ESA SOLARIS: Wireless Power Beamed Down From Space
Solar power could be gathered far away in space and transmitted wirelessly down to Earth to wherever it is needed. The European Space Agency (ESA)…
Solar Energy News
Beaming Clean Energy From Space – Caltech’s “Extraordinary and Unprecedented Project”
Technology capable of collecting solar power in space and beaming it to Earth to provide a global supply of clean and affordable energy was once…
Innovative Technology Offers Big Performance Boost to Perovskite–Silicon Tandem Solar Cells
An extra metal fluoride layer enables charge separation and boosts performance in perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells. Inserting a metal fluoride layer in multilayered perovskite–silicon tandem…
Alternative to Silicon: Why Perovskites Could Take Solar Cells to New Heights
This family of crystalline compounds is at the forefront of research pursuing alternatives to silicon. Perovskites have great potential for creating solar panels that could…
For Human Settlements on Mars, Solar Power May Beat Nuclear Energy
Photovoltaics may be more practical for long stays on Mars thanks to today’s light, flexible solar panels. According to new research by scientists at the…
New Materials Enable Cheaper Solar Cells That Are Easier To Make
New solar cell devices that are cheaper and easier to make could soon make their way to market thanks to materials made at Imperial College…
Capturing Solar Energy and Converting It to Electricity When Needed – Up to 18 Years Later
The researchers behind an energy system that makes it possible to capture solar energy, store it for up to eighteen years, and release it when…
Researchers Set New World Record for Solar Cell Efficiency
A German research team has developed a tandem solar cell that reaches 24 percent efficiency – measured according to the fraction of photons converted into…
Collecting Solar Power Up in Orbit and Beaming It Down to the Ground for Use
Solar energy generation keeps on becoming cheaper and more efficient, but some basic limitations will always apply: solar panels can only generate power during the…
Harvesting Energy at Night: Solar Cell Keeps Working Long After Sun Sets
Harvesting energy from the temperature difference between photovoltaic cell, surrounding air leads to a viable, renewable source of electricity at night. About 750 million people…
Could the Internet Be Driven by Climate-Friendly “Natural Intelligence?”
Global network of solar-powered servers shows how. The energy requirements of the Internet, the devices and systems using it and the servers that support it…
Wind and Solar Could Replace Coal Power in Texas, Drastically Cut Pollution
Rice study shows how proposed projects could eliminate need for coal, drastically cut pollution. Texas can be a model for the nation on how to…
MIT’s Clever Way To Clean Solar Panels Without Water
A new cleaning method could remove dust on solar installations in water-limited regions, improving overall efficiency. Solar power is expected to reach 10 percent of…
Building-Block Solar Cells: Computer Algorithm Searches for New Materials for Better Organic Solar Cells
Organic, carbon-based, materials already see widespread use in displays today, but they are also promising materials for new solar cells. However, tailoring their properties is…
3D-Printed “Nano-Skyscrapers” Help Bacteria Convert Sunlight Into Electricity
Researchers have made tiny ‘skyscrapers’ for communities of bacteria, helping them to generate electricity from just sunlight and water. The researchers, from the University of…
Predicting Semiconductor Solar Cell Performance From Terahertz and Microwave Spectroscopy
Many semiconducting materials are possible candidates for solar cells. In recent years, perovskite semiconductors in particular have attracted attention, as they are both inexpensive and…
Soaking Up Sun in the Thar Desert: 2,245 Megawatts From Millions of Solar Photovoltaic Panels
The Thar desert’s abundance of open space and sunshine make it an ideal place for solar power. Scorching temperatures, infertile soils, limited water supplies, and…
Solar-Powered System From MIT Offers a Route to Inexpensive Desalination
Passive solar evaporation system could be used to clean wastewater, provide potable water, or sterilize medical tools in off-grid areas. An estimated two-thirds of humanity…
