Solar Energy

Technologies for Getting to Zero Emissions by 2060

Question: How fast are technologies to address climate change developing, particularly with regard to solar energy?

GenerallyEclectic looked at Canada's Greenhouse Gas emissions and found that in 2012, the combustion of fossil fuels (petroleum products, natural gas, coal) account for just under 80 percent of emissions. In a low emission world, this energy source will need to be replaced. There are a number of candidates to replace fossil fuels: solar, hydro, thermal, tidal, nuclear. One of the most promising is solar energy.

As a vast country, Canada has an abundance of potential for solar energy.

To answer the question on how fast solar energy technologies are developing, GenerallyEclectic looked at articles in Science Daily on solar energy for the previous eighteen months, which at the time of writing was December 1, 2018 to May 31, 2020. Titles, summaries and links to the relevant articles are provided, so you can make your own judgments.

The summaries presented here are limited to Science Daily findings, which are in turn determined by Science Daily's methodology, which is outlined at About Science Daily. To the extent that Science Daily undoubtedly missed some technological developments, this summary under-reports developments.

Findings

1. 3D-Printed System Speeds Up Solar Cell Testing from Hours to Minutes: May 20, 2020 — Tests on new designs for next-gen solar cells can now be done in minutes instead of days ...
2. On the Road to Non-Toxic and Stable Perovskite Solar CellsMay 11, 2020 — The promising halide perovskite materials for solar energy conversion show high efficiencies, but this comes at a cost: The best perovskite materials incorporate toxic lead which poses a hazard to ...
3. Environment-Friendly Compound Shows Promise for Solar Cell Use Apr. 24, 2020 — A team of engineers, material scientists, and physicists demonstrated how a new material -- a lead-free chalcogenide perovskite -- that hadn't previously been considered for use in solar cells ...
4. A Clear Semiconductor Based on Tin Could Improve Solar Power Generation: Apr. 22, 2020 — Mobility is a key parameter for semiconductor performance and relates to how quickly and easily electrons can move inside a substance. Researchers have achieved the highest mobility among thin films ...
5. Physicists Develop Approach to Increase Performance of Solar Energy: Apr. 20, 2020 — Experimental condensed matter physicists have developed an approach to circumvent a major loss process that currently limits the efficiency of commercial solar ...
6. New Discovery Settles Long-Standing Debate About Photovoltaic Materials: Apr. 17, 2020 — Scientists have theorized that organometallic halide perovskites -- a class of light harvesting 'wonder' materials for applications in solar cells and quantum electronics -- are so ...
7. Tandem Solar Cell World Record: Apr. 14, 2020 — A special branch in the famous NREL-chart for solar cell world records refers to a newly developed tandem solar cell. The world-record cell combines the semiconductors perovskite and CIGS to a ...
8. Solar Power Plants Get Help from Satellites to Predict Cloud Cover: Apr. 14, 2020 — Cloud cover is often characterized in simple terms, such as cloudy, partly cloudy or clear. This does not provide accurate information for estimating the amount of sunlight available for solar power ...
9. Illuminating the Future of Renewable Energy: Apr. 13, 2020 — A new chemical compound is lighting the way for renewable ...
10. Development of New Photovoltaic Commercialization Technology: Apr. 10, 2020 — A technology to further accelerate the commercialization of Colloidal Quantum Dot(CQD) Photovoltaic(PV) devices, which are expected to be next-generation photovoltaic devices, has been ...
11. X-Rays Reveal in Situ Crystal Growth of Lead-Free Perovskite Solar Panel Materials: Apr. 6, 2020 — Lead-based perovskites efficiently turn light into electricity but they also present some major drawbacks: the most efficient materials are not very stable, while lead is a toxic element. Scientists ...
12. Smaller Scale Solutions Needed for Rapid Progress Towards Emissions Targets: Apr. 2, 2020 — Low-carbon technologies that are smaller scale, more affordable, and can be mass deployed are more likely to enable a faster transition to net-zero emissions, according to a new study. Innovations ...
13. Uncertain Climate Future Could Disrupt Energy Systems: Apr. 1, 2020 — Scientists have published a new study proposing an optimization methodology for designing climate-resilient energy systems and to help ensure that communities will be able to meet future energy needs ...
14. Highly Efficient and Stable Double Layer Solar Cell Developed: Mar. 27, 2020 — A research team has developed a new type of solar cell that can both withstand environmental hazards and is 26.7% efficient in power ...
15. Quantum Phenomenon Governs Organic Solar Cells: Mar. 26, 2020 — Researchers have discovered a quantum phenomenon that influences the formation of free charges in organic solar ...
16. Photosynthetic Proteins Developed for Expanded Solar Energy Conversion: Mar. 24, 2020 — A team of scientists has developed a new photosynthetic protein system enabling an enhanced and more sustainable approach to solar-powered technological devices. The initiative is part of a broader ...
17. How Do You Power Billions of Sensors? By Converting Waste Heat Into Electricity: Mar. 23, 2020 — Researchers found that thermoelectric power generators lose a great deal of their possible output power because of thermal and electrical contact resistance. Improving this limitation will help ...
18. On the Trail of Organic Solar Cells' Efficiency: Mar. 20, 2020 — Scientists have investigated the physical causes that limit the efficiency of novel solar cells based on organic molecular materials. Currently, the voltage of such cells is still too low - one ...
19. Boosting Stability of Perovskites Helps Silicon Solar Cells: Mar. 10, 2020 — A change in chemical composition enabled scientists to boost the longevity and efficiency of a perovskite solar ...
20. Ultrathin Organic Solar Cell Is Both Efficient and Durable: Mar. 9, 2020 — Scientists have succeeded in creating an ultrathin organic solar cell that is both highly efficient and durable. Using a simple post-annealing process, they created a flexible organic cell that ...
21. Layered Solar Cell Technology Boosts Efficiency, Affordability: Mar. 6, 2020 — Researchers have created a low-cost solar cell with one of the highest power-conversion efficiencies to date, by layering cells and using a unique combination of ...
