solar energy

Transoptic Solar Satellite Dish Gets 1,000 Channels and Heats Your Home

If you're going to buy a satellite dish, why not get one that can heat water and cool your home? That's the thinking behind Transoptic's 2-in-1 device, which consists of a honeycomb-like layer of hexagonal mirrors or a ...READ»

Skyline Solar's High Gain Tech Is 10 Times More Efficient Than Flat Arrays

Skyline Solar, a Silicon Valley start-up founded by SolFocus veteran Bob McDonald, unveiled its low-cost, high-efficiency High Gain Solar Arrays (HGS) this morning. The two-year-old company's HGS, expected to be released later ...READ»

Solar-Powered Digital Scarecrow Keeps Nosy Animals at Bay

Solar power is often hailed as a technology that will lead us into a low-carbon world. But it's not just useful for providing energy to juice our appliances--it could also be used to zap animals away. The Digital Scarecrow, a ...READ»

The World's First Solar-Powered Waterproof Cell Phone

Ever find yourself with a water-soaked low-battery phone? Sharp and Japanese network KDDI have a solution: the world's first solar-powered waterproof cell phone. The phone, scheduled for a June release in Japan, can nab one minute of talk time or two hours of standby power from ten minutes of sun.READ»

Sun Catalytix Gets Funding to Search for Holy Grail: Freeing Hydrogen From Water

Plants miraculously create clean energy using only sunlight and water, and until recently, we've only been able to look on in envy. All our attempts to mimic photosynthesis have been expensive and energy intensive. But a new ...READ»

First Solar Building Largest Photovoltaic Plant in U.S...Maybe

Nevada is a veritable gold mine of solar energy, so it's not surprising to hear that photovoltaic company First Solar is teaming up with Sempra Generation to build the largest solar photovoltaic plant in the U.S. in Boulder City, ...READ»

Beam Me Down, Scotty: PG&E Wants to Generate Space-Based Solar Power

The idea of space-based solar power has been tossed around since the 1970s, and now California utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) wants to bring the concept down to earth. The utility has asked permission from ...READ»

GreenVolts, DOE Work to Bring High Efficiency, Low Cost Solar Cell to Market

Last year, the US Department of Energy landed in the news when it set a world record in solar cell efficiency with a photovoltaic device that converts 40.8 percent of all light that hits it into solar energy using concentrated ...READ»

Hail to the Chief Green

In just a few days President-elect Obama will be President Obama.  The economy remains the main agenda item, but this does not mean that environmental initiatives are being left behind.  With just a few days left before he takes ...READ»

The Solar Industry Gains Ground

At a time of economic pain and planetary peril, a renewable global powerhouse takes shape. Just when we need it most.READ»

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