Meet the new (green) power couple: Solar Panels + Arid Farms
Renewable energy and sustainable food production are both in high demand as we move into a future of changing climate and growing population. But how do we allocate space for solar energy production and farmland when they both demand similar geographic conditions? Agrivoltaics, the process of Read More...
New UN report shows a bright future for renewable energy
If you’re skeptical about the potential of renewable energy in preventing a climate catastrophe in the following decades, consider this: between 2010 and 2019, the world poured $2.6 trillion into clean energy sources and boosted capacity from 414 gigawatts to 1,650 gigawatts, according to a new Read More...
This Chinese utility's finances show how much cheaper solar is than coal
Electricity giant China Power’s figures for the first half of 2019 have demonstrated the economic take-off of solar power in the country. The Hong Kong based company reported higher earnings from coal-generated electricity than solar, however, when profits from photovoltaic (PV) systems were Read More...
Why now is the best time to install solar panels on your home
If you believe solar panels are something you can’t really afford, you may want to hear what Sean Hollister of the Verge has to say about solar panels. For Hollister, solar panels always seemed like one of those Earth-friendly options that’s effectively a luxury good, much like a Tesla. But Read More...
Solar panels are helping Indian farmers irrigate their crops
Hundreds of millions of people in India depend on farming for their livelihoods, but widespread droughts in recent years mean they often struggle to find enough water for their fields. Right now, rural farmers have to rely on diesel pumps to access groundwater for irrigation, but many of them Read More...
California becomes one third renewable two years before the deadline
Being America’s most populous state and the world’s fifth largest economy makes it all the more impressive that California sits amongst the forerunners in the global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. A new report issued by the California Energy Commission shows that the Golden Read More...
Solar Sister empowers women in Africa to sell clean, solar technologies
Distributing solar-powered lights and phone chargers where they are needed the most, while giving low-income women the opportunity to earn supplementary income—such is the vision behind Solar Sister, a social enterprise with a presence in Tanzania, Uganda and Nigeria. With 1,500 women involved in Read More...
California deploys free solar panels in disadvantaged neighborhoods
For all its efforts with rooftop solar deployment, California has yet to show that decentralized renewable energy is not just a luxury that only the middle-class and high-income residents can afford. A new program run by nonprofit Grid Alternatives aims to install solar systems in disadvantaged Read More...
Pakistan turns desert into a sea of solar panels
More than a third of Pakistan’s population does not have access to electricity, and power shortages hinder economic growth. That situation may be about to improve as a 100-megawatt solar farm built by a Chinese company in the Punjab province just came online. Its capacity is expected to exceed Read More...
Moth’s eye and lotus leaf inspire more efficient, easier to maintain solar panels
Just as the cost of solar energy has been dropping precipitously, innovations sprout to accelerate the trend while improving the technology. In a recent example of biomimicry applied to solar, Oak Ridge National Lab was inspired by the moth’s eye to create an antireflective coating that increases Read More...