Space & Physics
Wonders of the Eclipse
Marvels happen even when you aren't in the path of totality!
"solar"
Space & Physics
Science in a Moon Shadow
The rare spectacle of a total solar eclipse has given scientists throughout history fleeting opportunities to delve into everything from the sun’s chemistry to Einsteinian relativity to Earth’s place in the solar system...
Environment
Can the U.S. Go All-Electric?
New homes wired with the latest smart gadgets cluster together around shared park spaces. Blue-black panels that transform sunshine into electricity grace a majority of roofs.
Environment
Indian Railways and Military Go Solar
There's been no shortage recently of big companies going big on solar, nor of middlemen trying to pave the way for bulk buying of solar power, but when the beast that is national procurement gets involved, the ante is upped...
Wellinghoff: Extend Electricity Market Visibility to the Distribution Grid
Last week I had the pleasure of attending Austin-based research firm ZPryme's annual Energy Thought Summit, which brought together business leaders and technical experts to discuss emerging energy technologies and trends...
Renewable Energy Intermittency Explained: Challenges, Solutions, and Opportunities
Critics of renewable energy often cite the fact that technologies like wind and solar only produce energy when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.
Renewable Energy Shines (and Blows) in 2014
Looking back at 2014 through the prism of renewable energy, it's hard not to get bombastic. So many records were broken, corners turned, and with costs declining, it's hard not to wonder if 2015 will see renewable energy become nothing more than a fully competitive energy source, capturing more and more market share...
Low oil prices aren’t working against solar (probably)
In the United States, reducing electricity probably won't lead to a significant reduction in direct oil consumption. Instead (in terms of fossil fuels) it is more likely to reduce your consumption of coal and natural gas...
Environment
Rooftop Solar Increases a Home's Selling Price
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory released a report showing that homes with solar panels typically sell for $15,000 greater than those without solar panels installed...
Science Far from Center Stage in Obama’s State of the Union
President Barack Obama's sixth State of the Union address, his first before a Republican-led legislature, was studded this evening with references to science and technology amidst talk of middle class tax cuts, thawing U.S...
The Sciences
Science Far from Center Stage in Obama's State of the Union
President Barack Obama's sixth State of the Union address, his first before a Republican-led legislature, was studded this evening with references to science and technology amidst talk of middle class tax cuts, thawing U.S...
Environment
Solar Is Changing the Game
At the start of 2015, solar energy is booming. It’s been a long time coming, but financial incentives for renewables along with more affordable panels are finally having a notable impact in states like California...
Environment
Behind the Merger of the Rocky Mountain Institute and Carbon War Room - Interview with RMI's CEO Jules Koltenhorst
Today Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), brain-child of famed energy thinker Amory Lovins, and Carbon War Room (CWR), the five-year old climate change outfit of Sir Richard Branson, merged to create a new alliance dedicated to the acceleration of a low carbon energy future...
Space & Physics
Forecasting the Sun's Fury: How Artificial Intelligence Can Predict Solar Flares
A couple of months ago, the sun sported the largest sunspot we've seen in the last 24 years. This monstrous spot, visible to the naked eye (that is, without magnification, but with protective eyewear of course), launched more than 100 flares...
Environment
How the World Can Fight Global Warming No Matter What Happens in Lima
Imagine if the world’s two largest polluters unilaterally decide to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, the ubiquitous gas responsible for the bulk of global warming.
So What Direction Should Solar Panels Face?
The following is a guest post by Dr. Joshua Rhodes, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in The Webber Energy Group and the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.
Energiewende: Two Energy Lessons for the United States from Germany
Last month, I had the distinct pleasure of traveling to Germany as a member of the German-American Chamber of Commerce Transatlantic Program for Young Technology Leaders delegation.
Will Solar Float to the Rescue in Japan?
Land-constraints and a massive nuclear shutdown have intensified the debate over where to put new electricity generation capacity in Japan.
Environment
Home Energy Incentives Reveal Different Visions for Smart Grid
Previously, I've written about the potential for a future smart grid, where homes with solar panels and batteries intelligently interconnect to form a cleaner, more-robust distributed power system...
Environment
Hard Road Ahead for Solar Freakin' Roadways
Take a solar panel. Surround it with light-emitting diodes attached to a microprocessor and, in northern climes at least, some kind of heater.
