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Mush-Rooms: How Mycelium Concrete Could Revolutionize Building Construction

Posted on August 29, 2023September 5, 2023 by dishanth

Mush-Rooms: Mycelium concrete (Myocrete) could revolutionize low-carbon building construction and provide another tool for building green.

A new paper published by the University of Newcastle has outlined a new method of creating a mycelium concrete construction material, with potentially far-reaching changes as a result.

The Need for Low-Carbon Building Materials

Concrete, by far, is the world’s most used building material. It is cheap, incredibly strong, and easy to manufacture. However, it carries costs elsewhere in our world.

The environmental impact of concrete manufacture, use, and transportation is incredibly high. Concrete production is responsible for 8% of all greenhouse gases worldwide, making it the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Natural materials like mycelium concrete (myocrete) might be part of the answer.

Burning fossil fuels creates most of these greenhouse gases to heat the enormous kilns used to create concrete. As well as that, there are the negative effects of mining the sand and gravel required to create concrete, which disturbs the environment and destroys natural ecosystems.

There is also the fact that concrete production requires massive amounts of water, which puts a strain on communities and areas already in need.

There have been some developments to make concrete less environmentally damaging, such as improving the efficiency of kilns so they don’t require as much heat; however, by and large, concrete production and use have been disastrous for our world.

Nevertheless, new developments have been underway to replace this widely used building material, such as mass timber. However, a unique and potentially revolutionary new material could be just around the corner, and it’s something that you’re probably more used to seeing on your plate than in your buildings.

Mushrooms in Our Walls

Mycelium-based construction material research, including mycelium concrete, has been underway for several years, as the effects of concrete production have been well-documented for decades. However, so far, the ability to scale and use mycelium in construction has been limited by the available technology and methods.

Currently, the method used in creating mycelium-derived construction materials is by filling a rigid mold with a mixture of mycelium and a food source such as grain for the mycelium. This method can produce rigid shapes, such as bricks, which can be used in construction.

However, there are limitations to the usability of these materials. For one, the strength required to compete with concrete isn’t there, and the rigid mold limits the variety of shapes and structures.

A new method created at the University of Newcastle, dubbed mycocrete (mycelium concrete), could completely change this and how construction has been done. The way mycocrete works is similar to past methods, with some distinctions.

One of them is in the mold that the paste is put into; where previous methods used rigid molds, mycocrete uses a permeable knitted mold that facilitates the growth of the mycelium by the amount of oxygen available. This flexible mold also allows the mycelium to grow in shapes that otherwise would be impossible with a rigid mold.

The process works by filling the knitted mold with a mixture of mycelium, paper powder, paper fiber clumps, water, glycerin, and xanthan gum. This is then hung up in a dark, warm, humid environment to facilitate the mycelium’s growth.

The result is a mycelium-based material significantly stronger than conventional mycelium bricks, notably much stronger than the material created with rigid molds. This is due to the amount of oxygen the mycelium has access to, given the mold’s permeability.

Myocrete is Still in the Early Stages, Though

However, despite the team’s promising results at Newcastle, myocrete mycelium concrete based buildings are still quite far off.

While continuing to develop the mycelium compound is still of major importance, the main obstacle is the fact that the factories and industries that work with the construction industry will need to be re-tooled for mycelium concrete along with new installation equipment being implemented.

Nonetheless, they have created some interesting prototypes, including the “BioKnit” project. This project was created to demonstrate the use of alternative materials in solving conventional construction design problems.

The team created BioKnit as one piece to limit weak spots inherent in joinery. Dr. Jane Scott, the author of the corresponding paper, said, “Our ambition is to transform the look, feel, and well-being of architectural spaces using mycelium concrete in combination with biobased materials such as wool, sawdust, and cellulose.”

With the priority being placed on reducing the environmental impact of construction, this new method could completely change the way we live and the spaces we live inside.

Source Happy Eco News

Space-Based Solar Power Works!

Posted on July 4, 2023 by dishanth

The concept of space-based solar power (SBSP) has been around for over five decades, but it’s only now that scientists have achieved a major milestone in its development. In June 2023, scientists at the California Institute of Technology successfully transmitted solar power to Earth from space using a prototype spacecraft called Maple. This breakthrough could pave the way for energy to be sent to remote regions and areas affected by war or natural disasters where access to electricity is limited.

