Today’s Solutions: December 13, 2024

Dirty Dusty Solar Panels with Text Clean Me Please

This ultra-thin coating can make solar panels self-cleaning

Solar panels cannot perform successfully if they are caked in filth, yet cleaning them on a regular basis can be time-consuming. Luckily, engineers in Germany are on the case and have created an ultra-thin coating that can self-clean solar panels and other surfaces. Solar is the most important Read More...

Solar power Plant in small village in India

Welcome to Modhera, India’s first village entirely powered by solar

Modhera in Gujarat became India's first solar-powered village, setting a precedent for what UN Secretary-General António Guterres called a "reconciliation between humanity and the planet," according to Euronews. UN News reports that the solar project provides residents of Modhera with an Read More...

Solar panels on the parking lot near a supermarket on a sunny day in Avignon, Provence, France. Electricity and shade for cars at the same time.

France mandates that all large parking lots be outfitted with solar panels

Last week, the French Senate passed legislation mandating the installation of solar panels on all new and current parking lots with room for at least 80 vehicles— an enormous boost for solar power. Doubling solar and wind energy The new provisions are part of French President Emmanuel Macron's Read More...

Solar panels installed on the roof in South Australia

Australian study reveals a low-cost strategy for recycling solar panels

A new study has proposed a low-cost method of recycling solar panels to help handle the growing volume of retired photovoltaic (PV) cells expected by the end of the decade. A team from the University of New South Wales published a paper last week outlining a process for collecting and extracting Read More...

Lego logo on a store building.

Lego to set up a factory in Virginia... and it comes with its own solar park

Danish company the Lego Group has established itself as one of The Optimist Daily’s favorite toymakers for its many efforts and initiatives that make this world a more inclusive, accessible, greener, and all-around better place. Now, we’re happy to report that Lego is up to more Read More...

Reflection of sun in glass facade of high-rise building

This solar-coated high-rise is self-sustaining

A high-rise office building in Melbourne, Australia, boasts a solar facade made up of 1,182 solar panels which, together with additional rooftop solar, sustain the building with renewable power. Helping others by helping itself “The building is designed to be self-sustainable,” says Pete Read More...

University of Illinois Chicago sign

University of Illinois students build solar charging station for food truck and other EVs

Students at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) have demonstrated once again the ingenuity and motivation of today’s youth to meet the challenges of climate change. The team built a solar-powered charging station so that an on-campus food truck can make emission-free deliveries. The Read More...

Solar Panles Lesotho

OnePower: bringing minigrids and power to Lesotho

A key aspect of helping the developing world is not only ensuring that they have sufficient power and infrastructure to run key facilities like schools and hospitals. It is also important to ensure that their energy infrastructure is resilient and, hopefully, runs on renewable energy.  This is Read More...

Europe’s largest floating so

Europe’s largest floating solar park to open in Portugal this summer

Last month we wrote about Greece unveiling Europe’s largest double-sided solar farm. Now another European country is about to claim a significant achievement in the race towards renewables: building the continent’s largest floating solar park. The solar park will be located in Portugal’s Read More...

Green College life

7 tips for sustainable and affordable college life

For our college student readers, you might already be tired of people telling you that you are the future of our society. Well, you are, but you don’t need to wait until you’re out in the workforce to make a difference in the world.  Socially and environmentally conscious behavior can begin Read More...