MIT Energy Initiative

A new MIT study shows there is enough land to support capping global warming at 1.5C while addressing long-term food security and ecosystem health. The researchers highlight the need for transformative changes in policy, land management practices, and consumption patterns to make this happen. “These policies must not only promote efficient use of land for food, energy and nature, but also be supported by long-term commitments from government and industry decision-makers," states Angelo Gurgel, lead author and MIT Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy Principal Research Scientist. https://lnkd.in/ejbMrxVm #energy #globalwarming #foodsecurity

New episode of MITEI’s “What if it works?”! ?? Rising to the climate challenge: Susan Solomon is a scientist known for her pioneering work explaining the hole in the ozone layer. And she believes that just as we solved that crucial environmental problem, we can also solve the great challenge of global temperature rise. She shares her three Ps for achieving success—when a problem becomes personal and perceivable, steering practical solutions—and reveals the tremendous power that you as the consumer really have.? Listen and subscribe for free: https://lnkd.in/efqy354E. ? Available in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. #energy #podcast #climate

Ethan Peterson (Plasma Science and Fusion Center) started at MIT as an undergrad, where his interest in both physics and renewable energy led him to the field of nuclear fusion. Now an assistant professor, Peterson specializes in neutronics: a branch of nuclear engineering focused on where neutrons are created and where they go. "I was struck by the richness and interdisciplinary nature of the fusion field. This was an engineering discipline where I could apply physics to solve a real-world problem in a way that was both interesting and beautiful.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ejZNvA7s #fusion #energy #renewableenergy

Demand for the minerals and metals needed for clean energy technologies such as electric vehicle batteries is growing rapidly, which can strain existing supply chains and sometimes harm local environments. "As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, the demand for EVs, and consequently for nickel, has increased dramatically and is projected to continue to do so," states Elsa Olivetti (Materials Science and Engineering), co-author of a new paper examining the impacts of nickel mining on local environments, economies, and communities. In their study, the researchers highlight the role that policies can play in incentivizing more sustainable demand and supply-side behavior. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCMbbq_q #energy #nickel #mining #sustainability

MIT researchers have developed a three-dimensional transistor using ultrathin semiconductor materials that operate more efficiently than silicon-based devices. Their extremely small size allows for more transistors to fit in a computer chip, resulting in fast, energy-efficient electronics. “We have a lot of flexibility to design these material heterostructures so we can achieve a very thin tunneling barrier, which enables us to get very high current," states lead author and MIT postdoc Yanjie Shao. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/epRjaTqj #energy #energyefficiency #electronics

Battery electric vehicles are critical to decarbonizing transportation. As such, ensuring a sustainable and resilient future supply of battery constituents derived from mined minerals will be essential. Nickel, a critical metal used in EV batteries, is under scrutiny for its emissions intensity and supply concentration. New research, with co-authors Robert Stoner (MIT Tata Center) and Elsa Olivetti (Materials Science and Engineering), outlines the technical, economic, environmental, and geological considerations of nickel mining in Indonesia, and discusses the role of demand in aligning interests and incentives to advance sustainable, low-impact nickel-processing pathways. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eEveqB4Q

How can government policy help enable a just energy transition? As part of our MITEI Presents: Advancing the Energy Transition speaker series, Representative Sean Casten highlighted policy measures that can help overcome existing roadblocks to decarbonize the U.S. economy. Did you miss the event? Watch it now: https://lnkd.in/eAzAiCft #energypolicy #energy #event #climateaction

How does Carbon-14—a "tracer" molecule used to date most objects—prove that fossil fuels are the cause of climate change? Normally, there would be an approximate steady state between the rates of Carbon-14 formation and decay—meaning the amount of Carbon-14 in the air stays the same. Since fossil fuels don't contain Carbon-14, their emissions include Carbon-12 instead, altering the balance of Carbon-14 in Earth's air. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ehR3KZFz

?? MITEI Senior Research Scientist Sergey Paltsev weighs in on the roadblocks facing hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle adoption, stating, "The answer is very simple: economics." The lack of fueling infrastructure, energy-conversion inefficiencies, and the price of fuel are the primary factors keeping these vehicles behind their electric counterparts. Read more via Popular Science: https://lnkd.in/e7RWzFFF #hydrogen #transportation #energy

With growing demand for EVs and sales of larger vehicles soaring, car companies are rolling out electric pickup trucks. “A shift to an electric vehicle is one of the single most impactful decisions that someone can make if they want to reduce their own emissions," states MIT's Jessika Trancik. Carboncounter, an online tool developed in Trancik's lab, finds that switching to an electric pickup can save 30-60% emissions, but battery development and affordability present major challenges. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e_y8btDV #electricvehicles #transportation #energy