Latest news with #SINTEF
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists develop extremely thin material that could usher in next-gen fuel source: 'Taking into account the global challenges'
Norwegian experts are making an already thin component for hydrogen fuel cells even slimmer to reduce the cost of the cleaner energy source, according to a news release on the breakthrough. The research is happening at SINTEF, an independent institute in Norway. Fuel cells work sort of like a battery, with similar parts. They convert hydrogen's chemical energy into electricity, water, and heat, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. As part of its criticism of the fuel, Sierra Club has noted that using hydrogen in a cell instead of burning it to produce energy eliminates harmful fume pollution. Cleaner hydrogen made through renewably powered electrolysis is also more planet-friendly than the standard production process that uses fossil fuels. However, fuel cells are expensive to produce, in large part because of costly components that include platinum. The Norwegian team addressed the issue with smaller parts, per the release. "By reducing the amount of platinum in the fuel cell, we're not only helping to reduce costs, we're also taking into account the global challenges regarding the supply of important raw materials and sustainability," researcher Patrick Fortin said in the release. The membrane and catalyst account for 41% of a fuel cell's cost, which is why the team focused on them. The membrane being studied is made of a polymer that is considered a PFAS, or forever chemical, that can have a lasting, negative impact on people and the environment. The researchers cut membrane thickness by 33% — making a sheet of paper seem like cardboard by comparison — reducing pollution as well as 20% of the costs, per the release. On the platinum front, the team figured out a better way to arrange the costly metal's particles to produce the most energy with the least amount of material. Platinum particles are like microscopic reactors "that [convert] hydrogen into electricity," the experts added. They were able to cut platinum content by more than 62% with some rearranging. Fuel cells are already powering superyachts, larger ships, and even helicopters. Researchers elsewhere are also working to make the tech more accessible. If fuel cells can replace combustion engines across multiple sectors, it could greatly help to clear the air. Transportation accounts for nearly 30% of U.S. planet-warming fume output, and tailpipe exhaust increases the risk of cancer and other health problems, per the Environmental Protection Agency. Should the U.S. invest more in battery innovations? Absolutely Depends on the project We're investing enough We should invest less Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Battery-powered electric vehicles are a great, reliable switch already available. Better yet, tax breaks remain to offset up to $7,500 of the cost. You can also plan to save around $1,500 annually in gas and maintenance expenses. Even driving more efficiently, by eliminating idling, can cut pollution and save you cash. In Norway, the experts think their invention can soon have a big impact for scaling fuel cells. "If the innovations are put into practice, our research will contribute to making future clean energy technologies — like powerful … fuel cells — cheaper and more sustainable," Fortin said in the release. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists unlock groundbreaking technology with the potential to transform global manufacturing: 'This could be a breakthrough'
Producing steel traditionally relies on dirty energy and contributes to air pollution from burning coal and natural gas. Approximately 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions can be attributed to making steel. However, researchers are working on pollution-free steel production technology to provide a cleaner, greener alternative. As Interesting Engineering reported, scientists at SINTEF, an independent research organization in Norway, are focusing on replacing carbon with hydrogen plasma to produce metals. Hydrogen plasma has unique properties that allow it to be more reactive than standard hydrogen once heated enough to transform into plasma. In a superheated state, hydrogen can efficiently strip oxygen from metal ores. However, hydrogen plasma only releases a byproduct of water vapor. This makes the process essentially pollution-free compared to conventional steel production, which relies on carbon. "If we succeed with hydrogen plasma, we can eliminate significant CO2 emissions from the metal industry," Kristine Bly, master of science at SINTEF, said. "This could be a breakthrough for the green transition in steel production." The SINTEF researchers hope to scale the technology to impact the metal industry. They are specifically looking to apply it to ferromanganese, which is used in steel manufacturing. The researchers are optimistic that this new technology can lead to widespread pollution-free metal production if they can overcome energy consumption and cost challenges. Green hydrogen and renewable electricity have the potential to transform the construction industry and meet global demands without compromising the health of people and our planet. Other research groups have been working on making steel more sustainable with the HYBRIT process in Sweden and Boston Metal's molten oxide electrolysis. At SINTEF, there's hope that transitioning from carbon to hydrogen plasma will impact global supply chains. The researchers believe this technology could reduce the demand for metallurgical coke and increase the demand for renewable energy, which is used to power the