How Minnesota’s Sherco Solar is leading a clean energy revolution
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The biggest coal plant in Minnesota is going through a major makeover. The Sherburne County Generating Station, known as Sherco, is transitioning from a coal-fired legacy to a renewable energy hub. Sherco Solar, owned by Xcel Energy and currently in the Read More...
Recycling old cables can help meet the copper demand for green technology
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM UK households are sitting on a hidden treasure: millions of unused cables that may help meet the soaring worldwide demand for copper. According to the Recycle Your Electricals initiative, there are over 627 million unused cables in UK households, totaling Read More...
University students transform workouts into power with energy-generating gym equipment
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Imagine getting on the treadmill and knowing that every stride you take burns calories and helps keep the lights on. At Brown University, this is exactly what is happening. The Nelson Fitness Center has transformed exercise into a green energy initiative, Read More...
Wind and solar energy production in US surpasses coal for the first time in history
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), wind and solar energy generated more electricity than coal for the first time in history during the first seven months of the year. This astounding feat, as reported in the EIA's Monthly Read More...
Breakthrough in green hydrogen production: cobalt and water replace rare iridium
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Hydrogen generation is frequently cited as a critical component in the shift to renewable energy. However, according to a paper published in Nature Energy by Kiane de Kleijne of Radboud University and Eindhoven University of Technology, the technique has Read More...
Creative cement recycling breakthrough promises to slash emissions
University of Cambridge scientists identified a new way for recycling cement from demolished concrete buildings, which might reduce emissions from one of the world's most polluting industries. Cement, the cornerstone of contemporary construction, accounts for a considerable share of worldwide CO2 Read More...
Volcanic ash may be a game changer in sustainable solar energy storage solutions
When calamity hits and volcanic ash blankets the land, it is commonly perceived negatively, for many obvious reasons. However, novel research from the University of Barcelona demonstrates that this seemingly gloomy substance has enormous promise as an energy storage medium, providing a Read More...
Boosting solar power: reflectors under panels increase efficiencyÂ
Researchers at the University of Ottawa, in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), announced a ground-breaking innovation to improve solar panel efficiency. By incorporating reflective surfaces beneath solar panels, the researchers increased energy output by an impressive Read More...
The rise of renewable energy: a tipping point in global electricity sourcesÂ
Renewable energy surpassed 30 percent of the global electricity supply for the first time, marking a milestone in the planet's energy shift. This spike in clean electricity, mostly from wind and solar power, represents a watershed point in the move to sustainable energy options. The ongoing Read More...
The power of "solar balconies": Germany's solar revolution reaches more than just roofs
In Germany's busiest cities, a quiet shift is taking place on apartment balconies. While rooftop solar has long been seen as a key component of renewable energy, a new player has emerged: the solar balcony. With over 400,000 plug-in solar systems on balconies around the country, this unique Read More...