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Clean Energy From “Copper Leaves”

Microbial Mining

A new copper leaching discovery suggests biotech-driven mining solutions could soon recover critical minerals, reduce waste and enhance sustainability. A critical minerals platform startup, Endolith, has successfully demonstrated that its…

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The Clean Energy Election?

The return of a Labor Government is also being hailed as an endorsement of Australia’s remarkable renewables journey, but there’s still a long way to go. A lot of issues…

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World Copper Supply & Demand Shifts

The world’s copper market is expected to see a significant surplus over the next two years says the latest forecast from the International Copper Study Group (ICSG). The Group said…

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Aurelia Metals Green Lights Aussie Copper Mine

Australian mining and exploration company Aurelia Metals with two existing mines in  the Cobar Basin in New South Wales will now develop the Great Cobar copper mine. The project involves…

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February 4, 2025 · Clean Energy, General

American and English scientists have developed tiny nano copper ‘flowers’ that bloom on artificial leaves to make clean energy and fuel using just sunlight.

The global project by Cambridge and Berkeley developed a practical way to make hydrocarbons—molecules made of carbon and hydrogen—powered solely by the sun. A totally unique approach.

By combining a light absorbing ‘leaf’ made from a high-efficiency solar cell material called perovskite, with a copper nano-flower catalyst, they were able to convert carbon dioxide into useful more complex hydrocarbons. 

Almost all hydrocarbons currently stem from fossil fuels, but the method developed by the Cambridge-Berkeley team results in clean chemicals and fuels made from CO2, water and glycerol—a common organic compound—without any additional carbon emissions.

The research team solved this energy challenge by developing a system that processes glycerol – typically considered a waste product – alongside CO2. This combination made the reaction 200 times more efficient than earlier approaches.

The team expects to apply their platform to even more complex organic reactions, opening doors for innovation in sustainable chemical production. With continued improvements, this research could accelerate the transition to a circular, carbon-neutral economy.

Detail: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41929-025-01292-y

Featured

Microbial Mining

A new copper leaching discovery suggests biotech-driven mining solutions could soon recover critical minerals, reduce waste and enhance sustainability. A…

Read More

The Clean Energy Election?

The return of a Labor Government is also being hailed as an endorsement of Australia’s remarkable renewables journey, but there’s…

Read More

World Copper Supply & Demand Shifts

The world’s copper market is expected to see a significant surplus over the next two years says the latest forecast…

Read More

Aurelia Metals Green Lights Aussie Copper Mine

Australian mining and exploration company Aurelia Metals with two existing mines in  the Cobar Basin in New South Wales will…

Read More

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