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Review of World Scientific and Technological Developments in 2008 · Energy and Environmental Protection The United States: Leads in research on solar cells, continues to pay attention to global warming, and focuses on the development of biofuels and clean energy sources. Mao Li (our correspondent in the United States) In January 2008, a company in Silicon Valley, USA, developed ultra-thin solar panels that could be \"printed\" on aluminum foil and produced on a large scale. It was predicted that electricity generated using these panels would be as cheap as that produced from coal, and this invention was regarded as a revolution in the field of solar power generation. In April, Virginia Tech in the United States identified the most efficient reaction system for producing hydrogen, capable of generating three times more hydrogen than the theoretical yield from anaerobic fermentation. This system can overcome the technical barriers in cost, storage, and transportation that exist in the \"hydrogen economy\". In August, General Motors in the United States and Ohio State University successfully \"transformed\" vehicle exhaust into energy to power cars. Scientists have installed a special electroplated metal device on car exhaust pipes; by utilizing the thermoelectric effect caused by the temperature difference between exhaust gases and air, an electric current is generated to power the car, with the potential to increase the vehicle’s fuel efficiency by 10%. In September, Cornell University in the United States created the world’s first \"synthetic tree\" in a laboratory; this tree is capable of mimicking the photosynthesis process of ordinary trees. This development could help in creating new technologies for passive heat transfer in cars and buildings, as well as finding better ways to improve soil quality and extract water effectively from dry soils. In October, the University of Illinois in the United States transferred highly fragile silicon wafers onto flexible materials, successfully creating flexible silicon-based solar cells that can be attached to objects as thin as pencils as well as to smooth glass surfaces. This development will pave the way for the use of new types of solar-powered buildings. In the field of environmental protection, in February, the U.S. **Academy of Engineering announced 14 major engineering and technological challenges for the 21st century, including the production of affordable solar energy, energy generation through nuclear fusion, the development of carbon sequestration technologies, managing the nitrogen cycle, and providing clean water accessible worldwide. Between February and March, the American company Boeing conducted three successful test flights of small aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells, an achievement that is unprecedented in the history of aviation, indicating that the aviation industry will become more environmentally friendly in the future. In October, American scientists discovered that the impact of nitrogen trifluoride on global warming has been **underestimated**; its concentration in the atmosphere is at least 4 times higher than previously thought, and its ability to store heat is 12,000 to 20,000 times that of carbon dioxide. In December, American researchers discovered a new way to store excess electrical energy generated from wind or solar power. By using a relatively easily available cobalt-phosphorus catalyst along with that excess energy, water can be electrolyzed to produce hydrogen, which is then fed back into fuel cells to generate electricity once again. This achievement was selected as one of the top 10 breakthroughs of 2008 by the American journal Science, owing to its potential to propel human society toward a renewable energy supply system based on demand. Russia: Conducted a series of scientific studies on Lake Baikal, and successfully tested shaped charges for drilling in the oil and gas sector. Zhang Hao (our reporter in Russia) In January 2008, the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences established a production and testing center for deep-sea diving equipment; it is expected to produce 30 autonomous underwater robots per year for use in scientific research, search and rescue operations, geological exploration, and ocean monitoring. In May, Russia successfully conducted tests on shaped charges for drilling in the oil and gas sector, breaking the United States’ monopoly. From July to August, Russian scientists used the deep-sea submersibles \"Peace-1\" and \"Peace-2\" to conduct a series of investigations of the bottom of Lake Baikal, the world’s largest freshwater lake. This scientific expedition is of particular significance for studying the pollution caused by seeping oil as well as the microorganisms on the lake bottom. United Kingdom: Focusing on the development of clean energy, the world’s first tidal power generator has been installed. He Yi (our correspondent in the UK) The University of East Anglia in the UK has confirmed for the first time that the rise in temperatures at the North and South Poles is caused by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, rather than being part of natural climate changes; humans are responsible for the significant increase in temperatures in these polar regions over the past half century. In February, a Boeing 747 belonging to British Viking Atlantic Airlines conducted a passenger-free test flight powered in part by biofuels made from coconut oil and palm oil. This is the first time humans have used biofuels in commercial airliners, which helps the aviation industry reduce emissions. In March, the world’s first tidal energy generator, “SeaGen”, was installed in Stranford Lagoon in the UK. It has a power generation capacity of 1.2 megawatts, enough to supply 1/5 of the electricity needed in the UK. British scientists announced on May 4 that they plan to build a fusion laboratory and the world’s most powerful laser in order to generate electricity through laser fusion and address the energy shortage issue. If the experiment is successful, it will introduce a clean energy source that is safe, carbon-free, and produces very little radioactive waste into human life. Scientists from various countries, including the UK, have discovered that as the levels of hormonal contaminants in the natural environment that can cause \"gender distortion\" increase, the trend