Scientists develop enzyme that breaks down PET 

May 23, 2022  |  EcoNote

A multidisciplinary team in primarily working at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), has developed a polyethylene terephthalate hydrolase (PETase) capable of breaking down untreated post-consumer PET in a single week, according to a study published in Nature.
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Winners recognized in Microfiber Innovation Challenge

March 28, 2022  |  EcoNote

Five innovations have won a total of $525,000 as a part of Conservation X Labs’ Microfiber Innovation Challenge for their ability to reduce or prevent microfiber pollution. Submissions were received from 19 countries for their solutions designed to prevent or reduce the shedding of microscopic fib…
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Solar panels are made from plant waste

March 28, 2022  |  EcoNote

Engineering student Carvey Ehren Maigue has found an innovative way to make a solar panel that functions even in cloudy weather. The product called “AuReus” harvests the unseen ultraviolet (UV) light that comes through dense cloud coverage. According to Maigue, preliminary testing shows that the…
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Solar-powered electric catamaran features a kite wing 

February 21, 2022  |  EcoNote

SILENT-YACHTS has unveiled its new SILENT 60, a solar-powered catamaran with a kite wing instead of conventional sails. The company, located in Mallorca, Spain, and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., says that the yacht’s 42 solar panels generate 17 kWp to power two electric motors of 200 kW each. The 60…
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Flexible, versatile heater provides personal comfort

January 24, 2022  |  EcoNote

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed a thin, flexible and plastic-free heater to help reduce energy consumption in homes and offices, and still offer individuals comfortable temperatures. When attached to seats, walls or floors, the heaters generate heat to the individual temperatu…
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Toray develops plant-based nylon

January 24, 2022  |  EcoNote

Japanese textile company Toray has launched a nylon fiber made entirely from plant-derived polymers. Toray says its new material, Ecodia ® N510, displays the same physical characteristics as conventional petroleum-derived nylon, with the equivalent strength and heat resistance, and excell…
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Flexible, paper-based battery biodegrades in soil

January 10, 2022  |  EcoNote

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have created a paper-based battery that is fully biodegradable in soil after about a month. The battery could eventually be used in non-disposable, flexible electronic devices and smart fabrics. One version of the battery is just …
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Floating solar panels studied

December 20, 2021  |  EcoNote

A consortium led by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) has launched a study on floating, flexible solar energy systems. IDTechEx reports that the system of floating units has been installed in the Fieldlab Green Economy Westvoorne in Oostvoornse Meer lake, near the Ma…
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