Scientists from IBM Research Zurich just created a tiny 5-ringed molecule called olympicene that is only 1.2 nanometers wide— about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. The new graphite molecule is
Scientists from Austria and Japan just announced that they have created micro-thin solar cells that are thinner than a human hair and even narrower than spider silk. These sheer solar cells are ten times
A report released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research shows that solar power installations in the United States grew more in the third quarter of 2011 than in all of 2009.
It turns out that some members of the solar panel manufacturing industry might actually be doing harm while advancing renewable energy by dumping millions of tons of lead into the environment in China and
// While most 13-year-olds spend their free time playing video games or cruising Facebook, one 7th grader was trekking through the woods uncovering a mystery of science. After studying how trees branch in
Researchers in the UK have discovered a new process that could create inexpensive, mass-produced solar devices by printing a thin layer of plastic polymer photovoltaic cells over a cling-like film. The
Solar panels often conjure up images of clumsy, dark sheets lined up in rooftop arrays on green homes and buildings. But what if they weren’t dark and clumsy — and what if they didn’t
Solar efficiencies have increased incrementally over the past years, but they are still hovering around 20% – however now an engineer from the University of Missouri claims to have developed a
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, working in the new field of transformation optics, have created an invisibility cloak that could lead to more efficient solar cells. The
Researchers at the University of Michigan have made a discovery about the behavior of light that could change solar technology forever. Stephen Rand, a professor in the departments of Electrical
Enormous constructions are popping up all over China, hosting international business, new residences and commercially centered recreational activities. Well, the Anning River Acquatic Resort certainly
Enough solar energy hits the Earth in an hour to meet global power demand for an entire year: the trick is catching it, and doing it with equipment cheap enough to allow it to compete with fossil fuels.
Thinking about investing in a solar array but concerned about the lifespan of photovoltaic cells? Consider this: the world’s oldest solar panel — a 60 year-old crystal ball-like contraption
Sign #1 that interest in solar power is exploding: even the oil companies are getting in on the act. Earlier this week, Chevron unveiled Project Brightfield, a solar plant featuring 7,700 solar panels on
Imagine: a solar-powered screen that could quickly charge up your new iPad. Solar chargers are certainly nothing new, but this circuit is embedded right in the touchscreen, so you don’t have to set
The winner of the Solar Decathlon Competition was announced today — congratulations Team Germany! We’ve been following the competition happenings all week. Our friends have been as abuzz as
Even though the 2,600 ft tall, 126 story Burj Dubai is still under construction, a fierce race is already brewing to construct the world’s next tallest building. Recently Santa Monica building
Ben Bova, the president emeritus of the National Space Society, recently suggested an incredible solution to the world’s energy crisis. Instead of taking solar panels and sticking them on your roof,
Researchers at MIT recently revealed a cutting-edge solar technology that promises a “tenfold increase in the amount of power converted by solar cells.” The development utilizes dye-glazed
Energy company Sunrgi recently announced an astounding new solar system that will break our grids free from the fossil fuel lockdown. Their Xtreme Concentrated Photovoltaics promise a low-cost,
Instead of doing the old-fashioned solar power thing, and capturing the sun’s rays as they hit the Earth’s surface, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Osaka University Institute
Despite the enormous untapped potential of solar energy, one thing is for sure- photovoltaics are only as good as the sun’s rays shining upon them. However, researchers at the Idaho National
New Zealand is a land of wonderful landscapes, beautiful scenery, and lots of sheep – and soon it will be known as the land of cheap solar power, thanks to the work of Dr. Wayne Campbell at the
