News

Researchers have identified a potential new degradation mechanism for electric vehicle batteries – a key step to designing effective methods to improve battery lifespan.The researchers, from the Universities of Cambridge and Liverpool, and the Diamond Light Source, have identified one of the reasons why state-of-the-art ‘nickel-rich’ battery materi…

Researchers have developed a standalone device that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into a carbon-neutral fuel, without requiring any additional components or electricity.The device, developed by a team from the University of Cambridge, is a significant step toward achieving artificial photosynthesis – a process mimicking the ability of…

Researchers have demonstrated the use of tinted, semi-transparent solar panels to generate electricity and produce nutritionally-superior crops simultaneously, bringing the prospect of higher incomes for farmers and maximising use of agricultural land.By allowing farmers to diversify their portfolio, this novel system could offer financial protecti…

David Newbery wrote an article “Transport policy for a post-Covid19 UK” for Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge, that was published as a blogpost in August 2020. Professor David Newbery argues that the UK’s transport policy needs to change direction as the economy starts to exit from lockdown. Investment in transport infras…

Researchers at Cambridge, Imperial and Singapore have developed a method to print ultrathin coatings on next-generation solar cells, allowing them to work in tandem with silicon solar cells to boost efficiencies.Photovoltaics, or solar cells, work by absorbing sunlight to produce clean electricity. But photovoltaics can absorb only a fraction of th…

To mark the 51st year of the MacRobert Award, the most prestigious prize for UK engineering innovation, the Royal Academy of Engineering assembled an expert panel to discuss how British engineers can apply their creativity to decarbonise our homes, travel and workplaces while creating jobs and a better environment for all over the next 30 years.Cha…

 5 February 2020 - University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) on behalf of the Cambridge Creative Circular Plastics Centre (CirPlas), organised the Second Cambridge CirPlas Forum: Relative impact of materials: connecting business, policy and research to deliver solutions. The event explored and showcased work being under…

 The UK has become the first major economy in the world to pass a net-zero emissions law, setting an ambitious target to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. The development and adoption of more energy-efficient materials is an important enabler for the UK to achieve this goal.In September 2019, the Henry Royce Institute submitte…

We are delighted to be able to share the recent news of the following promotions from 1 October 2020 for University of Cambridge academic staff and members of Energy Transitions@Cambridge:Professorship Nikos Nikiforakis, Department of PhysicsNikos leads the Laboratory for Scientific Computing group. His research interests are on the development and…

University of Cambridge researchers are working towards eliminating plastic waste and making best use of one of the most successful materials ever invented.Plastic has become a malevolent symbol of our wasteful society. It’s also cheap, durable, flexible, waterproof, versatile, lightweight, protective and hygienic.During the coronavirus pandemic, p…

Listen to the latest podcast Cambridge Zero Climate Talks. Guests for the 22 May 2020 podcast include Professor Erwin Reisner [at 33.55mins], who works on artificial photosynthesis, solar fuels and PI of the Cambridge Creative Circular Plastics Centre (CirPlas).Click here.

Researchers find long-term, climate-friendly stimulus policies are often superior in overall economic impact – not just in slowing global warming.An analysis of possible COVID-19 economic recovery packages shows the potential for strong alignment between the economy and the environment. The direction of these measures over the next six months will …

The University of Cambridge start-up Porotech is set to commercialise porous Gallim Nitride (GaN), which opens the door to high performance optoelectronic devices with unexpected properties. While silicon has been at heart of computer chips and microelectronics for decades, they are reaching the limit of performance, and thus an alternative like Ga…

Congratulations to Professor Manish Chhowalla, Director of Henry Royce Energy-Efficient ICT-Cambridge and Goldsmiths’ Professor of Materials Science (Dept of Materials Science and Metallurgy), who has been awarded the IOM3 Griffith Medal and Prize and shares the Charles Hatchett Award with the co-authors of the winning paper.His awards recognise hi…

Lithium-ion batteries last longer and recharge faster. Commonly used for mobile telephones, laptops and electric vehicles, the demand has been growing since the 1990s and manufacturers are constantly testing ways to improve these batteries with new chemical combinations.Dr Michael Volder’s (Dept of Engineering) is leading the research in the field …