154 News & Press Releases found
European Commission, Environment DG News
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Screening tool developed to assess seismic risks from geothermal energy projects
A new screening tool to assess the potential seismic risks (earthquake activity) from deep geothermal energy projects has been outlined in a recent study. The tool provides categories of seismicity risk for projects, which are dependent on factors ...
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Fuel produced from sunlight, CO2 and water: an alternative for jet fuel?
Water and carbon dioxide (CO2) can be converted into ‘solar thermochemical fuel’ using energy from the sun and very high temperatures. A new study has analysed the production of this fuel and found that, under favourable future ...
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Potential for more efficient energy, land and phosphorus use by 2050
There is a large potential to improve the global efficiency of energy, land and phosphorus use, finds new research which modelled the effects of four worldwide scenarios between 2010 and 2050. An ‘ambitious resource strategy’ could ...
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Biorenewable chemicals: a review of technologies and feedstocks
Growing demand for biorenewable chemicals could lead to conflicts with food production and unwanted environmental impacts. Against this context, this study investigated different types of feedstock and conversion technologies. The authors recommend ...
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Realistic renewable energy exceeds 2070 electricity needs in most countries
Wind and solar energy are effectively limitless resources, but construction of renewable power must compete for a finite amount of land. This study uses a constrained assessment of available land to see whether global energy demand could be fully ...
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Methods to increase indium supplies for the manufacture of thin-film solar cells
Shortages of indium, a key metal found in thin-film solar cells, could limit their large-scale deployment in the future. A new study has outlined four ways that indium supplies could be increased to meet future demand. For example, indium could be ...
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District level heating could help achieve EU 2020 energy efficiency goals
Recycling of excess heat, via ‘district heating’, has the potential to improve energy efficiency in Europe. This study mapped excess heat and demands for heat in EU27 Member States to identify regions suitable for the large-scale ...
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Titanium dioxide-water nanofluids enhance the performance of solar collectors
Adding nanoparticles to water in solar collectors, which are used to capture the sun’s energy, can considerably improve their performance, a recent study on nanofluids has found. The energy efficiency of the collector can be increased by up to ...
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Measuring emotional response and acceptance of wind turbines
Wind energy will likely continue to play a leading role in reaching the EU’s renewable energy targets. However, in some areas wind turbines face social opposition based in large part on the visual impact of wind turbines in the landscape. A ...
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Presence of invasive American mink shifts the sex ratio of the European polecat across Europe
The invasion of the American mink (Neovison vison) is linked to a shift in the adult sex ratio of the native European polecat (Mustela putorius) across its entire range, a new study has discovered. Through aggressive competition, the American mink ...
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Device that emits natural warning calls reduces train-animal collisions
Animal-train collisions are an important cause of animal mortality. This study tested the ability of a device that emits natural warning calls to reduce risk of animals being hit by trains in central Poland. Animals, including roe deer (Capreolus ...
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Increasing energy efficiency in the home may boost life expectancy and health
Changes in the home that increase energy efficiency, such as improved insulation and ventilation control, have the potential to reduce indoor air pollution. This study assessed the health impact of interventions in the UK arising from changes to ...
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The economic benefits of carbon storage in the Mediterranean Sea
Carbon storage in the Mediterranean Sea could be worth up to €1722 million a year, a new study has found. The researchers performed a combined ecologicaleconomic assessment, finding that the sea takes up an estimated 17.8 million tonnes of CO2 ...
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Understanding the ‘why’ is key to effective energy-saving behaviour
To increase energy efficiency, many countries are encouraging their citizens to make individual energy-saving changes, such as changing the type of light bulbs they use. This study investigated the relationship between understanding of environmental ...
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Methods to resolve conflicts between energy production and nature conservation
The drive to increase renewable energy production can sometimes be at loggerheads with the desire to preserve natural landscapes. In this study, researchers from across Europe assessed the environmental impacts of renewable energies in the Alps, ...
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Recovering and recycling phosphorus from incinerated waste
Phosphorus can be extracted in viable quantities from fly ash, a by-product created when municipal solid waste is burnt in incinerators, according to research conducted in Sweden. Sufficient phosphorus could be recovered from the country’s ...
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EU joining CITES Convention will help in the preparation of the Commission`s wildlife trafficking action plan
Today the EU becomes the 181st party to join the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Convention covers more than 35 000 animal species and plants, ensuring that trade remains legal and sustainable. Further ...
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Antarctic ecosystems suffer toxic impacts of petrochemical lubricants over the long term
Petrochemical lubricants have toxic effects on Antarctic seafloor ecosystems even after five years of degradation, a new study suggests. Examining the impacts of a standard lubricant and one marketed as biodegradable, the researchers were able to ...
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Waste incinerator impacts monitored via milk and vegetable quality
Emissions from well-regulated household waste incinerators do not reduce the quality of vegetables and milk produced nearby, a Dutch study suggests. Researchers found that levels of certain contaminants were similar whether vegetables and milk came ...
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Environment: Commission refers Germany to Court over coal power plant in Moorburg
The European Commission is taking Germany to Court over its failure to apply the requirements of the Habitats Directive in relation to the authorisation of a coal power plant in Hamburg/Moorburg. The project in question risks having a ...