Got any spaces left on that 2020 bingo card? Pencil in “another Dust Bowl in the Great Plains.” A study from University of Utah researchers and their colleagues finds that atmospheric dust levels are rising across the Great Plains at a rate of up to 5% per year.
The trend of rising dust parallels expansion of cropland and seasonal crop cycles, suggesting that farming practices are exposing more soil to wind erosion. And if the Great Plains becomes drier, a possibility under climate change scenarios, then all the pieces are in place for a repeat of the Dust Bowl that devastated the Midwest in the 1930s.
“We can’t make changes to the earth surface without some kind of consequence just as we can’t burn fossil fuels without consequences,” says Andy Lambert, lead author of the study and a recent U graduate. “So while the agriculture industry is absolutely important, we
Designing solar panels in checkerboard lines increases their ability to absorb light by 125 per cent, a new study says.
Researchers say the breakthrough could lead to the production of thinner, lighter and more flexible solar panels that could be used to power more homes and be used in a wider range of products.
The study — led by researchers from the University of York and conducted in partnership with NOVA University of Lisbon (CENIMAT-i3N) — investigated how different surface designs impacted on the absorption of sunlight in solar cells, which put together form solar panels.
Scientists found that the checkerboard design improved diffraction, which enhanced the probability of light being absorbed which is then used to create electricity.
The renewable energy sector is constantly looking for new ways to boost the light absorption of solar cells in lightweight materials that can be used in products from roof tiles to
Clients to benefit as Accenture positions itself to meet growing demand for SAP and cloud migration services across ANZ
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired New Zealand-based SAP and cloud solutions technology firm Zag. The acquisition will bolster Accenture’s New Zealand and Australian digital transformation capabilities to meet increased demand from organisations migrating to the cloud and SAP’s next generation products.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201005005844/en/
Left to Right: Nick Mulcahy, CEO Zag, and Ben Morgan, Managing Director Accenture New Zealand. (Photo: Business Wire)
Zag has offices in Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and Melbourne with a team of over 200 professionals. The company is a leading SAP specialist provider that offers services including consulting, development, support, testing and cloud migration. Clients include the New Zealand farmer owned cooperative Ballance and Australian energy provider Hydro Tasmania.
“By pairing Accenture’s global expertise with Zag’s local talent and insight,
Stock market financial growth chart on dark background.
Getty
Nine new stocks make the Safest Dividend Yields Model Portfolio this month, which was made available to members on September 23, 2020.
Recap from August’s Picks
On a price return basis, the Safest Dividend Yields Model Portfolio (-2.5%) outperformed the S&P 500 (-3.3%) by 0.8% from August 20, 2020 through September 21, 2020. On a total return basis, the Model Portfolio (-2.1%) outperformed the S&P 500 (-2.9%) by 0.8% over the same time. The best performing large cap stock was up 11% and the best performing small cap stock was up 6%. Overall, 12 out of the 20 Safest Dividend Yield stocks outperformed their respective benchmarks (S&P 500 and Russell 2000) from August 20, 2020 through September 21, 2020.
Only my firm’s research utilizes the superior data and earnings adjustments featured by the HBS & MIT Sloan paper, “Core Earnings:
HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Ninety percent of oil and gas executives agree that investment in technology and workforce are essential to surviving current market conditions, according to a new EY survey: Oil and Gas Digital Transformation and the Workforce Survey 2020. In fact, 58% said the COVID-19 pandemic has made investing in digital technology more urgent, with a majority planning to invest a great deal (29%) or moderate amount (51%) relative to their total budget.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the timeline for some digital technology adoption from five years to three months,” said Andy Brogan, EY Global Oil & Gas Leader. “The cost savings digital can deliver is critical for survival in today’s low-price environment, as oil and gas companies look to gain greater operational efficiencies and drive productivity across the value chain. However, to capture the full value of these investments, oil and gas
Residents watch a wildfire in the town of Rafina, near Athens, Greece in July 2018. Mediterranean nations have spent around 200 billion euros in the past two decades to build up some of the world’s largest firefighting forces.
Photographer: Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP via Getty Images
Photographer: Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP via Getty Images
Climate change is fueling megafires that can’t be extinguished with helicopters and fire trucks, so Europe’s most fire-prone region has come up with new ways to protect forests. In many parts of the continent,countries are letting smaller fires burn, using historic data to model future fire behavior and offering subsidies to encourage land owners and people living close to forests to manage them properly. Over the long term, the goal is to turn forest management into a profitable activity that can also revive rural economies.
“There are a number of different tools and the secret is combining all that’s
/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5f07d366795d0900069dbb5f/0x0.jpg)
