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Biden’s $8 Billion Quest to Solve America’s Groundwater Crisis
A looming depletion of groundwater across the U.S. has drawn nationwide attention in recent years, as local officials in states from Kansas to Arizona struggle to manage dwindling water resources even as homes and farms get thirstier. With little fanfare, the administration is using infrastructure funding to revive dormant plans for pipelines and reservoirs in rural areas across the U.S. West.
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EPA Cancels Certain Cyber Regulations for Water Utilities
Following growing concerns about the cybersecurity of the U.S. water infrastructure, the EPA announced this week it will no longer require cybersecurity audits of water utility facilities through sanitary surveys.
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States Working to Safeguard America’s Most Important River
Political leaders in the Mississippi River area are looking to form a multistate compact to manage threats from climate change, water pollution and drought-affected regions elsewhere. Twenty million people drink from the Mississippi River and its tributaries every day, and the river has led to more than 350,000 jobs and generates more than $21 billion in annual tourism, fishing and recreation spending.
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Ethiopia's Dam Dispute Could Escalate
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam conflict has lasted for more than a decade without a resolution. Some experts warn that any further delays in settling the outstanding issues could have dire consequences.
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Residents Unprepared for Wildland Fires, Face Barriers in Implementing Prevention Measures
Individual and social factors contribute to lack of preparedness, despite many available residential wildfire mitigation and educational programs.
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Rising Seas Tighten Vise on Miami Even for People Who Are Not Flooded
In coming decades, four out of five residents of Florida’s Miami-Dade County area may face disruption or displacement, whether they live in flood zones or not – and indirect pressures on many areas could outweigh direct inundation.
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Fueling the Future of Fusion Energy
Long considered the ultimate source of clean energy, nuclear fusion promises abundant electrical power without greenhouse gas emissions or long-lasting radioactive waste. The process has fueled the core of the sun for more than four billion years – with billons more to go. Nore scientists are joining the global pursuit of harnessing that reaction.
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Modular Dam Design Could Accelerate the Adoption of Renewable Energy
Researchers have developed a new modular steel buttress dam system designed to resolve energy storage issues hindering the integration of renewable resources into the energy mix. The m-Presa modular steel buttress dam system cut dam construction costs by one-third and reduce construction schedules by half.
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Finland: Pipeline Leak Likely Caused by 'External Activity'
Damage to an underwater gas pipeline and telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia may have been a deliberate act, according to Finnish authorities.
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Are We Running Out of Water? Water Security Threatened by Droughts and Heatwaves Worldwide
Increased demand for water due to global population growth, coupled with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, endangers our water security. Nonetheless, little is known about the relationship of water use by sectors and the occurrence of drought-heatwave events, particularly at the large scale.
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Chi-Nu Experiment Concludes with Data to Support Nuclear Security, Energy Reactors
The Chi-Nu project, a years-long experiment measuring the energy spectrum of neutrons emitted from neutron-induced fission, recently concluded the most detailed and extensive uncertainty analysis of the three major actinide elements — uranium-238, uranium-235 and plutonium-239.
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Using Petroleum Reservoirs to Store Carbon
Oil and gas produced from reservoirs are traditionally thought of as sources of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. In recent years, scientists in government and industry have been looking more at oil and gas reservoirs as places to store the very carbon that was previously taken out of the reservoirs. Injecting carbon dioxide into oil reservoirs also increases oil production in areas that have already produced a lot of oil.
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NSF invests $35M in future manufacturing
Manufacturing is a linchpin of the U.S. economy, bolstering national security, economic growth, and American employment. The National Science Foundation (NSF) makes targeted investments in the future of manufacturing research and helps grow the manufacturing workforce.
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Desalination System Could Produce Freshwater That Is Cheaper Than Tap Water
Researchers are aiming to turn seawater into drinking water with a completely passive device that is inspired by the ocean, and powered by the sun. They developed a solar-powered device that avoids salt-clogging issues of other designs.
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First-of-Its Kind Dataset Shows Future Flooding Risk at Neighborhood Level
Climate change fueled extreme weather events, like flooding, are happening more frequently. ANL researchers and partners have developed a new methodology for estimating increased flood risk from climate change.
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The long view
Helping Strengthen America’s Critical Infrastructure
Everyday life depends on a robust infrastructure network that provides access to running water, communications technology and electricity, among other basic necessities. The experts who keep our national infrastructure secure and resilient also need a strong network to share their knowledge and train the next generation of professionals capable of solving complex infrastructure challenges.
AI and the Future of the U.S. Electric Grid
Despite its age, the U.S. electric grid remains one of the great workhorses of modern life. Whether it can maintain that performance over the next few years may determine how well the U.S. competes in an AI-driven world.
Using Liquid Air for Grid-Scale Energy Storage
New research finds liquid air energy storage could be the lowest-cost option for ensuring a continuous power supply on a future grid dominated by carbon-free but intermittent sources of electricity.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems: A Promising Source of Round-the-Clock Energy
With its capacity to provide 24/7 power, many are warming up to the prospect of geothermal energy. Scientists are currently working to advance human-made reservoirs in Earth’s deep subsurface to stimulate the activity that exists within natural geothermal systems.
Experts Discuss Geothermal Potential
Geothermal energy harnesses the heat from within Earth—the term comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). It is an energy source that has the potential to power all our energy needs for billions of years.