22. Exciting Tweaks for Organic Solar Cells: Mar. 5, 2020 — A molecular tweak has improved organic solar cell performance, bringing us closer to cheaper, efficient, and more easily manufactured photovoltaics. The new design approach targets the molecular ...
23. Households in Switzerland Could Feasibly Be Energy Self-Sufficient by 2050: Mar. 4, 2020 — By 2050, photovoltaic technologies that convert sunlight into electricity could enable many single- and multi-family buildings in Switzerland to produce enough energy to meet their own consumption ...
24. New Type of Indoor Solar Cells for Smart Connected Devices: Mar. 4, 2020 — In a future where most things in our everyday life are connected through the internet, devices and sensors will need to run without wires or batteries. Researchers present a new type of ...
25. KITE Code Could Power New Quantum Developments: Mar. 2, 2020 — A research collaboration has created open-source software to assist in the creation of quantum materials which could in turn vastly increase the world's computing ...
26. Perovskite Solar Cells Made With Peppermint Oil and Walnut Aroma Food Additives, Preventing Lead Leakage: Feb. 26, 2020 — Engineers have developed eco-friendly-solvent processable hole transport polymers by using peppermint oil and walnut aroma food additives and the polymer can prevent lead ...
27. Scientists Develop Safer Lead-Based Perovskite Solar Cell: Feb. 19, 2020 — Researchers are reporting on a potential breakthrough in the development of hybrid perovskite solar cells. The scientists developed a technique to sequester the lead used to make perovskite solar ...
28. New World Record for Conversion of Solar Energy to Electricity Using Quantum Dots: Feb. 18, 2020 — Researchers have set a world record for the conversion of solar energy to electricity via the use of tiny nanoparticles called 'quantum dots'. The technology has a huge range of potential ...
29. Cracks in Perovskite Films for Solar Cells Easily Healed, Study Finds: Feb. 12, 2020 — A new study finds that cracks in brittle perovskite films can be easily healed with compression or mild heating, a good sign for the use of perovskites in next-generation solar ...
30. Oblique Electrostatic Inject-Deposited TiO2 Film for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells: Feb. 10, 2020 — The need to efficiently harvest solar energy for a more sustainable future is increasingly becoming accepted across the globe. A new family of solar cells based on perovskites -- materials with a ...
31. Next Generation of Greenhouses May Be Fully Solar Powered: Feb. 7, 2020 — Many greenhouses could become energy neutral by using see-through solar panels to harvest energy - primarily from the wavelengths of light that plants don't use for ...
32. Lasers Etch a 'Perfect' Solar Energy Absorber: Feb. 4, 2020 — Researchers demonstrate how laser etching of metallic surfaces creates the ''perfect solar energy absorber.'' This not only enhances energy absorption from sunlight, but also ...
33. Anti-Solar Cells: A Photovoltaic Cell That Works at Night: Jan. 29, 2020 — What if solar cells worked at night? That's no joke. In fact, a specially designed photovoltaic cell could generate up to 50 watts of power per square meter under ideal conditions at night, ...
34. For Cheaper Solar Cells, Thinner Really Is Better: Jan. 28, 2020 — Researchers have outlined a pathway to slashing costs further, this time by slimming down the silicon cells ...
35. Researchers Advance Solar Material Production: Jan. 27, 2020 — A team has developed a more efficient, safer, and cost-effective way to produce cadmium telluride (CdTe) material for solar cells or other applications, a discovery that could advance the solar ...
36. Plants Absorb Lead from Perovskite Solar Cells More Than Expected: Jan. 21, 2020 — Lead from metal-organic perovskite compounds can be absorbed particularly easily by plants. The bioavailability is significantly higher than that of lead from inorganic compounds as found in ...
37. New Study on a Recently Discovered Chlorophyll Molecule Could Be Key to Better Solar Cells: Jan. 15, 2020 — Photosynthesis, the process by which some organisms convert sunlight into chemical energy, is well known. But, it is a complex phenomenon, which involves a myriad of proteins. The molecule Chl f, a ...
38. Can Solar Geoengineering Mitigate Both Climate Change and Income Inequality?: Jan. 13, 2020 — New research finds that solar geoengineering -- the intentional reflection of sunlight away from the Earth's surface -- may reduce income inequality between ...
39. Growing Strained Crystals Could Improve Performance of Perovskite Electronics: Jan. 9, 2020 — A new method could enable researchers to build more efficient, longer lasting perovskite solar cells and LEDs. By growing thin perovskite films on different substrates, engineers invented a way of ...
40. Tests Measure Solar Panel Performance Beyond Established Standards: Jan. 2, 2020 — In testing solar panels, the sun's intensity, the spectral composition and the angle of light are important factors in understanding why certain panels are successful and others degrade more ...
41. Tweaks Behind the Rebirth of Nearly Discarded Organic Solar Technologies: Dec. 19, 2019 — A minuscule chemical tweak is advancing an organic solar technology that was once thought ...
42. Solar Power from 'the Dark Side' Unlocked by a New Formula: Dec. 18, 2019 — Most of today's solar panels capture sunlight and convert it to electricity only from the side facing the sky. If the dark underside of a solar panel could also convert sunlight reflected off ...
43. In Breakthrough Method of Creating Solar Material, Scientists Prove the Impossible Really Isn't: Dec. 17, 2019 — Scientists have achieved a technological breakthrough for solar cells previously thought ...
44. Big Step in Producing Carbon-Neutral Fuel: Silver Diphosphide: Dec. 16, 2019 — A new chemical process does in the lab what trees do in nature -- it converts carbon dioxide into usable chemicals or ...
45. Artificial Intelligence May Help Scientists Make Spray-on Solar Cells: Dec. 16, 2019 — Artificial Intelligence may be just the thing to accelerate spray-on solar cell technology, which could revolutionize how consumers use energy. A research team has used Machine Learning, aka ...
46. Punching Holes in Opaque Solar Cells Turns Them Transparent: Dec. 11, 2019 — Researchers in Korea have found an effective and inexpensive strategy to transform solar cells from opaque to transparent. Existing transparent solar cells tend to have a reddish hue and lower ...
