In today’s talking points, Australian scientists make major breakthrough in capabilities of ultrasound, China is leading the world in developing the electric public transport system, Melbourne becomes first city in Australia to have the entire council-owned infrastructure powered by renewable energy, and China’s surplus oil refining capacity to increase, CNPC says.
Aussie Scientists Make Major Breakthrough in Capabilities of Ultrasound
Researchers at Australia’s University of Queensland (UQ) have made a major breakthrough in ultrasound technology which they believe could greatly improve technologies, from medical imaging, to unmanned aerial vehicles.
With ultrasound being used across a range of technologies, the team believe that the development could lead to any number of exciting breakthroughs.
“We’ve developed a near perfect ultrasound detector and able to measure ultrasound waves that apply tiny forces, comparable to the gravitational force on a virus, and we can do this with sensors smaller than a millimetre across,” Prof. Warwick Bowen, from UQ’s Precision Sensing Initiative, said. “It’s also commonly used for spatial applications, like in the sonar imaging of underwater objects or in the navigation of unmanned aerial vehicles.”
Research leader Dr. Sahar Basiri-Esfahani says the accuracy of the new technology, sensitive enough to hear the random forces from surrounding air molecules, could change how scientists understand biology.
“This could fundamentally improve our understanding of how these small biological systems function,” Basiri-Esfahani said.
Sources: Xinhua News
China is Leading the World in Developing the Electric Public Transport System
China is leading the world with its growing nationwide electric bus system under the notable support from the state, SCMP reports.
The report cited Bloomberg’s New Energy Finance study which estimated China owning 99 per cent of 385,000 electric buses currently operated around the world, with its finding that China launches 9,500 new electric buses every five week. The report also found that Shenzhen is taking the lead among other first-tier cities in implementing the electric public transport system.
The policy of developing the new electric bus system at a national level was set after Xi Jinping introduced the goal of “Green mountains and clear water are equal to mountains of gold and silver” at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party in 2012.
Source: South China Morning Post
Melbourne Becomes First Cityin Australia to Have the Entire Council-owned Infrastructure Powered by Renewable Energy
On 1st January, the city of Melbourne switched all its operation to renewable energy, including council libraries, gyms, childcare centres, buildings and also all the city’s streetlights. The power is supplied by the Crowlands windfarm near Ararat in Western Victoria. The Crowlands windfarm was funded by private purchase agreement with city of Melbourne and other 13 other Melbourne councils and institutions. Arron Wood, the deputy major said, ‘’It’s pretty nice New Year’s resolution to go to 100% renewable energy.”
There are more than 40 large-scale wind and solar projects either under construction or with planning approval in Victoria, as well as more than 26 that are already producing electricity. Victoria is on track to exceed its renewable energy target of generating 25% of the state’s electricity needs from renewable sources by 2020 and 40% by 2025.
Source: The Guardian
China’s Surplus Oil refining Capacity to Increase, CNPC says
As more private refinery projects commence operation, China’s surplus oil refining capacity will increase by 120 million metric tons this year. According to the report released on Wednesday by China National Petroleum Corp’s (CNPC) Economics and Technology Research Institute, total oil refining capacity for this year expected to be around 863 million tons, with the primary processing capacity of crude rising by 32 million tons.
Industry sources expect China’s oil product exports to grow this year, thanks to an increase in domestic product supplies, which will surpass demand growth. “
Private companies, for example Zhejiang petrochemical, Hengli petrochemical and Shengdong Group have been constructing sizeable oil refineries. These three companies will contribute an increase of 1,52 million barrels a day from 2019 to 2021.
The Sino Economics and Development research institute expects China’s refining capacity to reach 880 million tons this year, up 45 million tons from 2018.
Source: China Daily