Our blog features brief essays, op-eds, and Q&As that cover a wide variety of energy and environmental topics. Each entry is written by researchers from around Penn State, including faculty members and graduate students.
Penn State delegation: What to watch for at COP28
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A six-person Penn State delegation will be traveling to Dubai for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's COP28, which runs from November 30–December 12, 2023. They will be official observers of the meeting, which means that they have the right to speak, make presentations, and engage with governments, NGOs, industry, and the media. They will also be collaborating with other higher education institutions.
Groundwater: Deep need, deep trouble
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Groundwater is a hidden resource that many people have come to rely on. Large amounts of it are used to supply drinking water to communities and irrigation to farmlands. However, with groundwater being pumped faster than it is replenished and climate change exacerbating its decline, that commodity is in danger of disappearing.
Why quantum materials are the answer to our energy transmission and data storage challenges
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Although quantum materials may seem complicated and mysterious, their unusual properties could be harnessed to help solve challenges with energy transmission and data storage.
Gasoline used in your car produces a lot of 'trash' in the form of CO2 emissions
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Every week, there is a constant reminder about how much trash we throw away: the nearly endless lines of large garbage bins sitting out on the curb. But what about the other things we don’t see that we are throwing out, like those invisible gases emitted by our automobiles?
How will carbon chemistry change in warmer and drier Rocky Mountain streams?
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With drought in the West and decades of declining snowpack in the Rockies, there is less and less water in Rocky Mountain streams. Although water quantity is being discussed, drier, warmer conditions are also impacting water quality.
The legal and social complexities of solving climate change
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As the United States and other countries around the world wrestle with climate change and its impacts, there is also a lot of debate related to the technology, finances, regulations, and social acceptance of potential solutions to climate change.
The role of porous materials in the energy transition
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In order to decrease carbon emissions while not only maintaining, but growing, quality of life will require a reimagining of the energy and building sector, and a key element in that reimagining is porous materials, objects with tiny holes in them.
From climate to COVID: Effective communication of difficult topics
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Mass communication is a science, especially when communicating about science. Moreover, subjects like pandemics and climate change can be frightening and stressful for an audience, causing them to disengage. Researchers are exploring how communicators can connect with audiences and how audiences can consume media thoughtfully.
Will wildfires and smoky skies in the East be the new normal?
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Research shows that wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe. Generally, these blazes have been in the Western U.S. However, as climate change intensifies and other factors contribute to their development, wildfires are now occurring farther east, in areas that historically have not experienced wildfires or their hazardous air quality.
Underground hydrogen storage to support renewable energy
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Hydrogen is gaining traction as a key player in the transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable energy. When used as a fuel, hydrogen produces only water vapor as a byproduct, making it a low-carbon energy carrier that could replace carbon-intensive fossil fuels in energy-intensive sectors.