47. New Method to Remove Dust on Solar Panels: Dec. 9, 2019 — Particle removal increased from 41% on hydrophilic smooth Si wafers to 98% on superhydrophobic Si-based nanotextured surfaces. The researchers confirmed these results by measuring the adhesion of a ...
48. Making Higher-Energy Light to Fight Cancer: Dec. 2, 2019 — Researchers have achieved photon up-conversion, the emission of light with energy higher than the one that excites the material, using carefully designed structures containing silicon nanocrystals ...
49. Daylight Damage to Photovoltaics: Dec. 2, 2019 — A research team has investigated the ways sunlight can degrade the efficiency of newly developed organic photovoltaics over time. This work may assist in the wide commercialization of next-generation ...
50. New Hybrid Device Can Both Capture and Store Solar Energy: Nov. 20, 2019 — Researchers have reported a new device that can both efficiently capture solar energy and store it until it is needed, offering promise for applications ranging from power generation to distillation ...
51. Decarbonizing the Power Sector: Nov. 19, 2019 — Electricity supply is one of the biggest CO2 emitters globally. To keep global warming well below 2°C, several paths lead to zero emissions in the energy sector, and each has its potential ...
52. Novel Direct Thermal Charging Cell Converts Low-Grade Waste Heat to Usable Electricity: Nov. 18, 2019 — Engineers can now efficiently convert heat into electricity, creating a huge potential to reduce greenhouse effects by capturing exhaust heat and cutting down primary energy ...
53. Scientists Show How Perovskite Solar Cells Can Capture More Electricity: Nov. 18, 2019 — Scientists have developed a method to analyze which pairs of materials in next-generation perovskite solar cells will harvest the most ...
54. Hot Electrons Harvested Without Tricks: Nov. 15, 2019 — Semiconductors convert energy from photons into an electron current. However, some photons carry too much energy for the material to absorb. These photons produce 'hot electrons', and the ...
55. New Material Points Toward Highly Efficient Solar Cells: Nov. 12, 2019 — A new type of material for next-generation solar cells eliminates the need to use lead, which has been a major roadblock for this ...
56. Iron-Based Solar Cells on Track to Becoming More Efficient: Nov. 12, 2019 — An international study shows that 30% of the energy in a certain type of light-absorbing iron molecule disappears in a previously unknown manner. By closing this loophole, the researchers hope to ...
57. Perovskite Solar Cells Get an Upgrade: Nov. 5, 2019 — Materials scientists find inorganic compounds quench defects in perovskite-based solar cells and expand their tolerance of light, humidity and ...
58. New Technique Lets Researchers Map Strain in Next-Gen Solar Cells: Oct. 31, 2019 — Researchers have developed a way to map strain in lead halide perovskite solar cells without harming them. Their approach can image the grain structure of a perovskite solar cell, showing that ...
59. Where to Install Renewable Energy in US to Achieve Greatest Benefits: Oct. 29, 2019 — A new study shows that to achieve the biggest improvements in public health and the greatest benefits from renewable energy, wind turbines should be installed in the Upper Midwest and solar power ...
60. To Rid Electric Grid of Carbon, Shore Up Green Energy Support: Oct. 28, 2019 — Engineers, along with an economist, have created an energy model that helps to remove carbon-generated power from the US electric grid -- replacing it with a greener, financially feasible wind, solar ...
61. Biological Material Boosts Solar Cell Performance: Oct. 22, 2019 — Next-generation solar cells that mimic photosynthesis with biological material may give new meaning to the term 'green technology.' Adding the protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR) to perovskite ...
62. Mix Master: Modeling Magnetic Reconnection in Partially Ionized Plasma: Oct. 22, 2019 — Many of the most dramatic events in the solar system -- the spectacle of the Northern Lights, the explosiveness of solar flares, and the destructive impact of geomagnetic storms that can disrupt ...
63. Replacing Coal With Gas or Renewables Saves Billions of Gallons of Water: Oct. 21, 2019 — The transition from coal to natural gas in the US electricity sector is reducing the industry's water use, research finds. For every megawatt of electricity produced using natural gas instead of ...
64. Why Modified Carbon Nanotubes Can Help the Reproducibility Problem: Oct. 18, 2019 — Scientists have conducted an in-depth study on how carbon nanotubes with oxygen-containing groups can be used to greatly enhance the performance of perovskite solar cells. The newly discovered ...
65. Croissant Making Inspires Renewable Energy Solution: Oct. 18, 2019 — The art of croissant making has inspired researchers to find a solution to a sustainable energy ...
66. 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics: Evolution of the Universe and Discovery of Exoplanet Orbiting Solar-Type Star: Oct. 8, 2019 — This year's Nobel Prize in Physics is being awarded "for contributions to our understanding of the evolution of the universe and Earth's place in the cosmos," with one half to ...
67. Modified Quantum Dots Capture More Energy from Light and Lose Less to Heat: Oct. 7, 2019 — Scientists have synthesized magnetically-doped quantum dots that capture the kinetic energy of electrons created by ultraviolet light before it's wasted as ...
68. Eco-Friendly Electrochemical Catalysts Using Solar Cells to Harvest Energy from the Sun: Oct. 3, 2019 — A research team develops an eco-friendly device that uses solar energy to catalyze an electrochemical oxidation reaction with high ...
69. New Standard of Reference for Assessing Solar Forecast Proposed: Sep. 24, 2019 — Being able to accurately forecast how much solar energy reaches the surface of the Earth is key to guiding decisions for running solar power plants and new work looks to provide a standard of ...
70. Even Short-Lived Solar Panels Can Be Economically Viable: Sep. 19, 2019 — A new study shows that, contrary to widespread belief within the solar power industry, new kinds of solar cells and panels don't necessarily have to last for 25 to 30 years in order to be ...
71. Lighting the Path to Renewable Energy: Sep. 19, 2019 — Scientists have developed a novel, standardized way of quantifying and comparing these variations in solar power. The new study may help guide the development and performance of solar photovoltaic ...
