Clean energy solutions offer new spark for Europe’s small island nations

Malta and Cyprus team up with larger EU countries to increase their clean energy capacity. By Michaela Nesvarova For many Europeans, Cyprus and Malta represent a distant Mediterranean paradise. But despite their sunny climate, the two are less able to capitalise on their wealth of sunshine and potential clean energy than one may expect. One … Read more

Winds of change – the new tech steering commercial shipping towards a more sustainable future

Cargo ships and cruise liners may soon be harnessing the power of wind and waves to reduce their carbon emissions thanks to EU-funded researchers. By Tom Cassauwers In August 2023, a five-year old cargo ship, Pyxis Ocean, made history when it set sail from Shanghai, China, heading towards the southern Brazilian port of Paranaguá. A … Read more

Biotech potential set to soar with the help of digital technology

Microbes and fungi have long been nature’s helpers in producing fine food, drinks and medicine, but new digital technologies could unlock far greater potential for the European biotech sector. Beer may not be the answer to all of life’s problems, but the science behind it could help decarbonise industrial processes and clean up the environment. … Read more

New aerospace and building materials could repair themselves thanks to fungi and bacteria

EU-funded researchers are using biological matter to create unique new materials that can adapt to their environment and repair themselves. By Michaela Nesvarova The science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke famously said that ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ For Dr Kunal Masania, an associate professor of aerospace structures and materials at the … Read more

Greener greenhouses promise more energy-efficient growing power

Commercial greenhouses in Europe are testing new energy and water efficiency technologies in support of the green transition. By  Bárbara Pinho In the province of Almería in southeastern Spain, farmers grow an estimated 2.5 to 3.5 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables every year in what has become known as Almeria’s sea of greenhouses. In this … Read more

Satellite oversight: ensuring Europe’s renewable energy security from above

EU-funded researchers are using AI and satellite technologies to make the continent’s renewable energy infrastructure more reliable. By Jack McGovan Solar panels and wind turbines had to be shut down in Greece for a short period in May this year because the national electricity grid wasn’t able to absorb the amount of energy being produced. … Read more