The idea of space-based solar power involves capturing the energy produced by the sun in space and transmitting it wirelessly to Earth using microwaves. The technology required to achieve this is complex, but the potential benefits are enormous. Since the sun shines 24 hours a day in space, space-based solar power would provide a constant source of renewable energy that’s not affected by weather conditions or time of day. It could also be used to power space missions and settlements.

The first engineering design for a solar power satellite was produced by Czech-born NASA engineer Peter Glaser in 1968 and published that year in the journal Science. Since then, there have been several attempts to develop the technology required for SBSP, but progress has been slow due to the high costs involved and technical challenges. However, recent advances in space technology and wireless power transmission have renewed interest in space-based solar power as a viable source of clean energy.

The Maple spacecraft launched into orbit in January 2023 was designed to test the technology required for SBSP. It consisted of two parts: a solar panel that captured sunlight and converted it into electricity, and a microwave transmitter that beamed the energy to a receiving station on Earth. The power was transmitted wirelessly over a distance of 1.2 miles, which may not seem like much, but it’s a significant achievement given the technical challenges involved.

One of the main challenges of space-based solar power is the need to transmit energy wirelessly over long distances without losing too much power. This is achieved using microwaves, which are similar to the waves used in microwave ovens but at a much higher frequency. Microwaves can travel through the atmosphere and are not affected by weather conditions, making them ideal for transmitting energy from space. However, they can also be dangerous if not properly contained, so safety measures need to be put in place.

Another challenge of Space-Based Solar Power is the cost involved in launching the necessary equipment into space. Solar panels and microwave transmitters are bulky and heavy, which makes launching them into space expensive. However, recent advances in space technology have made it possible to launch smaller and more efficient satellites at a lower cost. This could make SBSP more economically viable in the future.

The potential benefits of SBSP are numerous. Since it provides a constant source of renewable energy, it could help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It could also be used to power remote regions and areas affected by war or natural disasters where access to electricity is limited. In addition, it could be used to power space missions and settlements, making long-term space exploration more feasible.

However, there are also concerns about the potential drawbacks of SBSP. One concern is the environmental impact of launching large numbers of satellites into space. Space debris is already a major problem, and adding more satellites could exacerbate the problem. Another concern is the potential health risks of wireless energy transmission. Although microwaves are generally safe, there’s still some uncertainty about their long-term effects on human health.

Despite these concerns, the successful transmission of solar power from space to Earth using Maple is a major achievement that could pave the way for more research into SBSP and its development into a viable large-scale energy source. The next step is to scale up the technology and test it over longer distances.

While there are still challenges to overcome, the potential benefits of SBSP are enormous and could play a critical role in our transition to a low-carbon future.

Source Happy Eco News

UK Government to lead on certification scheme for low-carbon hydrogen

Posted on February 13, 2023 by dishanth

The newly launched Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has today (9 February) unveiled plans to consult on the creation of a globally recognised standard for low-carbon hydrogen.

Currently, the is no certifiable way for producers of hydrogen to validate claims on whether it is low-carbon or not. The new standard, which will be launched by the UK Government, would use the methodology set out in the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard as the basis of the certification.

The Standard sets out in detail the methodology for calculating the emissions associated with hydrogen production and the steps producers are expected to take to prove that the hydrogen they produce is compliant.

The government will launch a consultation seeking industry feedback. It aims to have the certification scheme in place by 2025.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Minister Graham Stuart said: “Consumers and businesses care about investing sustainably. Thanks to this new scheme, investors and producers will be able to confidently identify and invest in trusted, high-quality British sources of low-carbon hydrogen, both at home and abroad.

“I look forward to working with industry as we deliver hydrogen as a secure, low carbon replacement for fossil fuels that will help us move towards net-zero, secure jobs, and boost investment.”

The UK is aiming to host at least 10GW of ‘low-carbon’ hydrogen production capacity by 2030. At least half of this will need to be ‘green’ hydrogen capacity. Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysing water at facilities powered using 100% renewable electricity.

However, the remaining production looks set to be predominantly “blue” hydrogen, which is produced by natural gas and supported by carbon capture technologies. However, the sharp increase in gas prices combined with the infancy of the carbon capture market has led some green groups to question this approach.

The announcement from Government comes in the same week that the Environment Agency (EA) published new regulatory guidance on the production of blue hydrogen in the UK, recommending that developers aim for a 95% carbon capture rate or fully explain why they are not able to.

The guidance is aimed at any organisation which will be seeking an environmental permit for their blue hydrogen facility. Such facilities produce hydrogen using fossil-based gases, such as natural gas or refinery fuel gas. CO2 generated during this process is then captured and made ready for permanent geological storage.

