Ten years after Fukushima: could new fuels make nuclear power safer?

After lithium-ion batteries from iPhones, laptops, or electric cars are used up, the Ontario-based company LiCycle recycles parts of them to be reused in new batteries or in other products. While the recycling process isn’t completely environmentally friendly, the company is able to recover 95 percent of the raw materials and says their operations produces no carbon emissions, wastewater, or solid waste.

Solar power is an important renewable energy in Germany, but when the sun is out, it can overpower the grid. Likewise, when the sun is not out, the reception of solar power decreases. Germany has piloted battery installations that store solar energy for use when the sunlight is not plentiful and has successfully incentivized citizens to use them to lower costs.

Gravity batteries can store excess renewable energy in abandoned mine shafts, offering coal-dependent communities economic and environmental benefits. This energy storage tactic is being used in various iterations around the globe.

Two organizations partnered to help eight low-income households convert their homes to become all-electric in Virginia. It entailed replacing fossil-fuel based heating and cooling systems like stoves and water coolers with electric ones. Some of the households saw a reduction in their utility bills. Organizers estimate that over the course of 20 years the changes will result in the households avoiding the emission of over 2 million pounds of carbon dioxide.

An economic shift to renewable energy could take decades, but thanks to rapidly evolving disruptive technologies, dropping prices of solar and wind power sources, and increasing market demand for green business, the new age of renewable energy could encompass the world economy much more quickly.

With climate change continuing as a threat to the planet’s health, Germany has contributed efforts to curb greenhouse gases by installing wind turbines and solar panels to generate renewable energy. Germany’s commitment and financial investment in renewable energy beats other industrial countries but, at the present, the cost is still high.

Microhydro power plants are finding their place amongst some of the smallest villages in Nepal, bringing both electricity and industry opportunities to the regions. Although they aren't capable of generating near the amount of power as a typical hydro plant, they also have far less impact on the environment and encourage community involvement.

A follow-up article on Husk Power Systems, which has created a scalable system to turn rice husks into electricity that is reliable, eco-friendly and affordable for families in India. The company bases their business model around local involvement, grassroots systems that cater to the immediate community, and continual accountability. This article fills in some information gaps from the initial piece, "Fixes: A Light in India."

AtmosZero's modular electric heat pump technology replaces gas-fired industrial boilers to produce steam at up to 165°C, demonstrated at New Belgium brewery where it provides 30-40% of steam needs with 200% efficiency, though at higher installation costs and lower efficiency than waste-heat systems.

Turtle Mountain Community College transitioned to geothermal and wind energy to reduce energy costs by 300%. The heating and cooling pumps are equipped with smart technology and sensors that allow them to be used at maximum efficiency.