toward \"feminization\" in wild animals and humans is becoming more severe, which will have an immeasurable impact on global wildlife populations. Germany: World’s first zero-emission coal power plant goes into trial operation, a new wildlife gene bank is established. Gu Gang (our correspondent in Germany) Germany has established new wildlife gene banks in Saarland and Lübeck to ensure the continued preservation of global species diversity. This animal gene bank contains the genes of rare and endangered animals, as well as various existing wild species, and it plays a positive role in maintaining global species diversity and advancing biomedical technology. On September 9, 2008, the world’s first coal-fired power plant that produces no carbon dioxide emissions was put into trial operation in Germany. This testing facility utilizes carbon capture and storage technology to store 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the next 3 years, which will **improve Germany’s energy supply levels and play an important role in mitigating global warming. Researchers at RWTH Aachen University in Germany have proposed a different approach to dealing with greenhouse gases: converting carbon dioxide into plastic raw materials that can be used to produce beverage bottles, DVD discs, and other useful plastic products. Canada: Proposed the idea that climate warming affects soil fertility, and discovered methane-feeding bacteria. Du Huabin (our correspondent in Canada) Scientists at the University of Toronto in Canada have found that climate change is altering the molecular structure of organic matter in soil, accelerating its natural decomposition process and leading to more carbon dioxide being released from the soil into the atmosphere. This, in turn, has a serious impact on the fertility and erosion resistance of the soil. The University of Calgary in Canada has discovered a new type of methane-oxidizing bacterium in geothermal wells in New Zealand; it is the most methane-loving bacterium found to date, and it could serve as a tool for reducing methane emissions from landfills, mines, industrial waste sites, and geothermal power plants. Canadian scientists have found that the disruption of the food web in lakes due to a decrease in calcium levels poses a serious threat to the survival of aquatic organisms. South Korea: Making new energy, renewable energy, and a low-carbon economy new key priorities of national policy. Tai Ju (our correspondent in South Korea) New energy, renewable energy, and a low-carbon economy are the focus and foundation of South Korea’s new policies. R&D investment in new and renewable energy is expected to exceed 240 billion won in 2008, roughly doubling compared to 2007. At the beginning of the year, a \"carbon neutrality\" plan was also announced, requiring energy consumers to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions and make corresponding environmental contributions. South Korea’s nuclear fusion research device KSTAR achieved a valuable breakthrough by successfully confining plasma at 10 million °C for 0.3 seconds. South Korea’s nuclear fission energy technology has reached maturity, and its high-temperature nuclear reactor design technology has been exported to the United States since 2008. In 2008, South Korea put into operation the world’s largest solar power plant of 24 MW of capacity that tracks the sun’s movement. The country plans to increase its solar power generation capacity to 4 billion watts by 2020, and to 18 billion watts by 2030. Transparent solar cells that generate energy by coating media such as glass with a “Sol-Gel” transparent film were also developed in 2008. South Korea has developed a complete set of technologies for decomposing wood to produce bioethanol in a supercritical state, as well as technologies for producing bioethanol using coastal algae. The newly developed crystallization purification technology for petrochemical wastewater saves over 50%% more energy compared to traditional methods. France: Solar power plants and pressurized water nuclear reactors are in the spotlight, as the G8 reaches an agreement on long-term emission reduction targets. Li Zhao (our correspondent in France) French President Sarkozy announced on July 3, 2008, that France would build a second \"European Pressurized Water Reactor\" (EPR) to address the energy shortage issue, hoping to achieve significant social and economic benefits through the development and transfer of pressurized water reactor technology. In February, a multi-national research team identified nine factors that could put the Earth in a dangerous state, including the melting of Arctic ice, an increase in extreme weather events, and the decline of tropical rainforests. In July, G8 leaders issued a statement in which they agreed on long-term targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The G8 countries will work together with other parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to achieve the long-term goal of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by at least half by 2050, and will discuss and adopt this goal in the relevant negotiations under the convention. At the beginning of October, France’s first solar power plant capable of \"tracking\" the sun was put into operation; it is able to capture and convert 20% to 40% more solar energy than conventional solar collectors. Japan: Places emphasis on the research and development of energy-efficient storage circuits and solar technology. Chen Chao (our correspondent in Japan) In February 2008, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology launched a research project aimed at producing ethanol using cellulose as a raw material. The plan is to first set up small-scale production equipment with a batch processing capacity of 200 kilograms (60 liters of ethanol), and within 3.5 years to design and build a second experimental production unit in order to achieve practical application of this technology. In August, Tohoku University and Hitachi Ltd. successfully developed a \"non-volatile logic memory circuit,\" which holds promise for curbing the increasing energy consumption caused by the development of information technology. This new type of storage circuit can store data, consume no power in standby mode, and also solves the problem of latency during data transfer. In November, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan developed a high-performance