Back to the future – Using yesterday’s energy, today!
The storage of renewable energy is essential when aiming to replace readily stored fossil fuels. More than 80% of the world’s energy consumption is based on fossil energy. Fossils fuels like heavy oils and gasoline are governing the energy market worldwide. There are many environmental…
Playing around with a new software – a good enough reason to go abroad?
Not many people are aware that exhaust gasses from engines aboard oil platforms on the Norwegian continental shelf account for about as much CO2 emissions as all road traffic in Norway (see SSB statistics). These emissions are currently necessary to maintain oil production, but are…
Trondheim – building the foundation for the green transition
For the first time, a major European research infrastructure project is being led by a country from outside the EU. Trondheim has now become the EU capital of carbon management research, and we have no qualms about emitting just a few grammes of sparkling CO2 in celebration. Starting…
Does ‘green energy’ have hidden health and environmental costs?
There are a number of available low-carbon technologies to generate electricity. But are they really better than fossil fuels and nuclear power? To answer that question, one needs to compare not just the emissions of different power sources but also the health benefits and the threats…
TEDx talk: The Carbon footprint of consumption
Did you remember to turn off the lights before leaving home? Did you cut your shower short this morning? While these issues are important in decreasing your carbon footprint, I argue that how you spend money is significantly more impactful: See also “Household consumption significant…
Knowledge, friendship and cooperation: NTNU and China
The energy challenge is a global problem that demands global solutions. A partnership between NTNU and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China that began in 2010 is an excellent example of exactly the kind of global cooperation the world needs to address this challenging problem….
Variable renewables: Benefits outweigh costs
Replacing fossil fuel power with variable wind and solar power means that more energy storage and power transmission capabilities are necessary. Despite this, we find large climate benefits and a range of other pollution benefits of switching to renewables. The variability of wind and solar power…
Why I eat insects
This summer my fellow student at Industrial Ecology, Ida Hexeberg Rustad and I decided to found a company, Myldregard AS. The company is based on an idea we both have carried for years. Some would say that the concept is controversial and many have reacted…
So there’s this thing called Industrial Ecology
Do you remember episode 1, where I promised to answer the question: how to feed people without causing environmental destruction and depleting the world’s Phosphorus stocks? …that was just my evil ploy to get you to read episode 2. We all knew that was a little…
What we talk about when we talk about heat pump drying
Drying as preservation method can be used on everything from fruits or berries to medical powders and to pet food. At NTNU we have designed and built a single stage heat pump dryer with carbon dioxide that is more efficient and more environmentally friendly than…