Coastal communities are on the frontlines of climate change. Rising seas, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding put homes, infrastructure, and lives at risk, especially social and economically vulnerable communities, such as Puerto Rico. A new study published in Scientific Reports introduces an innovative, AI-powered framework to track and analyze coastal water levels in places […]
Cool Roofs Offer Hope Against Extreme Heat in Rural Africa
As the planet warms, communities around the world are looking for simple, affordable ways to stay safe in rising temperatures. In rural Burkina Faso, where homes can be up to 10 degrees hotter inside than the air outside, residents face dangerous heat nearly all year round. A new study, published in BMC Public Health, explored […]
Keeping Oyster and Clam Farms Safe from Disease
A new study in Aquaculture looked at how tiny oysters and clams (called seed) can carry diseases when moved between hatcheries and farms. The authors wanted to find out which life stages are most at risk, and how careful water treatment can help protect both farmed and wild shellfish. David Bushek, an affiliate of the […]
What Happens When Wind Farms Get Old?
As more wind farms around the world get older, big decisions need to be made: should they keep running, be upgraded with new parts, or be shut down completely? Answering these questions requires accurate assessments of their reliability—how frequently failures occur and how costly those failures are. A new study in the journal Wind Energy […]
RCEI Scholars Discuss Challenges to EPA’s Endangerment Finding and Rapid Responses by the Scientific Community
On September 29, the Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute (RCEI), in collaboration with the Department of Human Ecology, hosted a forum at which Rutgers experts discussed recent U.S. government-led efforts to repeal greenhouse gas regulations in the United States and the scientific community’s rapid responses to these efforts. The forum featured RCEI affiliates, William Hallman, Distinguished […]
RCEI Affiliate Aziz Ezzat Participates in Congressional Briefing on Artificial Intelligence’s Implications for Energy and The Environment
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute invited Aziz Ezzat, an affiliate of the Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute and assistant professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering, to participate in a congressional briefing on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the climate and energy space that took place in a packed room of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, […]
Stable at -450°F: Why These Rare Earth Materials Matter for Clean Energy Tech
Rare earth elements (REEs) play a big role in modern technologies, including electronics, magnetics, and systems that generate clean energy. A new study explores the stability of some rare earth materials—specifically, rare earth oxychlorides—which is crucial for their future applications in clean energy and advanced electronics. Richard Riman, an affiliate of the Rutgers Climate and Energy […]
Smarter Microgrids Could Make Clean Energy More Reliable
Keeping the lights on during storms, blackouts, or equipment failures is a growing challenge as we shift toward renewable energy. A new study published in Computers & Industrial Engineering explores how advanced artificial intelligence (AI) can help design microgrids—localized energy systems that combine solar, wind, batteries, and other sources—to be both cost-effective and highly reliable. […]
Smarter Transportation Systems Could Cut Wait Times for Drivers
Finding a parking spot at a busy shopping mall or waiting to charge an electric vehicle can be frustrating. A new study published in IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems explores how to make these everyday challenges easier. The authors developed a computer framework called ‘Multi-Personality Multi-Agent Meta-Reinforcement Learning’, which helps transportation systems adapt faster […]
New Way to Keep the Power On: Smarter Use of Local Energy
As we use more electricity for things like cars and heating, power distribution systems are becoming more stressed—especially as our electric grids get older—and power outages are becoming more impactful. But what if the local solar panels, batteries, or even electric cars and heaters themselves could help keep the lights on? That’s the big idea […]
