The world’s first all-electric tugboat to sail in 2023
Crowley Maritime Corporation recently revealed their design for eWolf — the world’s first all-electric harbor tugboat, due to hit the water over the next two years.
Technology & innovation
This archive covers technology and innovation breakthroughs that improve lives, protect the environment, and expand human possibility. From medical devices to clean energy tools, the stories here focus on what’s working and who’s making it happen.
Dole and Piñatex are partnering to scale up vegan leather production
Piñatex turns pineapple leaves into vegan, petroleum-free leather products. Now, Piñatex will have access to waste leaves from Dole’s Philippines farm, one of the largest pineapple plantations in the world.
World’s first lab-grown-meat factory opens in Israel
The factory will have the capacity to produce 1,100 lb of cultured chicken, pork and lamb each day, which is equivalent to around 5,000 burgers, and the company says beef products are on the way.
Volvo announces plan to develop fossil-free steel
In a bid to meet its stated “carbon free” goals, Volvo is teaming up with Swedish steel manufacturer SSAB and its HYBRIT initiative, which is being called “the industry’s most ambitious and advanced project” in terms of fossil-free steel development.
‘Holy grail’ battery breakthrough sees scientists solve 40-year problem
The development, made by a team at Harvard University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, increases the lifetime of electric vehicles while simultaneously increasing their range and reducing their charge time.
IBM develops the world’s smallest and most powerful microchip
Running on 2-nanometer chips, cell phone batteries are expected to last four times longer, laptops could get significantly faster, and the carbon footprint of data centers could be slashed thanks to higher energy efficiency.
World-first printable transistor is fully recyclable with water and sound
Engineers at Duke University have developed the world’s first fully recyclable printed electronics, demonstrated in the form of a transistor that can be reduced to its original building blocks with the help of baths and sound waves.
Norwegian app designed to sleuth out sources of sea plastic pollution
A new app, currently in development at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, is designed to determine where plastic waste came from so action can be taken.
ABB launches “world’s fastest, most sensitive drone-based leak detection & GHG measuring system”
ABB claims that the sensitivity with which it detects methane is 1,000 greater than it is with conventional methane detection tools. And it can do so while flying 130 ft above the ground or even higher — at 55+ mph.
CASE announces first-ever electric backhoe-loader
Case says the fuel and maintenance costs are reduced by 90%, and that most users will recoup the extra costs within 5 years of operation.