When it comes to providing energy in electric engines, fuel cells are a great way to supplement batteries to increase the driving range. However, manufacturing fuel cells remains a cost-intensive process, so there are still relatively few vehicle models with this drive technology on the German market. Now the researchers at Fraunhofer IWU are working…
Tackling buildings’ emissions
Today, carbon dioxide levels are at an all-time high — with CO2 being the primary contributing gas to GHG emissions-caused climate change. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that global warming will reach 1.5° C by 2040 and, in order to avoid dangerous climate change, we need to limit it to…
Where is secondary packaging going?
The key to more sustainable primary and secondary packaging involves two major approaches: recycle and reduce. The first requires that packaging materials are kept in constant circulation, being continuously reused. The second entails finding many different ways of using less and less packaging material in order to save on resources and avoid waste. “The greatest…
Fuel cells help with long-distance bus transport
FlixBus and Freudenberg Sealing Technologies are collaborating on a future-oriented project for sustainable, CO2-free mobility. Together, Europe’s largest operator of long-distance bus travel, the FlixBus brand, and Freudenberg are working to put fuel cell-powered coaches on the road. The two companies will further extend their partnership in the near future through participation from a bus…
Fluid power manufacturer receives environmental stewardship recognition
Emerson’s fluid control & pneumatics facility in Florham Park, N.J. was recently recognized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for its leadership in Environmental Stewardship. The facility was highlighted for voluntary and proactive measures taken to improve the environment and foster sustainability. Besides being the headquarters for the fluid control & pneumatics…
How to test batteries made to operate for decades
By Sol Jacobs Vice President & General Manager Tadiran Batteries All batteries are not created equal. However, differentiating superior quality cells can be difficult, as short-term tests often fail to duplicate actual long-term performance. Extended battery operating life is essential to reducing the total cost of ownership of remote wireless devices, especially those deployed in…
Additive manufacturing helps create a sustainable electric vehicle
The Centre for Product and Process Development (ZPP) of ZHAW in Zurich specializes in innovative product development in mechanical engineering. Research focuses on innovative methods, tools and procedures for an efficient product development process. Through a combination of interdisciplinary technical and industry knowledge the economic feasibility of product ideas and visions can be clarified early. […]
Harting presents new wind solutions at HUSUM Wind
The wind industry is streamlining its global manufacturing and installation processes to boost efficiency: costs are set to be further reduced as systems grow ever larger. The industry is relying on technical optimization along the value chain and over the full lifetime of installations as a way to keep investment and operating costs as low […]
Precision engineering and sustainable energy
The European Society for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology (euspen) has announced a workshop focused on the role of precision engineering in stimulating innovation in solar, wind, and oceanic renewable energy and energy storage technologies. The workshop will be held October 9-10, 2019 at the University of Strathclyde in the U.K. Sustainable energy strategies center around…
Sustainable 3D-printed habitat shows green engineering possibilities
BigRep, a leader in large-format 3D printing, launched a fully 3D-printed urban green habitat installation using multiple, recycled plastic-based filaments — called the Genesis Eco Screen. Addressing some of the biggest environmental challenges such as plastic waste, overconsumption of energy and other resources, rapidly deteriorating biodiversity and urbanization, the installation is a prototype in urban…
Power Sonic PS-640F1 rechargeable SLA battery now shipping from Sager Electronics
Sager Electronics, a leading North American distributor of Interconnect, Power and Electromechanical components and provider of value-add solutions, is now stocking Power Sonic’s PS-640F1 Rechargeable Sealed Lead Acid Battery. The PS-640F1 is part of Power Sonic’s PS range of sealed lead acid batteries that have been specifically designed for general purpose and standby applications. The…
Rooftop solar system greens up electrical products manufacturer
Schurter’s North American headquarters, standing amidst legacy oaks in Sonoma County, California, fosters a deep appreciation for the environment — something also echoed by its Swiss corporate parent. True to its green ethic, the company just completed installation of a 108kW rooftop solar energy system. The company’s CEO, Leonard Overholser, spearheaded this addition to the…
Sager Electronics to Acquire Technical Power Systems