dye-sensitized solar cell that features high power generation efficiency, good durability, and low cost. The Tohoku Center of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan, along with the New Application Technology Research Institute of Funai Electric, has developed an enzyme detector that can measure indoor formaldehyde pollution with high precision in a short amount of time. On December 19, the world’s first large cargo ship powered in part by solar energy, the Argo Leader, was launched at Kobe Port in Japan. Its solar power system can generate 40 kilowatts of electricity, which is equivalent to 0.2%% of the energy consumption of a cargo ship’s propulsion system. Israel: First livable eco-city to be built; breakthrough in converting organic waste into biofuel. Zheng Xiaochun (our correspondent in Israel) Israel plans to develop Neve Reut in the Gilboa Mountains in the north into the country’s first more habitable eco-city: by using renewable energy for power generation, establishing systems for collecting and storing rainwater, improving the recycling of domestic wastewater, beautifying the environment through tree planting to reduce heat, and using efficient insulation materials in new residential buildings. The Hebrew University of Israel has found that the amount of suspended particles in the air has a direct impact on rainfall; the level of these suspended particles is a key factor determining how energy is distributed in the atmosphere. The findings of this research are of practical significance for future efforts to control suspended particles in order to influence rainfall and for more accurate prediction of climate and water resource changes. The Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel is developing a new method that uses biotechnological techniques to convert organic waste into biofuels. By employing bacteria to break down synthetic cellulose in waste paper, this approach holds practical significance for producing biofuels from organic materials rich in cellulose, such as agricultural waste. The Israeli company Water Flow Control has developed a pressure-regulating device for water pipes that, when connected to urban water supply systems, can adjust the water pressure entering household pipes, reducing leaks by at least 30%. The Israeli company Medan Engineering Computers has developed a software for monitoring urban water supply, which allows for real-time surveillance of the city’s water distribution system and alerts in advance when the pipes are aging and need to be replaced or when leaks occur. Brazil: First extraction of crude oil from deep-sea salt deposits; announces action plan to reduce emissions; conducts scientific research in the interior of Antarctica. Zhang Xinseng (our correspondent in Brazil), September 2, 2008 – Petrobras officially began extracting crude oil from the Juruá-Chapada deep-sea oil field in the Campos Basin. This is the first time that crude oil has been extracted from beneath salt layers on the deep seabed in Brazil, with an expected daily production of 18,000 barrels. On September 25, Pakistan’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change announced an action plan, the key measures under which include increasing the share of renewable and clean energy ； Reduce energy consumption ； Implement a refrigerator recycling program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ； Reduce natural gas emissions from the oil industry ； Protect the ecological environment and enhance the sustainability of agriculture and animal husbandry ； Improve the model of industrial development ； Implement waste management ； Improve the transportation sector, etc. In November, Brazilian scientists began the first large-scale scientific expedition into the interior of Antarctica to study climate changes over the past 500 years as well as chemical changes in the atmosphere. Ukraine: Addressing oil spill pollution in the Kerch Strait, launching a water resources management and monitoring system. Cheng Gang (our correspondent in Ukraine) The Ukrainian Commission for Emergency Handling of Ecological Crises announced on March 25, 2008, that an agreement had been reached on the safest methods to address the ecological crisis in the Kerch Strait. These methods involve breaking down the mixture of sea sand and marine algae microorganisms contaminated by heavy oil, thereby reducing the ongoing pollution of the oil-sand areas along the coast of the Kerch Strait. Ukraine has established a water resources management and monitoring system in the Giza River basin. This system can integrate all relevant data and operate in automatic mode, providing timely forecasts of water conditions to the water management agencies and offering recommendations for administrative bodies to implement flood prevention measures, thereby enabling effective and rapid prediction of flood occurrences. Ukraine has independently developed Europe’s first eco-purification station that requires no manual control, capable of treating municipal wastewater, microbial wastewater, and industrial wastewater. This is the first application of Ukrainian scientific and technological achievements in Europe. South Africa: Introduced the **Energy Act**, launched a strategy for research and development in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and promoted research on energy technologies as well as their commercial application. Li Xuehua (our correspondent in South Africa) South Africa introduced its **Nuclear Energy Policy** in June 2008, with the aim of making nuclear energy an important option for power supply by establishing national capabilities for the design, production, and construction of nuclear power facilities. In September, South Africa’s Ministry of Science and Technology officially launched the \"Strategy for Research and Development in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies.\" The goal is that by 2020, platinum group metal catalysts produced in South Africa, which have high added value, will account for 25% of the global demand for fuel cell catalysts ； Develop localized and competitive hydrogen energy solutions. In November, South Africa introduced the **Energy Act**, and will establish an **Energy Development Institute** to advance research on energy technologies and their commercial application, as well as to improve the efficiency of energy production and consumption. 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