It states that “as a minimum” developers should achieve an overall CO2 capture rate of 95%. They will need to provide thorough justification if they are proposing a plant – new or retrofitted – with a lower capture rate.

The guidance acknowledges that carbon capture facilities will likely “operate on a flexible basis to balance variations in demand from hydrogen users”. There may also be changes during, for example, maintenance periods or periods of extreme weather. It states that it expects information on the steps developers would take to minimise the environmental impact of any changes, including reduced carbon capture rates and increased emissions.

Source edie

Centrica plans battery storage, solar and hydrogen at former gas power plant

Posted on January 27, 2023 by dishanth

British Gas owner Centrica has today (24 January) confirmed that it has acquired the four-acre site for the former Knapton Generating Station, near Malton in North Yorkshire, from Third Energy.

Gas-fired power generation ceased at Knapton in late 2019, as Third Energy had fired the plant using fracked gas before the UK Government imposed a moratorium on fracking. Third Energy was initially planning to create a low-carbon ‘energy park’ at the site but Centrica, as new owner, is now taking up that mantle.

Centrica has proposed the creation of a 28MW battery energy storage facility on the site. The facility will be developed in stages and the first part will be a 56MWh grid-connected battery. Centrica claims that this battery would be able to power 14,000 homes for two hours.

Centrica has also confirmed that it will explore the potential for installing solar panels in the surrounding area. A co-located battery with renewables like solar can help overcome the challenge of intermittent generation, storing generated electricity when conditions are favorable and demand is low, then providing the electricity to the grid during times of low generation and high demand.

Additionally, Centrica will investigate whether Knapton would be a suitable location for off-grid hydrogen production.

SSE Renewables

In related news, SSE Renewables has opened a public consultation on plans to co-locate battery energy storage and solar panels with its existing Richfield Wind Farm at Bridgetown in County Wexford, Ireland.

Richfield (pictured) is an 18-turbine wind farm that has been operational since 2006. It has a total generation capacity of 27MW.

SSE Renewables is seeking to develop a 21MWp solar farm on lands near the wind farm. It also wants to develop a co-located 10MW battery energy storage system which, like Centrica’s, would be able to power thousands of local homes for two hours.

The proposed solar farm would be located in the townlands of Hooks and Yoletown while the proposed battery energy storage system would be co-located adjacent to the existing substation at Richfield Wind Farm. SSE Renewables intends to submit a planning application to the County Council this spring, following a full public consultation.

SSE Renewables will need to, also, apply for permission for grid connection. At present, Ireland does not permit grid connections for ‘hybrid’ technologies, where projects are co-located.

“While some regulatory hurdles still need to be overcome to allow for hybrid grid connections, we’re ready at SSE Renewables to work closely with key government and regulatory stakeholders so that we can remove any remaining barriers and support the delivery of important solar and battery technology projects co-located at wind farm sites,” said the business’s onshore renewables development and construction director Heather Donald.

Ireland is notably aiming to generate 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, Wind is currently the leading renewable generation method for Ireland.

Source edie

Surviving to thriving in the low-carbon economy

Posted on October 5, 2022October 17, 2022 by dishanth

Climate change presents complex challenges for businesses, so how can sustainability teams move from surviving to thriving in the low-carbon economy?
At the end of July, the UK government’s net-zero strategy was found to be ‘unlawful’ in the High Court, marking the latest high-profile litigation case to find in favour of climate activists. This sort of action is neither new nor unique and the impact of cases like this reaches beyond constitutional reform and far into the business world.

The low-carbon economy is complicated. Litigation is just one test that can await businesses as they face down the very real and very current challenges presented by climate change. The risk of inaction can lead to customer attrition, supply-chain breakdown, reputational damage, direct legal action and, ultimately, serious financial impact. It has never been more important for companies to move the marker from merely surviving amidst these complex challenges to unearthing the opportunities and thriving as a business.

Taking in the view
Often overlooked, transition risks, business-related risks that follow social, economic and political trends related to a low-carbon and more climate-friendly future, are, by their very nature, more near term – presenting a significant challenge for businesses, now. We live in a fickle, fast-moving world. Consumer sentiment ebbs and flows on the rising tides of popular opinion; investors decide which companies dive, survive and thrive; and reputations can be wiped out with one extreme event. Often presented as a cost-prohibitive challenge, climate action actually gives companies an opportunity that business leaders can’t afford to miss.