Sager Electronics, a North American distributor of Interconnect, Power and Electromechanical components and provider of value-add solutions, today announced it has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire Technical Power Systems (TPS), a specialist in the production of custom battery assemblies headquartered in Lisle, Illinois. Sager Electronics President Frank Flynn, stated, “Sager, through our specialized…
Ogura expands Hydrogen Pump for fuel cell applications
Ogura is continuing to broaden its line of hydrogen recirculation pumps used in fuel cells. As the number of fuel cell requirements continue to grow, there is an ever increasing demand for efficient hydrogen pumps to recirculate the hydrogen throughout the fuel cell stack. Because of the Ogura hydrogen pump’s extremely high efficiency, more and…
Exotic crystal semiconductor may lead to better solar cells
Scientists have found a new way to control light emitted by exotic crystal semiconductors, and this finding might lead to more efficient solar cells as well as other advances in electronics, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Materials Today. The discovery involves crystals called hybrid perovskites, which consist of interlocking organic and inorganic…
Narrow profile coin cell retainer for battery connectivity
A new, much narrower width retainer for CR2032 and CR2025 coin cells is now available as part of the extensive battery connectivity line of products offered by Keystone Electronics. This new retainer features an extremely narrow profile and is designed for battery insertion and removal from both directions. The retainer is engineered with dual springs…
SKF showcases advanced bearing technology for electric vehicles
Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are poised to increase dramatically. According to a recent report from IHS Market, these vehicles will account for more than 30% of new cars sold in key markets by 2040 – up from just 1% in 2016. Anthony Simonin, EV and HEV Competence Centre Manager at SKF, said: “In order […]
Pioneering production of circular polymers
SABIC, a diversified chemicals company headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, recently announced a milestone in the production of certified circular polymers using a feedstock from mixed plastic waste. This achievement — the production of the first certified circular polymers — is part of what is known as a ‘market foundation stage.’ Launched in January, this…
Creating better materials for renewable fuels
E-fuels are expected to improve the climate footprint of conventional powertrains. New findings in material research by Freudenberg Sealing Technologies show the impact that OME (oximethylene ether), a substitute for diesel fuel, has on the long-term stability of seals. The research has found that seals made from an already widespread material, fluoro rubber (FKM), are…
A new look at biodegradable plastics
Following years of research, Teysha Technologies has developed a natural polycarbonate platform that can create fully biodegradable substitutes for existing petroleum-based plastics. This breakthrough new polymer technology could seriously reduce plastic pollution, including some generated from industrial use and manufacturing processes. The bioplastic, called AggiePol, is derived from sustainable feedstocks and can be physically, mechanically…
Sea urchins may be key to developing lightweight engineered cellular materials
In the ongoing search for strong, lightweight materials, researchers are looking at sea urchins, which have spines made of chalk, and are generally brittle. Ironically, the highly complex three-dimensional structure of sea urchin spines is 70% to 80% porous, and thus creates an overall stable, strong structure. Studying the sea urchin is part of a…
Car heating technology for EVs promises zero emissions
Zemission has developed a zero-emission catalytic burner for heating in electric and hybrid vehicles. The device promotes the uptake of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) by increasing their driving range. With EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs), the waste heat from internal combustion engines normally used to warm passengers is either not available or insufficient. This…
Energy Observer Project features zero-emissions vessel
The world’s first oceangoing vessel powered by hydrogen and renewable energy, the Energy Observer, is on a six-year trip to 50 countries around the world to prove a potential energy system of the future. It has already covered more than 9,600 nautical miles. The vessel is also serving as a media platform, intending to provide…
Building efficiency into garment manufacturing
One of the industries ripe for more sustainability is the clothing/textile business. Fashion for Good is a platform for sustainable innovation that calls for industry-wide collaboration. Their aim is to make all fashion good, through their Accelorator and Scaling programs. According to the organization, on average, consumers purchase 60% more clothing than they did 15…
Panasonic expands battery product line in the U.S. at Georgia manufacturing facility
Panasonic, one of the world’s leading battery manufacturing companies, is expanding its manufacturing capabilities in the United States. The CR-2/3AZ lithium primary battery currently being manufactured in Indonesia will also be produced in Columbus, GA, by the end of 2018. The CR-2/3AZ cell offers important features, including: superior reliability, up to ten years; and high…