clean energy and...
5 barriers for next-gen EV batteries, according to Michigan engineers
University of Michigan engineers posed these five questions to capitalize on a promising electric vehicle power supply — lithium metal...
Purdue engineers’ stronger concrete absorbs more CO2
Researchers added titanium dioxide to cement and found that doing so nearly doubled the material's natural ability to sequester carbon.
Minnesota students’ snack innovation fights food waste and climate change
University of Minnesota students' ReToast cookies are made from bread scraps, spent grain from brewing beer, and spent Kernza.
Michigan startup maps pollution disparities for healthier communities
Rapids Air Quality monitors environmental data to help cities address pollution, especially in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
What’s the buzz? Magnetic properties for more energy-efficient computer chips
Magnetostriction, which causes fluorescent lights to buzz, plays a big part in a new material that could lead to more...
Feeling salty? Engineers develop most energy-efficient desalination process ever
Purdue University researchers are using batch reverse osmosis to process seawater more efficiently than ever before.
Sunlight, nanoparticles, and magnets wipe out toxic algae
Southern Illinois University restricted the use of a campus lake until it can solve its algae bloom problem. Enter the student...
Steel yourself: Sensors reduce steelmaking energy consumption
Missouri University of Science and Technology researchers are using fiber optic sensors to save energy and lower costs of steel...
Pure power: Midwest researchers create energy while cleaning wastewater
Research projects underway in the Midwest aim to purify wastewater while simultaneously generating clean electricity.
Li-ion battery alternative is smaller, cheaper, more stable
Washington University in St. Louis researchers are developing a battery model that replaces lithium with sodium and removes the anode.
Super simulations fast-track development of cleaner engine components
Supercomputers helped an Illinois research team identify more efficient piston designs for heavy-duty vehicles.
No sun? No problem. Engineers work to cheaply harness stored solar heat
To increase the efficiency of concentrated solar power plants, Purdue researchers turn up the heat.
Q&A: NREL researcher helps push cleantech ‘to create more livable and inclusive societies’
Paty Romero-Lankao discusses how behavioral science can help make cleantech development more effective and efficient.
Float on: Creating a more energy-efficient refrigerator that works in space
A research team with members from Indiana, Michigan, and Colorado are working to create a new refrigerator that will work...
Eco-friendly battery swaps fossil fuels for soybeans
Kansas researchers use soybean waste — stems, leaves and shells — for a less environmentally taxing battery.
Thermal battery keeps cool while saving green
Chicago-based NETenergy is collaborating with NREL to develop a hybrid HVAC thermal energy storage system for large commercial buildings.
Sunny with a chance of water: Device pulls water from air without outside power
Wisconsin researchers developed a water vapor condenser to grab water from the air without using an external energy source.
Searching for the most eco-friendly driving route? Google it
GPS navigation tools typically prioritize the shortest travel times. Soon, Google Maps will suggest options for more fuel-efficient trips.
Reflecting solar heat could help cool Earth. Researchers ask: At what cost?
Researchers are weighing the ecological risks and benefits of innovations that bounce heat and sunlight back into space.
Cheaper hydrogen fuel invention grows more efficient with use
An artificial photosynthesis device developed at the University of Michigan is showing promise as a practical tool for producing hydrogen...
Federal boost helps tech race from lab to car
'High-risk, high-reward': Two Midwest universities are part of a U.S. Department of Energy initiative to support connected technologies for vehicle...
Illinois researchers make tiny batteries mightier
A process developed at the University of Illinois reportedly yields the highest peak power density of any existing microbatteries.
Gas-measuring ‘agricomb’ could help cattle farms cut emissions
Kansas researchers suggest that accurately quantifying agricultural gas emissions could help in designing cleaner and more productive farms.
Kansas project tests new materials and saves energy under one roof
By incorporating the materials into roof and ceiling tiles, partners hope to reduce heating, cooling, and electricity demand by 20%.
Scientists study efficient methods to recover metals from waste
Removing metals from nuclear and electronic waste reduces the need for environmentally taxing and expensive mining.
‘I see myself in these kids’: Why education is key to Aurora, Illinois’ smart city concept
To help close the digital divide, Aurora has embraced STEAM-based education.
Smaller, safer batteries for superpowering robots
Researchers at the University of Michigan are working on a type of battery that could provide 72 times more energy...
Empty the tank: A smarter water heater with a smaller footprint
An Illinois startup's energy-efficient tankless water heaters are smart devices that can connect to the internet to allow remote access.
New coating could make solar panels last six times longer
Researchers developed a new optical coating that could prevent PV cells from overheating and help ease the cost of energy...