72. Breakthrough for Transparent Conductors: Touch Screen Coatings: Sep. 17, 2019 — Researchers have made an important design discovery that could dramatically improve the performance of a key material used to coat touch screens and other ...
73. Welcome Indoors, Solar Cells: Sep. 16, 2019 — Scientists have developed organic solar cells optimized to convert ambient indoor light to electricity. The power they produce is low, but is probably enough to feed the millions of products that the ...
74. Device Generates Light from the Cold Night Sky: Sep. 12, 2019 — An inexpensive thermoelectric device harnesses the cold of space without active heat input, generating electricity that powers an LED at night, researchers ...
75. How Much Photovoltaics (PV) Would Be Needed to Power the World Sustainably?: Sep. 11, 2019 — The International Energy Agency has dubbed increased global cooling demand as one of the most critical blind spots in today's energy ...
76. Flexible Solar Cells a Step Closer to Reality: Sep. 11, 2019 — Solar cells that use mixtures of organic molecules to absorb sunlight and convert it to electricity, that can be applied to curved surfaces such as the body of a car, could be a step closer thanks to ...
77. Colorful Microreactors Utilize Sunlight: Sep. 10, 2019 — The sun is the most sustainable energy source available on our planet and could be used to power photochemical reactions. Scientists now present a widely applicable, cost-effective photomicroreactor. ...
78. Agrivoltaics Proves Mutually Beneficial Across Food, Water, Energy Nexus: Sep. 3, 2019 — Building resilience in renewable energy and food production is a fundamental challenge in today's changing world, especially in regions susceptible to heat and drought. Agrivoltaics, the ...
79. Laser Printing Tech Produces Waterproof E-Textiles in Minutes: Aug. 27, 2019 — In just three minutes, the laser printing approach can produce a 10x10 cm smart textile patch that's waterproof, stretchable and easily integrated with solar or other sources of ...
80. Harnessing the Power of Solar Panels: Aug. 27, 2019 — Researchers have developed a way to better harness the volume of energy collected by solar panels. In a new study, the researchers developed an algorithm that increases the efficiency of the solar ...
81. A New Method for Quantifying Crystal Semiconductor Efficiency: Aug. 23, 2019 — Scientists have found a new way to successfully detect the efficiency of crystal ...
82. Materials That Can Revolutionize How Light Is Harnessed for Solar Energy: Aug. 19, 2019 — Scientists have designed organic molecules capable of generating two excitons per photon of light, a process called singlet fission. The excitons can live for much longer than those generated from ...
83. Organic Dye in Zinc Oxide Interlayer Stabilizes and Boosts the Performance of Organic Solar Cells: Aug. 16, 2019 — Organic solar cells are made of cheap and abundant materials, but their efficiency and stability still lag behind those of silicon-based solar cells. A team of scientists has found a way to enhance ...
84. Greener, Faster and Cheaper Way to Make Patterned Metals for Solar Cells and Electronics: Aug. 14, 2019 — An innovative way to pattern metals could make the next generation of solar panels more sustainable and ...
85. Key Factors in How Some Algae Harness Solar Energy: Aug. 13, 2019 — Scientists have discovered how diatoms -- a type of alga that produce 20 percent of the Earth's oxygen -- harness solar energy for photosynthesis. The discovery could help lead to more efficient ...
86. Mapping the Energetic Landscape of Solar Cells: Aug. 13, 2019 — A new spectroscopic method now makes it possible to measure and visualize the energetic landscape inside solar cells based on organic materials. It was developed by a physicist. This novel ...
87. New Perovskite Material Shows Early Promise as an Alternative to Silicon: Aug. 8, 2019 — CsPbI3 is an inorganic perovskite, a group of materials gaining popularity in the solar world due to their high efficiency and low cost. This configuration is noteworthy as stabilizing these ...
88. Installing Solar Panels on Agricultural Lands Maximizes Their Efficiency: Aug. 8, 2019 — A new study finds that if less than 1% of agricultural land was converted to solar panels, it would be sufficient to fulfill global electric energy ...
89. Method to Automatically Estimate Rooftop Solar Potential: Aug. 7, 2019 — The progress of rooftop solar installations is often slowed by a shortage of trained professionals who must use expensive tools to conduct labor-intensive structure assessments one by one, say ...
90. In the Future, This Electricity-Free Tech Could Help Cool Buildings in Metropolitan Areas: Aug. 5, 2019 — Engineers designed a new system to help cool buildings in crowded metropolitan areas without consuming electricity, an important innovation as cities work to adapt to climate change. The system ...
91. Treating Solar Cell Materials Reveals Formation of Unexpected Microstructures: July 30, 2019 — Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have been used in optoelectronic devices including solar cells, photodetectors, light-emitting diodes and lasers, but the surface of hybrid perovskites is prone ...
92. Ultra-Thin Layers of Rust Generate Electricity from Flowing Water: July 30, 2019 — Researchers have shown that iron oxide layers can convert kinetic energy of saltwater into electrical ...
93. Solar Panels Cast Shade on Agriculture in a Good Way: July 29, 2019 — Combining solar panel (photovoltaic) infrastructure and agriculture creates a mutually beneficial relationship. This practice of co-locating the two by planting crops under the shade of solar panels ...
94. 'Deforming' Solar Cells Could Be Clue to Improved Efficiency: July 29, 2019 — Solar cells and light sensing technologies could be made more efficient by taking advantage of an unusual property due to deformations and defects in their ...
95. A Good First Step Toward Nontoxic Solar Cells: July 26, 2019 — A team of engineers has found what they believe is a more stable, less toxic semiconductor for solar applications, using a novel double mineral discovered through data analytics and ...
96. Discovery Paves Way for New Generation of Solar Cells: July 26, 2019 — A new study explains how a promising type of perovskites -- human-made crystals that can convert sunlight into electricity -- can be stabilized. As a result, the crystals turn black, enabling them to ...
97. Solar Energy Becomes Biofuel Without Solar Cells: July 26, 2019 — Soon we will be able to replace fossil fuels with a carbon-neutral product created from solar energy, carbon dioxide and water. Researchers have successfully produced microorganisms that can ...
