All posts tagged: North America

US identifies 8 priority applications for fault-tolerant quantum computers

US identifies 8 priority applications for fault-tolerant quantum computers

Published by Miika Tikkanen

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has identified eight scientific applications to guide the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers. Targeting problems that could enable scientific advances beyond the capabilities of existing computing methods, the applications form part of Quantum Genesis, a DOE initiative designed to develop quantum computers capable of delivering scientifically relevant results. The department said the priorities will help coordinate research across quantum hardware, software and scientific disciplines, while establishing benchmarks to assess the technology’s practical value. Organised into four domains: chemistry, materials, subatomic physics, and applied mathematics, the Quantum Genesis Priority Applications (QGPAs) will connect quantum researchers with scientists working on complex problems. The initiative supports the objectives outlined in President executive order, Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation, alongside recommendations from the DOE’s quantum supercomputing blueprint and Quantum Report. Darío Gil, DOE Under Secretary for Science, believes the initiative will transform American scientific discovery: “The QGPAs are a bold declaration of how quantum computing capabilities will open up new scientific frontiers. “DOE has long been committed to this …

DOE selects four National Laboratory projects to advance robotics and automation

DOE selects four National Laboratory projects to advance robotics and automation

Published by Miika Tikkanen

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science has selected four National Laboratory-led projects to drive breakthroughs in advanced robotics and automation for scientific infrastructure. The DOE National Laboratories house and operate some of the world’s most advanced scientific instruments, computing systems, and experimental facilities. These selected projects aim to rapidly accelerate progress in advanced robotics and automation, tailoring advancements to these unique research settings and creating solutions that can be applied across a broad spectrum of autonomous scientific operations. DOE expects these projects will create open software and interfaces, reusable robot skills, digital-twin environments, benchmark tasks, datasets and trained models, safety practices, provenance records, and training resources. The objective is not simply to produce four impressive robotics demonstrations, but to establish capabilities that can be reused and extended by the broader DOE scientific community. DOE prioritised projects that would build reusable infrastructure, advance learning-enabled autonomy, demonstrate transfer across instruments or laboratories, integrate robotics with Super Intelligence (SI) and advanced computing, and complement the other selected projects. The selected projects are: Modular Autonomous Experimentation …

Cirba and GM complete closed-loop EV battery recycling pilot

Cirba and GM complete closed-loop EV battery recycling pilot

Published by Miika Tikkanen

Cirba Solutions, General Motors (GM), and their partners have completed a closed-loop EV battery recycling pilot designed to return recovered critical minerals from end-of-life batteries to the manufacturing process. The programme involved processing used GM EV battery packs and recovering materials including nickel, cobalt, and manganese for use in new battery cells. As part of the collaboration, Cirba Solutions disassembled and processed end-of-life GM EV battery packs at its lithium-ion recycling and recovery facility in Ohio. The batteries were processed into Black Mass, a concentrated intermediate material containing critical minerals recovered through the shredding and processing of lithium-ion batteries. The programme has resulted in the production of GM EV batteries using cathode active material (CAM) containing 100% recycled nickel, cobalt, and manganese. The recycled materials were further refined into new CAM before being used to manufacture battery cells through Ultium Cells, the joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution. Speaking on the landmark EV battery recycling initiative, David Klanecky, President and CEO of Cirba Solutions, said: “Battery recycling is an important, intersecting component across …

Westinghouse eVinci Microreactor achieves criticality milestone

Westinghouse eVinci Microreactor achieves criticality milestone

Published by Miika Tikkanen

Westinghouse Electric Company reached a key milestone earlier this month when it successfully completed criticality testing for its eVinci microreactor. The work was completed by Los Alamos National Laboratory in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory, the Nevada National Security Site, and the DOE/NRC Collaboration for Criticality Safety Support for Commercial-Scale HALEU Fuel Cycles and Transportation. The eVinci microreactor criticality testing was conducted at the National Critical Experiments Research Center (NCERC), a National Nuclear Security Administration facility located in Nevada. Testing eVinci at core temperatures upward of 1,000 degrees Celsius yielded invaluable data about the reactor’s performance as Westinghouse works to move this advanced nuclear design toward commercialisation. The eVinci test brings the system one step closer to real-world conditions On September 3, 2026, the eVinci test reached criticality at 663 degrees Celsius. Westinghouse researchers measured a peak core temperature of 1,011 degrees Celsius, a record-high temperature for a reactivity measurement at NCERC. The tests generated high-quality temperature data that Westinghouse will use to strengthen its analytical models and accelerate the eVinci reactor prototype design. This continues …

Wildfire smoke in forests reduces bird diversity

Wildfire smoke in forests reduces bird diversity

Published by Miika Tikkanen

Researchers found that the breeding season following a forest fire was massively impacted by the smoke, with bird diversity reduced. Researchers seeking to further understand the long-term impact of forest fires on the ecosystem have identified a concerning pattern of reduction of the diversity of the bird population in the affected area- and surrounding environments that never burned. Wildfires pose obvious risk to homes and animal habitats in the immediate area- but what about the smoke they produce, which can travel for hundreds of miles on a strong wind? Sarah Meier, an environmental economist at ETH Zurich, investigated this in relation to avian populations in the US together with Eric Strobl from the University of Bern. Studying 15 years of avian data This involved the researchers factoring in data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, a long-term programme running since 1966 to monitor bird populations in North America. Each year, trained volunteers count all the birds they see or hear along fixed routes, each around 40 kilometres long, at some 50 stops. Meier and …