Analyses carried out by Risilience found that the valuation of businesses failing to take climate action could be eroded by as much as 30% over the next five years, depending on company profile and how aggressively they tackle climate change. As climate-related legislation increasingly takes hold across the globe; from the proposed European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) to the UK’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), the temptation to view climate change as a problem for tomorrow’s enterprises has been eclipsed by the reality that it is a very real problem for businesses today.

A look ahead
Detailed analysis for where these pressures are likely to erode the value of the business shows where new opportunities can be found. The low-carbon economy is competitive and plays to the changeable nature of consumers, who can be highly discriminating and prone to switching brands according to how sustainable they believe the company to be –an opportunity for early movers to gain market share. We can take the lesson from the nineties when early changemakers saw the Internet economy coming.

Today we have the green economy, which is gaining momentum, so the choice is whether to grasp the opportunities that it creates or wait until it erodes your business model and, ultimately, the bottom line. Key actions involve upgrading manufacturing technology in processing plants to reduce emissions; substituting raw materials and suppliers for lower-emission alternatives; changing transportation and distribution fleets to electric vehicles and shortening the distribution footprint.

Finally, companies are finding that motivation and changing attitudes in their management and wider workforce are key to bringing about internal change from within an organisation. Internal incentivisation, shadowcarbon pricing and mandating changing practices, such as updating corporate travel policies, are all ways to instil a culture that seeks to prioritise climate action at both the strategic and operational levels of the business. To develop a comprehensive strategy, each of these initiatives needs to be evaluated for the volume of emissions that are saved relative to the costs and effort required, in terms of capital investment budget and operational change; and the resulting benefits and opportunities that the initiative provides for reducing risk.

A net-zero planning framework is essential and starts from a detailed understanding of the business and where its emissions come from, combined with detailed analyses of the costs and benefits each proposed initiative, respectively, requires and delivers, as part of an integrated strategy.

Data for a fresh perspective
A successful net-zero strategy is founded on three elements; climate-change science, business transformation and technology. When combined, and driven by data, all three provide sufficient visibility and operational efficiency such that the business can progress and thoroughly prepare for all risks that lie ahead. This same data will also be needed to seek and acquire buy-in from the top to ensure the value of acting, and fiscal damage for failing to, are highlighted to decisionmakers and budget holders in the business.

In addition, as we know, actionable insights are essential for driving momentum and evolving strategies. Organisations should seek risk analytics to shape their net-zero journey and truly understand the internal and external pressures that come from their customers, competitors, board and legislators –challenges that don’t lie in the future but sit very much in the here and now.

Source Sustainability

How tech can enliven Japan’s energy market

Posted on July 14, 2022July 11, 2022 by dishanth

In the transition to a low-carbon world, the sun accounts for an increasing amount of energy produced and consumed. But the energy generated is difficult to regulate as it is dependent on the weather. That is why accurate weather forecasting tools are gaining more traction, as researchers want to know in advance, as closely as possible, the amount of solar energy supply going into their power systems.

In Japan, where the government targets to make renewable sources of energy account for up to 36 to 38 per cent of the power supply by 2030, new technologies supporting the renewables market have sprung up. One of them is Apollon, a solar power generation forecasting system developed by Kansai Electric Power (also known as Kanden), which is based in Osaka and is the largest privately-owned electric utility in Japan.

Apollon, an acronym that stands for areal solar power forecasting system using satellite imagery estimation, uses imagery from the Japanese weather satellite Himawari-8 to predict solar radiation levels, and hence energy supply in the Kansai region in Japan.

Kanden’s manager Naoki Katayama says that while figures for absolute cost-savings cannot be disclosed, “Apollon can save millions of dollars, depending on the commodity prices such as oil and gas”. “If you don’t have good forecasting of solar power generation,” he adds, “then you would have to make fossil fuel power stations stand by, possibly in a wasteful way.”

Mr Naoki Katayama, who is an alumnus of Hitachi Young Leaders’ Initiative (HYLI) in 2005, believes in investing in companies providing environmentally friendly solutions across national borders.

Accurate forecasting systems can help make energy marketplaces more competitive. Katayama explains: “If you have good forecasting systems like Apollon, you can trade your excess energy with others on P2P (peer-to-peer) markets more easily and economically. With a wider spread use of this technology, more and more independent and individual energy distributors will have access to the energy marketplace, and the market will become livelier and competitive.”

