Non-recylable end of life plastic is an under -utilised resource that is currently treated as a costly and challenging waste management issue, often dealt with through incineration or landfill. The thermal conversion chamber which operates in the absence of oxygen, so there is no burning as the plastics gasify. The synthetic gas can then be used for power generation or as a fuel in its own right (ie. hydrogen).https://www.powerhouseenergy.co.uk/technology/

Researchers have developed a robotic skin which can interpret touch -pressure, cold & heat. Advancements in software & hardware, will eventually mean that the capabilities of robot skin will outstrip that of human skin. Just think what that might mean for the next advancement in prosthetics! https://www.zdnet.com/article/making-skin-for-robots-is-hard-but-success-could-bring-huge-benefits-for-humans-too/

Most people are familiar with compressed air as a major source of energy to operate equipment such as pneumatic controls, air tools, pumps and pistons. But California is apparently about to become home to two of the world's largest non-hydro energy-storage projects which will rely on compressed air. Each site is proposed to be 500MW in size. That's bigger than many current gas-fired power stations in Australia.https://www.rechargenews.com/energy-transition/gigawatt-scale-compressed-air-world-s-largest-non-hydro-energy-storage-projects-announced/2-1-1003559

A Western Australian pilot project, thought to be a world-first, is taking biogas from sewage and splitting it into graphite and hydrogen.The hydrogen can be used for industrial applications and the graphite for carbon black, activated carbon and battery anode applications. Both also tend to be higher-value commodities than the biogas.The process uses an iron ore catalyst, creating an alternate hydrogen pathway to the traditional approaches of steam methane reforming and electrolysis.Construction has been on-going for the demonstration project, with production of the first 100 tonnes of hydrogen hopefully due by the end of 2021. https://arena.gov.au/news/world-first-project-to-turn-biogas-from-sewage-into-hydrogen-and-g

Power outages can cripple businesses and back-up generators are often diesel fuelled, expensive, noisy and dirty. Enter the 220- 250kw fuel-flexible "linear generator".  Mainspring's generators can run on natural gas, propane, biogas or hydrogen, and are designed to ramp up and down to fill gaps in power supplies, either on their own or as part of a microgrid with renewable energy & battery storage. The simple (compression) design, with no flame/spark or spinning elements, also means it should be lower cost, lower maintenance and lower emissions to other traditional generators.https://www.mainspringenergy.com/

The "SmartQuart" project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), is trialling three different non-fossil-fuel energy systems in three different towns/districts so that they can be compared.  https://www.german-energy-solutions.de/GES/Redaktion/EN/News/2020/20200707-smart-quart.html