DOE announces m to advance domestic mining technology

DOE announces $73m to advance domestic mining technology

Published by Miika Tikkanen

Funded projects will establish real-world testing grounds for innovative mining technologies to continue securing America’s domestic critical materials supply chains. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) has selected four projects for $73 million in funding through DOE’s Mine of the Future initiative to establish domestic testing grounds for innovative mining technologies. These selections will accelerate the commercialisation of mining technologies, upgrade domestic mining capabilities, and build on the Trump Administration’s mission to secure America’s critical minerals supply chains. DOE’s Advanced Mining and Mineral Processing Technologies Office selected the following projects for award negotiations: Innovative Wireless Technologies, Inc. (HQ: Lynchburg, Virginia, project locations: Julian, West Virginia, Idaho Springs, Colorado, and Blacksburg, Virginia) This project aims to create a national testbed to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced mining technologies that enhance safety, productivity, and supply chain resilience. The effort will combine underground and surface mining environments to validate next-generation digital, connectivity, and automation solutions in real-world conditions. University of Arizona (HQ: Tucson, Arizona, project location: Sahuarita, Arizona) The project will create …

Duane Arnold nuclear plant restart backed by .9bn DOE loan

Duane Arnold nuclear plant restart backed by $1.9bn DOE loan

Published by Miika Tikkanen

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has closed a loan of up to $1.9bn to NextEra Energy to support the restart of the Duane Arnold nuclear plant in Linn County, Iowa. The funding will help bring the facility, which shut down in 2020, back into operation and restore 615 megawatts (MW) of nuclear generation to the regional electricity grid. If the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approves the required licensing, the restart could provide enough reliable electricity to serve almost 500,000 homes, while creating nearly 1,500 construction jobs and more than 450 permanent operational positions. US Deputy Secretary of Energy James P. Danly highlighted the significance of the power station: “Returning 615 MW of reliable baseload generation will drive down electricity costs, while supporting thousands of American jobs. “This Administration is pursuing a comprehensive nuclear strategy, restarting existing reactors, increasing the output of our nuclear fleet, and accelerating new construction, to build the abundant, affordable, and reliable power system required for American prosperity and reindustrialisation.” Why the US is expanding nuclear infrastructure The push to expand …

Silicon Labs opens m Austin lab for advanced semiconductors

Silicon Labs opens $23m Austin lab for advanced semiconductors

Published by Miika Tikkanen

Silicon Labs has opened a new research and development laboratory in Austin, Texas, focused on designing, testing, and validating advanced semiconductors for wireless Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The Austin Innovation Center was officially opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Silicon Labs executives, employees and representatives from the State of Texas. The new laboratory was supported in part by a $23m grant from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF), created under the Texas CHIPS Act. The investment has enabled Silicon Labs to upgrade equipment for work with more advanced wafer process technologies and expand its semiconductor development capabilities. The result is a larger R&D operation designed to help engineers develop and test new wireless technologies more quickly, potentially shortening the path from chip design to commercial products while strengthening Texas’ role in semiconductor research and engineering. Commenting on the facility, Matt Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Labs, said: “Our new Austin Innovation Center represents an important milestone in the partnership between the State of Texas and Silicon Labs to advance semiconductor …

CMEI invests 7m across 56 projects to strengthen industrial sector

CMEI invests $117m across 56 projects to strengthen industrial sector

Published by Miika Tikkanen

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) has awarded $117 million to 56 projects that will strengthen the competitiveness of key American industries through energy and cost-saving innovations. The selected projects will accelerate the development and adoption of technologies across critical industrial sectors. These investments will help American manufacturers produce essential commodities more efficiently and cost-effectively while strengthening the domestic supply chains that underpin the nation’s economic security. The selections advance President Trump’s agenda to restore American industrial strength. “DOE is committed to funding innovation that positions American industry at the forefront of the global marketplace,” said Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson. “These projects will deliver affordable, market-ready solutions that strengthen America’s energy security and support job creation and economic growth nationwide.” Part of the Administration’s drive to strengthen American industries Advances in industrial technologies can deliver lasting benefits by lowering production costs, improving energy productivity, and bringing industrial innovation back to the United States. Selected projects will also help reduce the need for costly wastewater-treatment processes and …

NSF commits 0m to advance quantum technologies

NSF commits $290m to advance quantum technologies

Published by Miika Tikkanen

The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) is investing more than $290m in eight research institutes focused on solving some of the biggest scientific and engineering challenges facing quantum technologies. The five-year funding will support research into quantum computing, sensing, simulation, error correction and hardware. Three of the institutes are new, while five existing centres will receive renewed funding. Each will receive between roughly $28m and $37m, with research teams spanning 19 states and 36 higher education institutions. The programme also brings together federal agencies, universities and more than 30 companies. The result is a major expansion of NSF’s Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes programme, established in 2020 as part of the US National Quantum Initiative (NQI). The institutes aim to move quantum research beyond fundamental science by tackling the reliability, scalability, and manufacturing problems that currently limit practical quantum systems. Acting NSF Director Brian Stone explained: “For more than four decades, NSF has been laying the foundational groundwork of research and discovery that is powering today’s modern quantum computing, sensing and communication. “It’s time for …