infrastructure

23 May 23

Cool power plants with salt water to preserve freshwater supplies, scientists say

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

With freshwater supplies threatened due to drought, climate change and rapid socioeconomic growth, water competition is increasing between the electric power sector and other sectors. Further, efforts to decarbonise fossil fuel-fired power plants by carbon capture and storage would significantly increase water consumption. “Non-traditional water sources can be deployed to…

19 May 23

Government expected to miss target for installations of rapid EV chargers

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Less than a quarter of 119 motorway services reviewed by the RAC on Zapmap currently have the target number of chargers to serve the UK’s estimated 760,000 battery electric vehicles. The RAC’s research found there are around 400 high-powered charging units situated at motorway services capable of charging 682 electric…

10 May 23

National Grid hints Demand Flexibility Service could take on expanded role

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

According to National Grid ESO, this would be enough to power nearly 10 million homes for an hour across Great Britain. In total, 1.6 million households and businesses signed up to participate in 22 service events across the winter, covering both live events to balance the electricity network and monthly…

24 Apr 23

Superconducting highway concept would allow vehicles to travel at 400mph

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Superconductors can conduct electricity without any resistance or power loss and can effortlessly cause magnets to levitate above them. These properties would make superconductors useful for high-speed trains or long-distance power transmission in theory, but they only work at extreme low temperatures - more than one hundred degrees below zero.…

17 Apr 23

View from Brussels: MEPs call for funding focus to favour green transport

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Transport is one of the more visible proofs of Europe-wide harmony and unity. Intercity train travel and ferry links are physical reminders of how open borders now are. Conversely, dysfunctional transport networks also highlight any problems that exist. That is why members of the European Parliament’s transport committee want to…

12 Apr 23

Japanese maglev line unlikely to meet 2027 opening date

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

News agency Jiji Press has reported that in a media briefing Shunsuke Niwa - the new president of Central Japan Railway Co., or JR Central (aka JR Tokai inside Japan) - reiterated the company's view that it will be difficult to open the maglev line between Tokyo and Nagoya, central…

06 Apr 23

Coal plant retirements must be ramped up to meet climate goals

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

With the exception of China, the number of coal plants dropped in both developed and developing countries in 2022 as existing facilities were retired and planned projects cancelled. But the pace of retirements needs to move four and half times faster – and new coal plants must stop being built…

30 Mar 23

Rural businesses struggle with local infrastructure, transport and skills

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

According to a survey of more than 900 SMEs from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), 27 per cent expect their turnover to decrease over the next year, while only 30 per cent plan to increase investment in technology and R&D Almost two in three (64 per cent) believe they…

27 Mar 23

UK making ‘negligible advances’ on infrastructure initiatives, advisers say

Geotechnical & Environmental

The UK is "moving too slowly" on projects set to push forward economic and climate targets, according to the National Infrastructure Commission's (NIC) latest Infrastructure Progress Review. The country's official independent infrastructure adviser has warned the government is at risk of failing to deliver the aims of its National Infrastructure Strategy…

15 Mar 23

UK urged to ‘transform’ 11 ports to support floating offshore wind boom

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

A report by the Global Wind Energy Council's (GWEC) Floating Offshore Wind Taskforce contains a series of recommendations which could see 34 gigawatts (GW) of floating wind installed in UK waters by 2040 if “decisive action” is taken by the government. Ministers have so far set a target to install…

Cool power plants with salt water to preserve freshwater supplies, scientists say

Government expected to miss target for installations of rapid EV chargers

National Grid hints Demand Flexibility Service could take on expanded role

Superconducting highway concept would allow vehicles to travel at 400mph

View from Brussels: MEPs call for funding focus to favour green transport

Japanese maglev line unlikely to meet 2027 opening date

Coal plant retirements must be ramped up to meet climate goals

Rural businesses struggle with local infrastructure, transport and skills

UK making ‘negligible advances’ on infrastructure initiatives, advisers say

UK urged to ‘transform’ 11 ports to support floating offshore wind boom

Electronic skin can self-heal after a cut, researchers find

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