The 2024 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering has been awarded to Denmark’s Henrik Stiesdal and Britain’s Andrew Garrad CBE for their achievements in advancing the design, manufacture and deployment of high-performance wind turbines – developments that have enabled wind energy to make a material contribution to global electricity generation and deliver transformational impact … [Read more...] about Wind power pioneers win 2024 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering
Sustainability
Spanish companies join forces to design hydrogen-powered high-speed train
A consortium of ten Spanish companies has announced a plan to design, build and install the world’s first hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered high-speed train. Under the Hympulso project, which has received a €6.5million grant, the companies will develop a set of technologies that can be applied to the Talgo 250 ‘all-terrain’ train, making it possible to electrify the rail network … [Read more...] about Spanish companies join forces to design hydrogen-powered high-speed train
UK eVTOL operations a step closer as aviation regulator looks at vertiport design proposals
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a consultation on design proposals for vertiports at existing aerodromes, paving the way for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft operations in the UK. Vertiports are sites used for the arrival, departure and surface movement of VTOL aircraft. With hundreds of airfields dotted across the UK, a network to connect … [Read more...] about UK eVTOL operations a step closer as aviation regulator looks at vertiport design proposals
Accounting for plastic persistence can minimise environmental impacts
Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have developed a sustainability metric for the ecological design of plastic products that have low persistence in the environment. ‘While plastic pollution threatens ecosystems and human health, the use of plastic products continues to increase,’ the researchers wrote. ‘Limiting its harm requires design strategies … [Read more...] about Accounting for plastic persistence can minimise environmental impacts
BT exploring possibility of using street cabinets as EV chargers
The BT Group’s startup and digital incubation arm, Etc., has announced that it plans to power up its first EV charging unit built from a street cabinet traditionally used to store broadband and phone cabling. The announcement marks the first step in the rollout of new technical trials that will explore the potential to upgrade up to 60,000 cabinets to help meet government … [Read more...] about BT exploring possibility of using street cabinets as EV chargers