Tag Archive

Hybrid Solar Panels Combine Photovoltaics with Thermoelectricity

Columbia University and N.Y. engineering firm Weidlinger Associates are developing a layered approach that will draw electricity from the sun’s energy in multiple ways
Tar and shingles are hardly environmentally friendly materials, so the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hopes to soon help homeowners and businesses replace the roofs over their heads with something greener. To [...]

Tiny glitter-sized photovoltaic cells could revolutionize solar power

Scientists from Sandia National Laboratories have developed tiny, glitter-sized photovoltaic cells that are ten times thinner than conventional solar cells and could one day be used in a variety of applications – from satellites and remote-sensing, to tents and perhaps even clothing. Yep, these cells could turn the average Joe into a walking solar-battery charger.
The [...]

Here Comes The Sun (and Wind)

Four experts discuss the balance between pristine land and renewable energy, the pros and cons of photovoltaics versus solar thermal, and how much rooftop solar can help.

Nanotech Batteries For A New Energy Future

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Researchers at the Maryland NanoCenter at the University of Maryland have developed new systems for storing electrical energy derived from alternative sources that are, in some cases, 10 times more efficient than what is commercially available.
In order to save money and energy, many people are purchasing hybrid electric cars or installing solar panels [...]

Bacteria Power: Future For Clean Energy Lies In ‘Big Bang’ Of Evolution

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Amid mounting agreement that future clean, “carbon-neutral”, energy will rely on efficient conversion of the sun’s light energy into fuels and electric power, attention is focusing on one of the most ancient groups of organism, the cyanobacteria.
Dramatic progress has been made over the last decade understanding the fundamental reaction of photosynthesis that [...]