98. Drinking Water: Water Solutions Without a Grain of Salt: July 23, 2019 — Researchers have developed technology that can deliver clean water to thousands of communities ...
99. Could the Heat of the Earth's Crust Become the Ultimate Energy Source?: July 17, 2019 — Scientists have developed a very stable battery cell that can directly convert heat into electricity, thus finally providing a way for exploiting geothermal energy in a sustainable ...
100. A New Material for the Battery of the Future: July 17, 2019 — Researchers have discovered a new high performance and safe battery material (LTPS) capable of speeding up charge and discharge to a level never observed so far. Practically, if the first tests are ...
101. 2D Perovskite Materials Found to Have Unique, Conductive Edge States: July 15, 2019 — A new class of 2D perovskite materials with edges that are conductive like metals and cores that are insulating was found by researchers who said these unique properties have applications in solar ...
102. Shifts to Renewable Energy Can Drive Up Energy Poverty, Study Finds: July 12, 2019 — Efforts to shift away from fossil fuels and replace oil and coal with renewable energy sources can help reduce carbon emissions but do so at the expense of increased inequality, according to a new ...
103. Device Channels Heat Into Light: July 12, 2019 — Engineers have shown how their carbon nanotube films can be used to create a device to recycle waste heat. The device could enhance solar cell output and increase the efficiency of industrial ...
104. 20 Overlooked Benefits of Distributed Solar Energy: July 10, 2019 — A study released today provides the most complete list yet of the advantages of solar energy -- from carbon sequestration to improvements for pollinator ...
105. Thought Experiment: Switzerland Without Fossil Fuels. Can That Succeed?: July 8, 2019 — A new study shows how much work still lies ahead of us if Switzerland is to do without fossil fuels in the future. There are two possible solutions: storing large amounts of energy in summer and ...
106. Window Film Could Even out the Indoor Temperature Using Solar Energy: July 8, 2019 — A window film with a specially designed molecule could be capable of taking the edge off the worst midday heat and instead distributing it evenly from morning to evening. The molecule has the unique ...
107. Experiments Show Dramatic Increase in Solar Cell Output: July 3, 2019 — Researchers have found a way to increase the output of silicon solar cells by allowing a single photon to release two electrons in the ...
108. Researchers Create Worldwide Solar Energy Model: July 1, 2019 — For any future sustainable energy system, it is crucial to know the performance of photovoltaic (solar cell) systems at local, regional and global levels. Researchers have investigated and mapped the ...
109. Solar Energy Could Turn the Belt and Road Initiative Green: June 27, 2019 — The region covered by the Belt and Road Initiative has significant potential to be powered by solar energy, researchers report. Less than 4% of the maximum solar potential of the region could meet ...
110. The RoboBee Flies Solo: June 26, 2019 — The RoboBee -- the insect-inspired microrobot -- has become the lightest vehicle ever to achieve sustained flight without the assistance of a power cord. After decades of work, the researchers ...
111. Which Climates Are Best for Passive Cooling Technologies?: June 25, 2019 — Researchers recently set out to gain a better understanding of the thermal balance of power plants and surfaces, but quickly realized that they would need to determine what roles cloud cover and ...
112. Researchers Create Multi-Junction Solar Cells from Off-the-Shelf Components: June 24, 2019 — In a proof-of-concept paper, researchers detail a new approach for creating multi-junction solar cells using off-the-shelf components, resulting in lower cost, high-efficiency solar cells for use in ...
113. Researchers Clear Runway for Tin Based Perovskite Solar Cells: June 24, 2019 — Researchers believe their tin based perovskite solar cell could clear the runway for solar panel technology to take ...
114. Perovskite Solar Cells Tested for Real-World Performance -- In the Lab: June 20, 2019 — Researchers bring diurnal and seasonal variations into the lab to test the performance of perovskite solar cells under realistic ...
115. Special Nanotubes Could Improve Solar Power and Imaging Technology: June 19, 2019 — Physicists discovered a novel kind of nanotube that generates current in the presence of light. Devices such as optical sensors and infrared imaging chips are likely applications, which could be ...
116. 'Hot Spots' Increase Efficiency of Solar Desalination: June 18, 2019 — Researchers showed they could boost the efficiency of their nanotechnology-enabled solar membrane desalination system by more than 50% simply by adding inexpensive plastic lenses to concentrate ...
117. 'Self-Healing' Polymer Brings Perovskite Solar Tech Closer to Market: June 17, 2019 — A protective layer of epoxy resin helps prevent the leakage of pollutants from perovskite solar cells (PSCs), report scientists. Adding a 'self-healing' polymer to the top of a PSC can ...
118. Carbon-Neutral Fuel Made from Sunlight and Air: June 13, 2019 — Researchers have developed a novel technology that produces liquid hydrocarbon fuels exclusively from sunlight and air. For the first time worldwide they demonstrate the entire thermochemical process ...
119. Breathing New Life Into Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: June 12, 2019 — Researchers are poised to reboot the field of aromatic-fused porphyrin sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells, the most efficient solar efficient solar technology available at ...
120. Clarifying the Economic Value of Adjusting the Power Consumption: June 10, 2019 — The economic value of demand response that adjusts the power consumption has not been clarified. A control method for maximizing cost-effectiveness of demand response is developed. Using this method, ...
121. Precision Calibration Empowers Largest Solar Telescope: June 3, 2019 — As with any astronomical instrument, calibration is required in order to remove effects that the instrument itself might have on the data. New research marks a substantial advance in ensuring the ...
122. A Rose Inspires Smart Way to Collect and Purify Water: May 29, 2019 — A new device for collecting and purifying water was inspired by a rose and, while more engineered than enchanted, is a dramatic improvement on current methods. Each flower-like structure costs less ...
123. New York State Winters Could Pose Solar Farm 'Ramping' Snag for Power Grid: May 28, 2019 — With low energy demand around midday in the winter, combined with solar-electricity production, New York's power system could face volatile swings of 'ramping' -- which is how power ...
