International

Freedonia: Short-term hydrogen demand to grow 3.4%

By / March 10, 2010

The research company Freedonia Group predicts that worldwide hydrogen demand will continue to climb, growing at a 3.4 percent annual pace through 2013. Oftentimes the term “hydrogen economy” is associated…

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Friedman: ‘Dammit, you’re not dreaming enough!’

By / March 9, 2010

Like shootin’ fish in a barrel. Me, six days ago: Prediction: Tom will state that Bloom Energy changes everything! Today from Friedman: Several months ago, though, Sridhar took me into…

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World’s largest wind turbine in development for offshore flotation

By / March 8, 2010

Renewable Energy News reports that a Scandinavian energy company Sway is developing the world’s largest wind turbine, a 533-feet tall giant with a rotor diameter of 475 feet. It is…

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Materials Challenges in Energy 2010 tutorial presentations available

By / March 4, 2010

ACerS recently conducted a wonderful “Materials Challenges in Alternative & Renewable Energy 2010” conference Feb. 21-24  in Cocoa Beach, Fla. Co-organizers Jack G. Simon and George G. Wicks, along with…

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US glassmaking down, some pockets remain strong

By / March 3, 2010

According to recent press reports, large glass companies, such as Corning and Guardian Industries, claim that even as the economy improves, they are unlikely to bring domestic employment and production…

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U.S. mineral production declines 20% in 2009

By / February 16, 2010

From the perspective of the U.S.’s strategic interests, this does not bode well. The USGS today reported that the value of unprocessed non-fuel minerals dropped about $14 billion to $57…

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China’s refractory production down, alumina imports up 17%

By / February 12, 2010

The most recent edition of China’s Refractories magazine (published by the Luoyang Institute of Refractories Research) reports a some interesting changes in the trends in basic manufacturing in the nation.…

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Composite materials designed for hypersonic flight

By / February 11, 2010

University of Queensland (Australia) researchers are testing new materials that can withstand the extreme heat experienced by hypersonic aircraft to enable longer flight times. The tests use scramjet engines composed…

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Video(s) of the week: Ceramic matrix composite brakes

By / January 27, 2010

I’m currently in Daytona Beach, Florida for the ICACC’10 conference. One of the keynote speakers was the University of Bayreuth’s Walter Krenkel. Krenkel invented a liquid silicon infiltration process for…

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American solar thermal firm to shine in China

By / January 11, 2010

Reuters reported that concentrating solar thermal (CST) company eSolar has reached a deal to license its technology to a Chinese power equipment maker that plans to build a 2,000 megawatt…

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