Energy

Silhouette of an oil pump jack against a vivid orange sunset with a large sun near the horizon.

Shining a light on oil fields to make them more sustainable

Sensors and analytics give oil well operators real-time alerts when things go wrong, so they can respond before they become disasters.

Zach Winn | MIT News Office

Clean Energy

US will accelerate geothermal exploration on federal land

The Bureau of Land Management is taking steps to make it easier for public lands to be considered for geothermal power systems.

Kristin Houser

A high-tech modular structure illuminated by blue lights, standing on a barren, moon-like landscape at night.

Batteries

World’s biggest battery maker unveils grid-scale storage system

CATL, the world’s biggest battery manufacturer, just unveiled TENER, a new energy storage system for utility companies.

Kristin Houser

A stylized illustration of a shower head spraying water

Sustainability

More water pressure means shorter showers, UK study finds

University students used less water during their showers when they had more water pressure — and they could see a clock.

Ross Pomeroy

A black and yellow image of a tokamak during nuclear fusion reactions

Clean Energy

AI solves huge problem holding back fusion power

Princeton researchers have trained an AI to predict and prevent a common problem during nuclear fusion reactions.

Kristin Houser

a collage of a satellite above earth and pollution

Climate Crisis

Google AI is searching the world for methane leaks from space

Google will provide computing resources to MethaneSAT, a project to identify climate-harming methane leaks from space.

Kristin Houser

electron beam welding being employed on a metal tube

Clean Energy

How electron beams could jumpstart the nuclear industry

Electron beam welding could accelerate manufacturing of small modular reactors, helping make nuclear power a part of our clean energy future.

Kristin Houser

A vibrant red sand dune in the desert with a blue sky

Climate Crisis

Mega solar farms could make it rain in deserts

A new study suggests that gigantic solar farms could be used to create “heat islands” that make rain locally.

Kristin Houser

A person is putting a battery into the back of a bike.

Cars

Cobalt-free batteries could power cars of the future

A new lithium-ion battery that includes a cathode based on organic materials could offer a more sustainable way to power electric cars.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office

an image of the interior of the JET nuclear fusion reactor

Clean Energy

Fusion reactor break world record in final experiment

The JET tokamak set a new world record for generating energy from nuclear fusion during its final experiment.

Kristin Houser

a collage featuring a satellite for space-based solar power and the sun

Clean Energy

NASA lays out the path to space-based solar power

A NASA study found that space-based solar power is likely far too expensive, but it also details what would need to happen to make it work.

Kristin Houser

A group of test tubes containing battery materials in a dark background.

Batteries

Microsoft AI discovers 18 new battery materials in two weeks

Using AI and cloud computing, Microsoft was able to quickly identify 18 promising battery materials for the Department of Energy.

Kristin Houser

Two women in lab coats working with a beaker.

Agriculture

Zapping plants in “eSoil” makes them grow 50% larger

Using a new “eSoil” to electrically stimulate plants during hydroponic farming could potentially increase crop yields.

Kristin Houser

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