124. Helping Cities Make Power Grids Safer, More Reliable: May 28, 2019 — Solar power researchers have traditionally used the power measurements from single residential solar photovoltaic systems to estimate the power generated within a city. But one installation ...
125. Gas Vs. Electric? Fuel Choice Affects Efforts to Achieve Low-Energy and Low-Impact Homes: May 23, 2019 — If you want to make your home as energy-efficient and green as possible, should you use gas or electric for your heating and cooling ...
126. Engineered Bacteria Could Be Missing Link in Energy Storage: May 23, 2019 — One of the big issues with sustainable energy systems is how to store electricity that's generated from wind, solar and waves. At present, no existing technology provides large-scale storage and ...
127. 100% Renewables Doesn't Equal Zero-Carbon Energy, and the Difference Is Growing: May 23, 2019 — While 160 companies around the world have committed to use '100% renewable energy,' that does not mean '100% carbon-free energy.' The difference will grow as power grids become ...
128. Producing Electricity at Estuaries Using Light and Osmosis: May 23, 2019 — Researchers are working on a technology to exploit osmotic energy -- a source of power that's naturally available at estuaries, where fresh water comes into contact with seawater. In a ...
129. Key Insight Into Solar Material's Soaring Efficiency: May 23, 2019 — Researchers have reported a key breakthrough in how the performance of cadmium telluride thin-film solar cells is improved even further by the addition of another material, ...
130. Researchers Gain Key Insight Into Solar Material's Soaring Efficiency: May 22, 2019 — Researchers report a key breakthrough in how the performance of cadmium telluride thin-film solar cells is improved even further by the addition of another material, ...
131. Big Energy Savings for Tiny Machines: May 22, 2019 — Physicists demonstrate for the first time a strategy for manipulating the trillions of tiny molecular nanomachines inside us that work to keep us alive, to maximize efficiency and conserve energy. ...
132. Artificial Photosynthesis Transforms Carbon Dioxide Into Liquefiable Fuels: May 22, 2019 — Chemists have successfully produced fuels using water, carbon dioxide and visible light through artificial photosynthesis. By converting carbon dioxide into more complex molecules like propane, green ...
133. Quantum Rebar: Quantum Dots Enhance Stability of Solar-Harvesting Perovskite Crystals: May 22, 2019 — Engineering researchers have combined two emerging technologies for next-generation solar power -- and discovered that each one helps stabilize the other. The resulting hybrid material is a major ...
134. Water Formation on the Moon Demonstrated: May 21, 2019 — A new study has shown chemical, physical, and material evidence for water formation on the ...
135. Breakthrough in New Material to Harness Solar Power: May 14, 2019 — Physicists are pushing the performance of solar cells to levels never before reached. They have made a significant breakthrough in the chemical formula and process to make a new material. The ...
136. Just Like Toothpaste: Fluoride Radically Improves the Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells: May 13, 2019 — Solar cells made of perovskite hold much promise for the future of solar energy. However, the material degrades quickly, severely limiting its efficiency and stability over time. Researchers have ...
137. Copper Oxide Photocathodes: Laser Experiment Reveals Location of Efficiency Loss: May 9, 2019 — Solar cells and photocathodes made of copper oxide might in theory attain high efficiencies for solar energy conversion. In practice, however, large losses occur. Now researchers has been able to use ...
138. Secrets of Fluorescent Microalgae Could Lead to Super-Efficient Solar Cells: May 9, 2019 — Tiny light-emitting microalgae, found in the ocean, could hold the secret to the next generation of organic solar cells, according to new ...
139. Solar-Powered Hydrogen Fuels a Step Closer: May 9, 2019 — A cheaper, cleaner and more sustainable way of making hydrogen fuel from water using sunlight is step closer, thanks to new ...
140. Experimental Device Generates Electricity from the Coldness of the Universe: May 6, 2019 — A drawback of solar panels is that they require sunlight to generate electricity. Some have observed that for a device on Earth facing space, the chilling outflow of energy from the device can be ...
141. Crowd Oil: Fuels from Air-Conditioning Systems: May 3, 2019 — Researchers have proposed a method enabling air conditioning and ventilation systems to produce synthetic fuels from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water from the ambient air. Compact plants are to ...
142. Novel Thermoelectric Nanoantenna Design for Use in Solar Energy Harvesting: May 3, 2019 — Researchers have demonstrated an innovative nanodevice for harvesting solar energy. The article reports that evolutive dipole nanoantennas (EDNs) generate a thermoelectric voltage three times larger ...
143. What Happens When Schools Go Solar? Overlooked Benefits: May 2, 2019 — Rooftop solar projects at schools could reduce harmful air pollution, help the environment and enhance student learning while cutting electricity costs, a new study finds. Overall, the energy switch ...
144. Researchers Make Organic Solar Cells Immune to the Ravages of Water, Air and Light: May 2, 2019 — Researchers have devised a way of making organic solar panels robust by performing the molecular equivalent of hair removal by waxing: they used adhesive tape to strip the electron-accepting ...
145. Peer-to-Peer 'Free Trade' in Excess Energy: Apr. 30, 2019 — People who generate their own power through solar panels and wind turbines may soon be able to decide where to distribute their excess energy, rather than back to the national ...
146. Record Solar Hydrogen Production With Concentrated Sunlight: Apr. 29, 2019 — Researchers have created a smart device capable of producing large amounts of clean hydrogen. By concentrating sunlight, their device uses a smaller amount of the rare, costly materials that are ...
147. Inorganic Perovskite Absorbers for Use in Thin-Film Solar Cells: Apr. 29, 2019 — A team has succeeded in producing inorganic perovskite thin films at moderate temperatures using co-evaporation - making post-tempering at high temperatures unnecessary. The process makes it much ...
148. Chemists Manipulate the Quantum States of Gold Nanoclusters: Apr. 26, 2019 — Researchers have found a way to control the lifetime of the quantum states of gold nanoclusters by three orders of magnitude, which could lead to improvements in solar cell and photocatalysis ...
149. Caffeine Gives Solar Cells an Energy Boost: Apr. 25, 2019 — Scientists have discovered that caffeine can help make a promising alternative to traditional solar cells more efficient at converting light to electricity. Their research may enable this ...
