Energy
Transitioning to a world powered by renewable energy is key to tackling climate change. Here you can find the latest good news related to our clean energy transition, covering wind, solar, green hydrogen, hydropower, and more.
Researchers have created a solar cell that harvests energy from sunshine and rain
A team of Chinese engineers has turned solar energy’s worst enemy into a friend by developing a hybrid solar cell that can produce electricity from sunshine and rain. To do this, the researchers tapped into the motion of raindrops rolling off the surface of a solar cell using textured layers Read More...
Exxon is working on making algae the fuel of the future
Oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil says that in seven years time, they will be able to produce 10,000 barrels of algae biofuel a day. That may be a small drop in the amount of oil it produces, but it’s a huge boost in the amount of algae-based biofuel. Exxon sees major potential in algae-based fuel as Read More...
Egg whites could help power a clean-energy future
Egg whites — they’re not just (a cholesterol-free) breakfast anymore. A Japanese researcher has found a way to use molecules from a protein-based chemical found in egg whites to generate hydrogen more efficiently, putting scientists a step closer to producing hydrogen from water without Read More...
The U.S. just hit a major milestone for energy storage—great news for solar
The United States has now added the capacity to store a billion watts of power for one hour and may double that total in 2018 alone, says a heady new forecast that highlights the rapid growth of the battery Read More...
This is the most powerful wind turbine in the world
Wind energy is on the up and up, and by that, we mean the size of turbines are getting bigger and bigger. Larger wind turbines reach higher in the air where the wind is stronger and produces more energy. This week, GE Renewable Energy announced what it calls the world’s most powerful wind Read More...
Tesla installing world's largest solar rooftop on Nevada gigafactory
Tesla has started building a massive rooftop solar array on top of its Gigafactory 1 (GF1) outside Sparks, Nevada. Once finished, the 70-megawatt system will be the largest in the world by far; the current record-holder is the comparatively shrimpy 11.5-megawatt array in India that can power Read More...
Americans keep using less electricity
Economic growth picked up a little in the U.S. in 2017. But electricity use fell, according to data released Tuesday by the Energy Information Administration. It's now been basically flat for more than a Read More...
More than 100 cities around the world run mostly on renewable energy
A new report shows that over 100 cities around the world are running on predominantly clean energy. That figure is up from 40 in 2015, and it shows that more and more cities—from Seattle, Washington to Inje, South Korea—are ditching fossil fuels and turning to renewables than ever before. Take Read More...
America's biggest solar buyer is a firm you've never heard of
The biggest buyer of solar farms in America is a company you’ve probably never heard of. Meet Capital Dynamics, an asset manager that handles $15 billion. The firm’s been snapping up clean-power plants for years, but it wasn’t until this month -- when the company agreed to spend almost $1 Read More...
Ultra-thin coating makes "dumb" glass smart
There are already energy-saving "smart glass" windows that can be electronically tinted to block the sun's hot rays, thus reducing the need to run air-conditioning systems. Such systems still require electricity to operate, however. Now, scientists from Australia's RMIT University have developed a Read More...