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New process uses localized surface plasmons for room-temperature conversion of CO2 to CO

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Although the researchers demonstrated this method in a small-scale, highly controlled environment with dimensions of just nanometers (billionths of a meter), they have already come up with concepts for scaling up the method and making it practical for real-world applications. C, hot enough to melt aluminum at normal atmospheric pressure.

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Chalmers team identifies two main challenges for bio-hydrocarbon fuel production from cheap sources

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Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have identified two main challenges for renewable biofuel production from cheap sources: lowering the cost of developing microbial cell factories; and establishing more efficient methods for hydrolysis of biomass to sugars for fermentation. —Eduard Kerkhoven. Zhou et al.

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Japan team reports pathway to green ammonia: photocatalytic conversion of nitrogen with water

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The solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency is 0.02%, which is the highest efficiency among the early reported photocatalytic systems. The basic concept uses photoformed valence band holes (VB h + ) to oxidize water; N 2 reduction by the conduction band electrons (CB e − ) produces NH 3. —Hirakawa et al. 7b06634.

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Researchers use chemical looping process to produce hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide gas

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The process uses relatively little energy and a relatively cheap material—iron sulfide with a trace amount of molybdenum as an additive. Compared with the undoped sulfur carrier, Mo dopant facilitates the surface hydrogen diffusion, thus promoting the overall H 2 S conversion. —Jangam et al.

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Perspective: Drive Star Conversion Program Could Cut US Oil Use in Half by 2020

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Here’s our rough draft, which we’re releasing as we refine the concept—we moved up our plans when we learned about the Tuesday address. And oil only seems cheap. Cash for Conversions” will start by fixing many of our 100 million trucks, vans, and buses. When they’re mass-produced, conversions will cost under $10-$15,000.

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EV ute overload: The electric pickups coming soon

EV Central

Toyota EPU (effectively an electric Hilux) Toyota EPU concept is an electric four-door ute Toyota has been glacially slow to the EV market but at the 2023 Tokyo motor show there were signs the message had finally sunk in. Toyota showed off a concept car called the EPU (or electric pick-up) alongside an electric version of the LandCruiser.

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E Paper License Plates Now Street-Legal in California

Cars That Think

Reviver Auto is making the so-called Rplates, and they aren’t cheap—the plates are listed at US $700, plus an $8 a month subscription fee. [ states will introduce the gadgets this year, and his company is “in conversation” with 10 more. See updated pricing above. –Ed. Boston said three more U.S.

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