Researchers aim to harness heat generated by the sun to manufacture building materials such as glass, steel, ceramics and cement.
Tests have shown that generating 1,000°C heat, which is required for the manufacturing process, is possible without using fossil fuels.
Manufacturing industries account for about 25 per cent of all global energy consumption.
“To tackle climate change, we need to decarbonise energy in general,” says corresponding author Dr Emiliano Casati of ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
“People tend to only think about electricity as energy but, in fact, about half of the energy is used in the form of heat.”
Renewable energy sources such as solar receivers, which concentrate and build heat with thousands of sun-tracking mirrors, have been identified as a possible replacement.
But the technology struggles to reach the temperatures needed in an efficient way.
To optimise that, researchers led by a team in Switzerland explored the idea of using quartz to trap sunlight, in a process known as the thermal-trap effect.
They attached a synthetic quartz rod to a silicon disc to act as an energy absorber, exposing it to light equivalent to 136 suns. The absorber plate reached 1,050°C while the quartz rod remained at 600°C.
“Previous research has only managed to demonstrate the thermal-trap effect up to 170°C (338°F),” said Dr Casati.
“Our research showed that solar thermal trapping works not just at low temperatures, but well above 1,000°C. This is crucial to show its potential for real-world industrial applications.”
The team was also able to show that thermal-trapping effect achieves the target temperature at lower light concentrations.
For example, a receiver with a normal efficiency of 40 per cent at 1,200°C that uses a concentration of light from 500 suns can hit 70 per cent efficiency when shielded with 300mm of quartz. To obtain that performance would normally require the light from 1,000 suns.
Dr Casati and his team are now working on optimising the thermal-trapping effect and investigating new uses for the method.
So far, the research has been promising, using other materials such as different fluids and gases to reach even higher temperatures.
“Energy issue is a cornerstone to the survival of our society,” said Dr Casati.
“Solar energy is readily available, and the technology is already here. To really motivate industry adoption, we need to demonstrate the economic viability and advantages of this technology at scale.”
Last month, Zap Energy said it had “joined the rarefied ranks” to make a plasma that replicates the core of the Sun.
The extreme heat is needed to make parts of atoms fuse together – unleashing massive amounts of carbon-free energy, as the Sun does.
Funded by oil and gas company Chevron and the Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy, scientists at US company Zap are among many trying to make this work on Earth.
Fifa Club World Cup:
When: December 6-16
Where: Games to take place at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain
Defending champions: Real Madrid
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
RESULT
Wolves 1 (Traore 67')
Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')
Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Read more about the coronavirus
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Oppenheimer
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 3 (Kroos 4', Ramos 30', Marcelo 37')
Eibar 1 (Bigas 60')
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Read more from Johann Chacko
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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