Infrastructure

Two-Way Water Transfers Can Ensure Reliability, Save Money for Urban and Agricultural Users During Drought in Western U.S.
Researchers offer a solution — two-way leasing contracts — to water scarcity during droughts amid the tug of economic development, population growth and climate uncertainty for water users in Western U.S. states.
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How Mining and Renewable Energy Go Hand in Hand on the Road to Net Zero
More, not less, mining will be needed in the future to help achieve the goal of net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. A UNSW expert explains why mining will be vital to help renewable energy technologies flourish and to achieve greenhouse gas emission targets.
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Calls Grow for Sustainable Governance as Groundwater Resources Become Scarce
The depletion of groundwater resources, driven by unsustainable agricultural practices and increasing demands for food production, is a pressing issue, and it underscores the urgent need for sustainable groundwater governance.
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The Energy Transition Is Affecting Attitudes Towards Mining
A survey finds the growing demand for critical minerals to support renewable energy is increasing public acceptance of mining in Australia. It also highlights that trust is a precious commodity.
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Delay and Pay: Tipping Point Costs Quadruple After Waiting
There’s more to weigh than catastrophic environmental change as tipping points draw near. Another point to consider, a new study reveals, is the cost of undoing the damage.
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Nuclear Is Here ... and Here and Here
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) helped start the nuclear age more than 80 years ago, and it remains at the forefront of nuclear research. The lab is also actively involved in promoting east Tennessee’s nuclear industry and consulting with nuclear businesses that move into the area.
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Extensive Review of Champlain Towers Collapse Completed
A NIST team completed its extensive review, measurement and testing of critical building evidence extracted from the site of the 2021 partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida.
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Maintaining Bridge Safety: Digital Sensing-Based Monitoring System
Bridge maintenance monitoring technology is applied to long-span bridges such as cable-stayed bridges and suspension bridges. This monitoring system consumes a lot of resources for design and installation, and the system configuration itself is complex, so there are limits to its application for maintenance of small- and medium-sized bridges. This is bout to change.
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Assessing Small Modular Reactor Applications to Rebuild a Clean Economy in Post-War Ukraine 
Building on a decades-long partnership, the Argonne National Laboratory will play a leading role in planning and rebuilding the nuclear-generated clean energy infrastructure in post-war Ukraine.
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Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources Will Increase Price Tag to Decarbonize the Grid
Current plans to achieve zero emissions on the grid by 2050 vastly underestimate the required investments in generation and transmission infrastructure. The reason: these plans do not account for climate change’s impacts on water resources.
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New AI Tool Generates Realistic Satellite Images of Future Flooding
Visualizing the potential impacts of a hurricane on people’s homes before it hits can help residents prepare and decide whether to evacuate. The method could help communities better prepare for approaching storms.
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Chinese Vessel Suspected of Severing Submarine Cables Still Anchored in Baltic Sea
European allies in the Baltic region are investigating how two fiber-optic data cables were severed earlier this week, with suspicion falling on a Chinese vessel in the area. Germany has said the incident was clearly sabotage.
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Despite Back-to-Back Deals on Water from Mexico, Relief for South Texas Farmers Is Far from Certain
Texas agreed to take 120,000 acre-feet of water from Mexico this month, only after the U.S. and Mexico agreed to an updated treaty.
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Downsides of China’s Port Investments Go Beyond Immediate Security Risks
Chinese companies own or operate at least one port on every continent. These investments present more than immediate security concerns; they position China to fully exploit the economic potential of ports at the expense of other countries.
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Preparing our Ports for the Future of Alternative Maritime Fuels
Fuels like ammonia will greatly reduce carbon emissions—better for the environment, but are they safe for our infrastructure? The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently conducted a market research survey to assess hazards associated with alternative fuel production, storage, and transport at U.S. ports. High-risk ports could be the sites for future ammonia release tests that will inform preparedness and response.
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