150. Tracking Charge Carriers in the Molecular Crystal at Organic Pn Junction: Apr. 25, 2019 — In conventional organic solar cells, the electrons exhibit their particle-nature and need to jump between organic molecules in the cell. The conductivity is, therefore, lower than that of crystalline ...
151. Solar Panel Demand Causing Spike in Worldwide Silver Prices: Apr. 17, 2019 — Rising demand for solar panels is having a major effect on the worldwide price of silver, which could lead to solar panel production costs becoming far higher in the future, new research has ...
152. Solar Evaporator Offers a Fresh Route to Fresh Water: Apr. 16, 2019 — Researchers have demonstrated a successful prototype of one critical component for affordable small-scale desalination: an inexpensive solar evaporator, made of ...
153. Best in Snow: New Scientific Device Creates Electricity from Snowfall: Apr. 15, 2019 — Researchers have designed a new device that creates electricity from falling snow, a first. The device is inexpensive, small, thin and flexible like a sheet of ...
154. Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells: The Interface Makes the Difference: Apr. 12, 2019 — Researchers look in detail at the interfaces in perovskite solar cells to understand the differences observed in their ...
155. Renewables Are a Better Investment Than Carbon Capture for Tackling Climate Change: Apr. 8, 2019 — Solar panels and wind turbines coupled with energy storage offer a better hope for tackling climate change than trying to capture carbon from fossil fuel power stations, according to new research. ...
156. Mystery of Negative Capacitance in Perovskite Solar Cells Solved: Apr. 5, 2019 — Scientists reveal the origin of apparently high and even negative capacitance values observed in perovskite solar ...
157. Making Solar Cells Is Like Buttering Bread: Mar. 21, 2019 — Formamidinium lead iodide is a very good material for photovoltaic cells, but getting the correct and stable crystal structure is a challenge. The techniques developed so far have produced rather ...
158. True-Meaning Wearable Displays: Self-Powered, Washable and Wearable: Mar. 21, 2019 — When we think about clothes, they are usually formed with textiles and have to be both wearable and washable for daily use; however, smart clothing has had a problem with its power sources and ...
159. Researchers Create Hydrogen Fuel from Seawater: Mar. 18, 2019 — Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen presents an alternative to fossil fuels, but purified water is a precious resource. A team has now developed a way to harness seawater -- Earth's most ...
160. Solar-Powered Moisture Harvester Collects and Cleans Water from Air: Mar. 14, 2019 — A breakthrough by engineers offers new solution through solar-powered technology that absorbs moisture from the air and returns it as clean, usable water. This 'super-sponge' could be used ...
161. Powering Devices -- With a Desk Lamp?: Mar. 13, 2019 — Batteries power most of our devices, and even some cars. But researchers now report in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces a step toward running electronic devices in homes and offices on the ...
162. Finding the Right 'Dose' for Solar Geoengineering: Mar. 11, 2019 — New research finds that if solar geoengineering is used to cut global temperature increases in half, there could be worldwide benefits without exacerbating change in any large geographic ...
163. New Cell-Sized Micro Robots Might Make Incredible Journeys: Mar. 7, 2019 — Researchers have created tiny functional, remote-powered, walking robots, developing a multistep nanofabrication technique that turns a 4-inch specialized silicon wafer into a million microscopic ...
164. Spectroscopy on Individual Molecules: Mar. 7, 2019 — While spectroscopic measurements are normally averaged over myriad molecules, a new method provides precise information about the interaction of individual molecules with their environment. This will ...
165. Shifting Away from Coal Is Key to Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Mar. 7, 2019 — The United States could fulfill its greenhouse gas emission pledge under the Paris Climate Agreement by virtually eliminating coal as an energy source by 2024, according to new ...
166. Improving Solar Cell Efficiency With a Bucket of Water: Mar. 6, 2019 — Beth Parks has devised an astonishingly simple way to overcome a limitation of solar cells -- a bucket of water. She developed a frame that holds the solar cell with a bucket suspended on either end. ...
167. Good News! Europe's Electric Grid Will Still Work Even as the World Crumbles: Mar. 6, 2019 — Temperatures may climb and seas may rise, but the lights (and, undoubtedly, the air conditioning) will still be on in nations with high capacities for wind and solar energy. New research suggests ...
168. Light from an Exotic Crystal Semiconductor Could Lead to Better Solar Cells: Mar. 6, 2019 — Scientists have found a new way to control light emitted by exotic crystal semiconductors, which could lead to more efficient solar cells and other advances in electronics, according to a new ...
169. Machine Learning Used to Identify High-Performing Solar Materials: Mar. 5, 2019 — Thanks to a study that combines the power of supercomputing with data science and experimental methods, researchers have developed a novel 'design to device' approach to identify promising ...
170. Chirality Yields Colossal Photocurrent: Mar. 4, 2019 — Typically, light is converted to electricity by chemically altering a semiconductor to have a built-in electric field. A team of researchers has developed an alternative means using a unique ...
171. Layering Titanium Oxide's Different Mineral Forms for Better Solar Cells: Feb. 28, 2019 — A research team has improved the efficiency of a new type of solar cell with a double layer consisting of pure anatase and brookite, two different mineral forms of titanium oxide. Using water-solute ...
172. How Power-to-Gas Technology Can Be Green and Profitable: Feb. 26, 2019 — Hydrogen production based on wind power can already be commercially viable today. Until now, it was generally assumed that this environmentally friendly power-to-gas technology could not be ...
173. Development of Nonvolatile Spintronics-Based 50uW Microcontroller Unit Operating at 200MHz: Feb. 21, 2019 — Researchers have announced the development of a nonvolatile microcontroller unit (MCU) which achieves both high performance and ultra-low power by utilizing spintronics-based VLSI design ...
174. Chemical Data Mining Boosts Search for New Organic Semiconductors: Feb. 14, 2019 — Organic semiconductors are lightweight, flexible and easy to manufacture. But they often fail to meet expectations regarding efficiency and stability. Researchers are now deploying data mining ...
