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February 14^th 2025

⚡️ Energy

🇺🇸 US airport installs world’s first pods that turn jet wind into electricity

JetWind Power Corporation has installed Energy Capturing Pods (ECPs) at Dallas Love Field Airport to convert aircraft-generated wind into renewable energy. After three years of testing, the airport has committed to installing 13 pods, with five already operational. The pods help power charging stations and reduce strain on Texas’s energy grid. With international interest from several countries, JetWind aims to expand this technology globally in 2025.

🚘 Transport

🇺🇸 🇦🇪 Elon Musk to build 10-mile underground loop for driverless cars in Dubai

Elon Musk’s Boring Company is set to construct a 10.5-mile underground transit system in Dubai, inspired by its Las Vegas tunnels. Announced at the World Government Summit, the Dubai Loop will connect over 100 stations and transport up to 20,000 passengers per hour, reducing congestion and providing a climate-controlled travel option. The tunnels, designed for safety and efficiency, could revolutionize urban mobility in the city’s rapidly expanding landscape.

🇦🇺 🇸🇪 Australia and Sweden to build world’s largest hydrogen-powered catamaran

Australian shipbuilder Austal is partnering with Sweden’s Gotlandsbolaget to construct a 427-foot hydrogen-ready catamaran capable of carrying 1,500 passengers and 400 vehicles. Set for completion in 2028, the vessel will feature a multi-fuel propulsion system using gas and steam turbines to reduce emissions. Built with eco-friendly “green aluminum,” the ferry will enhance connectivity between Gotland and mainland Sweden while advancing sustainable maritime transport.

🦾 Robotics

🇯🇵 Japanese scientists create biohybrid hand using lab-grown human muscle

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a biohybrid hand powered by lab-grown human muscle, capable of making gestures and grasping objects. Described in Science Robotics, the hand uses multiple muscle tissue actuators (MuMuTAs), which are rolled into tendon-like strands to provide movement. This breakthrough overcomes challenges in growing strong muscle tissue and could lead to advanced prosthetics, robotic limbs, and new ways to study muscle function. While still in early stages, the technology marks a major step toward lifelike biohybrid robotics.

🌎 Environment

🇬🇧 UK scientists develop solar-powered direct air capture reactor that turns CO₂ into fuel

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have created a solar-powered reactor that captures carbon dioxide from the air and converts it into syngas, a key ingredient for making fuels and chemicals. Published in Nature Energy, the system mimics photosynthesis, storing CO₂ at night and using sunlight to transform it into fuel during the day—without relying on external power or storage. If scaled up, this technology could both reduce atmospheric CO₂ and provide a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.

🇨🇳 China repurposes retired wind turbine blades to build crack-free roads

Chinese researchers at the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics have developed a method to recycle old wind turbine blades into durable, crack-resistant road materials. By crushing and chemically treating the blades, they successfully integrated the material into cement and asphalt, which was tested on a highway in Lanzhou. After five months, the road showed no cracks or material detachment, proving its viability. This innovation offers a sustainable solution for turbine disposal while supporting China’s clean energy and net-zero goals.

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