UK – ENGGtalks®

24 May 23

Drivers should be taxed per mile starting with EVs, think tank says

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

In its ‘The Future of Driving’ report, the centre-right think tank said that road transport in Britain generates too much congestion and air pollution and that drivers are paying more through taxation than is invested back in the road network. CPS argues that fuel duty and vehicle excise duty should…

19 May 23

Great British Railways project at risk, reports suggest

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

The creation of Great British Railways (GBR) - former prime minister Boris Johnson's plan to simplify the British rail network - may not be included in the King's speech this year, leading to the formation of a diminished body with only a fraction of the powers included in the original…

19 May 23

Britain awards first 20 offshore carbon storage licences

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Once the storage sites are in operation, they are expected to store up to 30 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030, approximately 10 per cent of the UK's annual emissions. The licences cover an area of around 12,000 square kilometres in size, located near Aberdeen, Teesside, Liverpool and…

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…

18 May 23

Government’s energy efficiency schemes are ‘struggling’ to meet targets, councils warn

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Local authorities have raised concerns over the sluggish pace of home insulation schemes, and the risk it poses to many people facing fuel poverty. The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 300 councils in England and Wales, said the government's flagship energy efficiency scheme supported 60,000 homes in 2022,…

15 May 23

UK energy independence under threat from falling North Sea production

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

According to a report by The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), under current conditions, gas import dependence has the potential to grow by 60 per cent by 2035. This is anticipated to have “major financial implications”, including a profound negative impact on the UK’s balance of trade and household…

03 May 23

MPs call on government to accelerate Welsh nuclear plant project

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

The Welsh Affairs Committee has warned that “major obstacles remain” before Wylfa could be home to a gigawatt-scale nuclear power station. The site was already home to a nuclear power station that operated for over 40 years until decommissioning began in 2015. A second plant has been proposed as part…

01 May 23

Can AI save lives? Cancer detection study suggests yes

Computer & Information Technology

Much of the world may currently be fretting about how to limit the impact (lack of privacy, copyright issues, loss of jobs, world domination, etc.) of artificial intelligence. However, that does not mean that there isn’t enormous potential for AI to improve quality of life on earth. One such application…

01 May 23

Transatlantic chip wars? UK needs to up its policy game, leading startup says

Computer & Information Technology

While the UK is being labelled as “closed for business” and Rishi Sunak is playing Unicorn Kingdom in Silicon Valley, the British chip industry risks losing some of its strongest players due to a lack of supportive policies. Based in Cambridge, UK, Pragmatic Semiconductor, funded in part by the CIA’s…

30 Apr 23

A tribute to Alan Rickman’s life and roles

Computer & Information Technology

The latest Google Doodle celebrates late British actor Alan Rickman and his impact on culture in the U.K. and around the world.

UK

Drivers should be taxed per mile starting with EVs, think tank says

Great British Railways project at risk, reports suggest

Britain awards first 20 offshore carbon storage licences

Government expected to miss target for installations of rapid EV chargers

Government’s energy efficiency schemes are ‘struggling’ to meet targets, councils warn

UK energy independence under threat from falling North Sea production

MPs call on government to accelerate Welsh nuclear plant project

Can AI save lives? Cancer detection study suggests yes

Transatlantic chip wars? UK needs to up its policy game, leading startup says

A tribute to Alan Rickman’s life and roles

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

IEEE President’s Note: Connecting the Unconnected

3 stories of founders building apps for the LGBTQ+ community

5 ways you can personalize your smartwatch with Wear OS

Here’s how Unilever is harnessing AI to innovate your favourite products