plasma process. They encouraged further research and innovation in this field to make hydrogen plasma technology economically viable. Does seeing a product labeled with its carbon footprint make you more likely to buy it? Definitely Only if the carbon footprint is small Only if I understand the label Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. With cost-effective clean energy, governments and institutions are better positioned to achieve their clean energy goals. Meanwhile, people living near steel manufacturing facilities would have healthier air to breathe with fewer pollutants and toxins from the production processes. The SINTEF researchers also recommended close collaboration between the steel industry and governments and financial support through grants and incentives to reduce companies' initial burdens. Once implemented, companies will need to train their workers to use the new technology, and educational institutions must adapt their curricula to prepare the future workforce. Finally, they pointed out that this research comes from a Norwegian socio-economic perspective and that global economic effects may be mixed, at least for now. "Norway experiences positive impacts on value-added and employment, but globally, sectors like mining and coke production decline due to reduced demand for coke, affecting countries like Denmark, Brazil, Nigeria, and the USA," the researchers wrote. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Innovative Algorithm Slashes Time to Solve Massive Optimization Problems
Research paper by Bjørnar Luteberget and Giorgio Sartor wins 2024 FICO® Xpress Best Paper Award; the algorithm is now in FICO® Xpress Solver BOZEMAN, Mont., January 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FICO (NYSE: FICO): Global analytics software leader FICO today announced that the 2024 FICO® Xpress Best Paper Award went to a team that developed an algorithm for finding solutions to difficult optimization problems with millions of variables and constraints in just a few seconds. The paper from Bjørnar Luteberget and Giorgio Sartor of SINTEF, one of Europe's largest independent research institutes, presents the "Feasibility Jump" algorithm that accelerates the time for finding a first feasible solution to a massive optimization problem. The algorithm has been integrated into FICO® Xpress Solver. More information: "When solving a very large computational problem, optimization solvers can require significant computational time to find a first feasible solution," said Dr. Timo Berthold, director of Mixed-Integer Optimization at FICO who co-manages the contest. "The innovative work done by Luteberget and Sartor is a heuristic algorithm for Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP) problems that 'jumps' past the need to first develop a Linear Programming solution to the problem. It is a Lagrangian relaxation heuristic that can be very effective in quickly producing feasible solutions to large-scale, complex MIP problems." Feasibility Jump was initially developed for the MIP 2022 Computational Computation, which challenged participants to develop LP-free MIP heuristics. After winning the competition, a question was left hanging in the air: How does Feasibility Jump compare with state-of-the-art commercial solvers, and can it be used to complement them? This is where the FICO® Xpress Solver entered the picture. "One of Feasibility Jump's main features is its efficiency: with a modern laptop, it can perform up to a million variable assignments per second," said Giorgio Sartor, one of the paper's co-authors. "This can represent the difference between obtaining the first feasible solution in seconds instead of minutes. The high customization capabilities and low-level control possibilities of FICO Xpress Solver were essential to properly integrate and rigorously test Feasibility Jump inside a cutting-edge MIP solver." Torkel Andreas Haufmann, research manager at SINTEF, adds: "At SINTEF we take pride in transforming research findings into real-world, practical solutions. This work is a great example of groundbreaking research combined with an application-oriented mindset!" "We at FICO congratulate Bjørnar and Giorgio on winning the 2024 FICO Xpress Best Paper Award," said Berthold. "Amidst numerous strong contenders, their remarkable research stood out prominently. The award jury was impressed by its originality and practical relevance. The awarded paper significantly contributed to the development of MIP technology and showed remarkable results in challenging instances." The winning paper was published in Mathematical Programming Computation 15.2 (2023): Luteberget, Bjørnar, and Giorgio Sartor. "Feasibility Jump: an LP-free Lagrangian MIP heuristic." In 2022, the FICO® Xpress Best Paper Award was introduced to acknowledge exceptional research in mathematical optimization, operations research and related fields. Nominations for the 2025 award are due by January 31. Recognized as one of the fastest and most powerful optimization solvers, FICO® Xpress Solver gives business users, data scientists and researchers greater power and flexibility when solving complex problems in supply chain optimization, energy, pricing and many other applications. About FICO FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 80 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top US lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the US and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access and transparency. Learn more at Learn more at Join the conversation at & For FICO news and media resources, visit FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. View source version on Contacts Julie Huangpress@ Sign in to access your portfolio