“If you have good forecasting systems like Apollon, you can trade your excess energy with others on P2P (peer-to-peer) markets more easily and economically. With a wider spread use of this technology, more and more independent and individual energy distributors will have access to the energy marketplace, and the market will become livelier and competitive.” – Naoki Katayama, manager, Kanden

Katayama is also in charge of the company’s corporate venture capital arm named K4 Ventures. K4 Ventures invests in firms developing low-carbon solutions, storage batteries, AI and so on, and its fund constitutes approximately 9 billion Japanese yen.

In this interview, Eco-Business chats with this industry stalwart, who was trained as a lawyer and is an alumnus of Hitachi Young Leaders’ Initiative (HYLI) in 2005, to learn more about his thoughts on ESG trends in the Asia-Pacific region as well as his experience at the youth development programme.

How has the Covid-19 pandemic spurred investments in ESG-related companies?

I speak in the context of “E”, for environment. As more people work from home, they become more incentivised to reduce their electricity bills, which can make them turn to sources of renewable energy, and take measures like installing rooftop solar panels. This could spur investment in companies whose products are related to the clean energy movement.

What do you see as the key trends in ESG investing in the Asia-Pacific?

I see ESG investments, especially environment-related ones, growing not only within a single country, but across nations in APAC. As far as global warming is concerned, countries are interrelated and affected by one another. I believe that as neighbours living in the APAC region, we will see more movements to invest in companies providing environmentally-friendly solutions across national borders.

Which country is taking the lead for ESG investments in APAC and why? Is Japan poised to be a trendsetter in this area?

Yes, it is. Japan should be one of the leaders because it has been dependent on imports from the rest of the world for natural resources such as oil and gas. Therefore, this country is very keen to develop low-carbon energy-related technology and solutions, especially as we’re currently facing a crisis in energy supply due to the current Russia-Ukraine situation.

Why did you develop Apollon? How did that change how energy is distributed, managed, traded and governed?

Kansai Electric developed Apollon with its subsidiary company Meteorological Engineering Center two years ago, because the technology had the potential to help increase the use of renewable energy in the APAC region. Thanks to this technology, people can get a better forecast of the amount of energy produced by solar power stations, including their rooftop solar panels, and adjust their usage of fossil fuel energy, which also leads to cost reduction in their electricity bills.

Moreover, improved forecasting will make it easier for them to trade excess energy with others, a process called peer-to-peer (P2P) trading. More of such P2P trading can be governed by smart contracts [programmes stored on a blockchain that runs when predetermined conditions are met]. This will help remove the burden on independent and individual energy distributors to make legal contracts by hand.

Can you tell us more about the concept of PEACE, and how your team at HYLI came up with it?

We came up with PEACE (Process for an East Asia Common Economy) to accelerate the integration of economies in East Asia. “Challenges and Opportunities of Asian Economic Integration” was one of the sub-themes at the 7th HYLI. As our team members were aware that East Asian countries faced the challenge of participating in the opportunities of free trade, we came up with a win-win mechanism that would establish a so-called “PEACE Fund” comprised of voluntary contributions from member-nations. These nations could receive incentives, including prioritising sub-contracting and preferential tariffs, from other member countries.

How does Apollon fit into your team’s vision of PEACE?

Apollon will possibly make such an integration of East Asian economies happen by supporting cross-border transactions of solar energy and/or its environmental values on a P2P basis among independent and individual energy distributors in the region who will benefit from its forecasting technology.

How was your experience at the Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative?

PEACE was originally developed for East Asia, but the idea could be widened for the entire APAC. Free trade can potentially happen in the context of exchanging environmental value or carbon credits among different industry players and individuals in the region. My experience at HYLI has enabled me to think more broadly.

It has also motivated me to stay peace-oriented in the real world. Through my discussion with my team members, I learnt to build win-win relationships among different players with conflicting interests across borders. Currently, I always try to keep in mind that my professional skill as attorney at law can be used to make peaceful relationships, especially after long and severe negotiations between different parties.

What advice would you give to youths who are interested in participating in HYLI?

With the Covid-19 pandemic, I imagine that students would have fewer opportunities to communicate with their peers from other countries. HYLI will be an excellent chance to discuss ideas with people from other backgrounds, and is a platform to create longstanding relationships.

Even though I participated in HYLI over 15 years ago, I’m still in communication with my batch mates! Some of my HYLI friends became my classmates at Columbia University in New York, and some even came to my wedding in Tokyo. Make the best use of your time together and get to really know people.

The theme for this year’s HYLI is Social Innovation in the New Normal. The event will be held from 18 to 21 July.

Source Eco Business