UK researchers literally squeeze more power from solar cells Researchers led by Professor Marin Alexe at Warwick University, have demonstrated a way to produce more energy using Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Panels. The short explanation is that by deforming the crystals in the semiconductor materials by pressing on them – a process that utilises the PV’s anisotrophic properties –  the efficiency of the PV panel can be increased. In traditional solar cells, that use the p and n  junction system, light is absorbed by the cell and the charge carriers are sent off in different directions along the semiconductors producing a current and a voltage. The new solar cells, using something...

Propping up the wind turbine industry 17th March, 2018 was an important day for renewable energy resources in the UK. It was on this day that the National Grid reported that more than a third of the energy generation for domestic use in the UK was generated by wind power, a record amount to date. As the UK seeks to lower pollution and raise the use of renewable resources this is very positive news. How can the amount of wind power generated be increased further? The use of inshore and offshore wind farms is difficult when land fit for this particular purpose in the UK is sparse and large areas...

‘Beast from the East’ causes rail chaos Many faced huge delays due to cancelled services during the recent extreme weather (labelled in the UK papers as ‘The Beast from the East’). As temperatures plummeted and snow was predicted, many train services were cancelled even though early on – there was no snow apparent. “Why did this happen?” asked many stranded passengers and many are still asking as they try to chase up refunds on their tickets. There are varied reasons given and as the weather systems are changing, those reasons need to be addressed (or in some cases alternatives to the current solutions found). Network Rail themselves work on advice...

ICE 200 showcase aimed at young engineers This year is the specially designated UK Government’s ‘Year of Engineering’ (visit the official website for more details: www.yearofengineering.gov.uk). It is hoped that the projects that take place this year, aimed at 7-16 year olds, their parents and teachers, will help to inform and increase awareness of what engineers do and their impact on society. This, it is hoped, will encourage more young people into the field of engineering and help to plug skills gaps in the UKs engineering sectors. There are many engineering partners involved in the delivery of the year including the ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers) and the UK Space...

Government publishes report outlining £600bn infrastructure investment pipeline including plans to boost construction productivity The government has produced a much needed new National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline report, outlining measures to help boost productivity and efficiency in the construction industry as well as investing in the new technologies in the sector. The amount of investment, that will be provided from both Public and Private sector investment totals £600 billion over the next 10 years, and is welcome news in light of the uncertainty in the sector with regards to Brexit. The report states that the money will be used to invest in the skills, technologies and modern construction methods that...

A powerful collaboration produces a new ‘eco-town’ in North-West Bicester Over the past decade or so, the consumer has become more ethically and environmentally aware of what they buy and the way they live. This discernment has spread to the houses we buy and how we live on a day to day basis. We now expect our new houses to be designed to use less energy and more planning to go into the sustainability of our areas. Developers Crest Nicholson and A2 Dominion in collaboration with principle contractors Willmott Dixon, the Cherwell District Council and Oxford Brookes University amongst others have unveiled, what is considered a unique ‘eco-town’ in the...

HS2 announces manufacturers HS2 Limited have announced the five manufacturers that will build the new 225mph trains that will form the workhorses of the line.  As reported in the Bulletin’s Business News (July 2017), the eagerly awaited ‘High Speed Train network’, HS2, will travel initially between London and the Midlands then, as the phases progress, it will expand to include routes to Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, York, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The HS2 network will cut down journey times to and from London and connect the North to the South in a more accessible way. The introduction of the network will generate thousands of new jobs through its creation and maintenance of...

Vehicle manufacturer giants Rolls Royce have confirmed that a deal has been sealed with Google, with the joint aim to introduce and develop ‘Intelligent Awareness Systems’ for the next generation of autonomous vessels. The joint venture will see Rolls Royce utilising Google’s cloud-based apparatus, with a view to creating an Artificial Intelligence system that can be used to detect and track objects on the oceans. With the use of software that creates tailored teaching models that will soon be accessible through the cloud, it will then be used to construct and analyse the data received at sea. This future technology is believed to be an essential tool for the future development of independent vessels...

Use your imagination, slip into the mind of Spiderman, and imagine what could happen if you could lift an object 165 times your body weight, without passing a single drop of sweat. This imaginative dream could be about to become reality. Engineers from the Department of Material Science and Engineering at the School of Engineering at Rutgers Univeresity have uncovered a simplified way to achieve this with nanotechnology with a device called a Nano-electro chemical actuator. The device can match the powers of any super hero, just on a smaller scale. The actuator weights just 1.6 milligrams, about the same weight as a Poppy seed, and studies have shown it can lift approximately 265 milligrams,...