The Future of Alternative Energy
Geothermal, solar thermal, and even nuclear power could provide alternatives to today's carbon-based fuel sources
Can Geothermal Power in Iceland Thaw a Frozen Economy?
Iceland hopes to use its geothermal resources to innovate its way out of the financial crisis
How Renewable Energy and Storage Solutions Stack Up
The need to tackle global climate change and energy security makes developing alternatives to fossil fuels crucial
![Man-Made Geothermal Power: Wresting Energy from Hot Rocks--One Kilowatt at a Time [Slide Show]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/7ABA2B06-15D4-4167-97B0A013BB625446_agenda.jpg?w=380&h=213&fit=crop)
Man-Made Geothermal Power: Wresting Energy from Hot Rocks--One Kilowatt at a Time [Slide Show]
The enhanced system at Soultz in France is the first such artificial geothermal power plant
How to Use Solar Energy at Night
Molten salts can store the sun's heat during the day and provide power at night
Why do wind turbines have three narrow blades, but ceiling fans have five wide blades?
Dale E. Berg, a member of the technical staff in the wind energy technology department at Sandia National Laboratories, replies
Today's Alternative Energy
Promising technologies to wean the world from fossil fuels, including offshore wind, solar, geothermal and hydrogen cars, among others
The Future of Nuclear Power
The U.S.--and the world--is gearing up to build a potentially massive fleet of new nuclear reactors, in part to fight climate change. But can nuclear power handle the load?
Chasing Rainbows: Full-Spectrum Photovoltaics
From infrared to ultraviolet, a new photovoltaic material responds to the full spectrum of sunlight