175. High-Speed Surveillance in Solar Cells Catches Recombination Red-Handed: Feb. 14, 2019 — Using synchronized lasers pulses, researchers developed a new method of electrostatic force microscopy that can record movies with frames as fast as 300 nanoseconds. This is fast enough to watch ...
176. Spacecraft Measurements Reveal Mechanism of Solar Wind Heating: Feb. 14, 2019 — A new study describes the first direct measurement of how energy is transferred from the chaotic electromagnetic fields in space to the particles that make up the solar wind, leading to the heating ...
177. Flags That Generate Energy from Wind and Sun: Feb. 11, 2019 — Scientists have created flags that can generate electrical energy using wind and solar ...
178. Charting a Path to Cheaper Flexible Solar Cells: Feb. 7, 2019 — Researchers have reported new findings about perovskite solar cells that could lead the way to devices that perform ...
179. A New Approach for the Fast Estimation of the Solar Energy Potential in Urban Environments: Feb. 4, 2019 — Researchers have developed a new approach for calculating fast and accurate the solar energy potential of surfaces in the urban environment. The new approach can significantly help architects and ...
180. Estimation of Technology Level Required for Low-Cost Renewable Hydrogen Production: Jan. 31, 2019 — Scientists have evaluated the economic efficiency of hydrogen production systems combining photovoltaic power generation and rechargeable batteries and estimated technology levels necessary for the ...
181. Hybrid Electricity System Would Reduce Rates, Improve Service: Jan. 31, 2019 — A new distribution system would reduce electricity prices by more than five per cent while also improving service ...
182. Photocurrent Loss in Particle Interface Quantified: Jan. 31, 2019 — With a growing global population will come increased energy consumption, and sustainable forms of energy sources such as solar fuels and solar electricity will be in even greater demand. And as these ...
183. Self-Assembling Nanomaterial Offers Pathway to More Efficient, Affordable Harnessing of Solar Power: Jan. 24, 2019 — New nanomaterials could provide a pathway to more efficient and potentially affordable harvesting of solar energy. Early research suggests these materials could create more usable charges and ...
184. New Water Splitting Catalyst Could Make It Easier to Generate Solar Fuel: Jan. 23, 2019 — Water splitting, the process of harvesting solar energy to generate energy-dense fuels, could be simplified thanks to new ...
185. Scientists Boost Stability of Low-Cost, Large-Area Solar Modules: Jan. 22, 2019 — Modifications made to perovskite solar cells, or PSCs, render them more stable and scalable than ever ...
186. Novel Materials Convert Visible Into Infrared Light: Jan. 16, 2019 — Scientists have succeeded in developing a chemical process to convert visible light into infrared energy, allowing innocuous radiation to penetrate living tissue and other materials without the ...
187. Power Stations Driven by Light: Jan. 15, 2019 — The smallest building blocks within the power stations of organisms which get their energy directly from the sun are basically miniature reactors surrounded by collectors which capture photons and ...
188. A New Way to Measure Solar Panel Degradation: Jan. 10, 2019 — How does one inspect solar panels in real time, in a way that is both cost-effective and time-efficient? Researchers have now developed and improved statistical and machine learning-based ...
189. Racial Inequality in the Deployment of Rooftop Solar Energy in the United States, Study Finds: Jan. 10, 2019 — Fewer rooftop solar photovoltaics installations exist in African-American and Hispanic-dominant neighborhoods than in white-dominant neighborhoods, even when controlling for household income and home ...
190. New Materials Could Help Improve the Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells: Jan. 10, 2019 — New research could lead to the design of new materials to help improve the performance of perovskite solar cells ...
191. Great Potential for Floating Solar Photovoltaics Systems: Jan. 8, 2019 — Researchers estimate that installing floating solar photovoltaics on the more than 24,000 human-made US reservoirs could generate about 10 percent of the nation's annual electricity production. ...
192. Seawater Turns Into Freshwater Through Solar Energy: A New Low-Cost Technology: Jan. 7, 2019 — Engineers have developed an innovative, low-cost technology to turn seawater into drinking water, thanks to the use of solar energy ...
193. Team Locates Nearly All US Solar Panels in a Billion Images With Machine Learning: Dec. 19, 2018 — Researchers have identified the GPS locations and sizes of almost all US solar power installations from a billion images. Using the data, which is public, they identified factors that promote the use ...
194. Assessing the Promise of Gallium Oxide as an Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductor: Dec. 18, 2018 — In microelectronic devices, the bandgap is a major factor determining the electrical conductivity of the underlying materials, and a more recent class of semiconductors with ultrawide bandgaps are ...
195. Sun-Soaking Device Turns Water Into Superheated Steam: Dec. 11, 2018 — Engineers have built a device that soaks up enough heat from the sun to boil water and produce 'superheated' steam hotter than 100 degrees Celsius, without any expensive ...
196. Perovskite Solar Cells: Cheaper Production and High Efficiency: Dec. 11, 2018 — A team of chemists and physicists is offering a novel approach for the selective layer formation in perovskite solar cells. The molecule assembles itself into a monolayer, which can cover a variety ...
197. Fighting Smog Supports Solar Power: Dec. 6, 2018 — Model calculations by researchers show that if China fought smog more aggressively, it could massively increase solar power ...
198. 'Sun in a Box' Would Store Renewable Energy for the Grid: Dec. 5, 2018 — Engineers have come up with a conceptual design for a system to store renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, and deliver that energy back into an electric grid on demand. The system may be ...
199. Fine-Tuning Renewables Could Help Texas Balance Energy Resources: Dec. 5, 2018 — A new study analyzes Texas' mix of wind and solar energy resources, and how to achieve better balance between them going ...
200. Colloidal Quantum Dots Make LEDs Shine Bright in the Infrared: Dec. 3, 2018 — A group of researchers report on the development of a colloidal quantum-dot light emitting diode with unprecedented quantum and power conversion efficiencies in the infrared range. The study has ...
201. New Material, Black Silver, Discovered: Dec. 3, 2018 — Researchers have discovered a new material that could lead to highly sensitive biomolecule detectors and more efficient solar ...