Solar panels are usually mounted in series, to sum up their voltages, and the resulting power is sent to a large inverter, which transforms the DC voltage into AC. One big issue with this scheme is that if shade falls on one panel, or it gets dirty, the inverter lowers the current of all the other panels, and causing power losses through inefficiency.

The Ford Motor Company is taking a new step forward in the process of researching new possibilities of producing biofuels. The company’s scientists are currently studying algae as a feasible automotive biofuel, as part of a plan aimed at reducing the dependence on oil and pollution.

Phát biểu tại hội nghị, ông Pradeep Chaturvedi, chủ tịch Hiệp hội vì sự tiến bộ của khoa học (Ấn Độ) tại New Delhi cho biết mức tiêu thụ năng lượng tại các nước đang phát triển đang trở thành những thách thức lớn về môi trường.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the release of a new proposed energy efficiency standard for residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. The standard, as proposed, could save consumers as much as $18.6 billion over thirty years. The Obama Administration has made efficiency standards a major priority as a way to save energy and money for American families and businesses.

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) approved on October 5 the first large-scale solar energy plants ever to be built on U.S. public lands. The approval of two developments in California grants the U.S.-based companies behind the projects access to almost 6,800 acres of public lands for 30 years to build and operate solar plants. The approved plants could produce up to 754 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, or enough to power 226,000–566,000 typical U.S. homes. The projects will generate almost 1,000 new jobs.

It seems that we are finding a new use for solar power everyday. Whether its grid-tie applications, lighting, or backup power, solar is rapidly becoming our green energy alternative of choice. Solar is rapidly evolving as the technology and applications for it are changing daily. In this light, here are 3 great contests that are stretching the limits of what solar can be used for and may just change the way we use energy in our everyday lives.

The cells that power the bicycle use sodium silicide, a powder similar to sand. In combination with water, the substance “instantly creates hydrogen gas”, that is further on used to generate energy. Moreover, excess electricity is stored in batteries that are safe and fully recyclable.

Previous news were saying that the Obama administration doesn’t have any plans of installing solar panels on the White House. Not even a month has passed, and a representative of the White House in Washington, DC says solar panels will be installed on the White House in order to impulse Americans to adopt green energy.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) joined China, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United States in launching the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) on October 1 at the Paris Motor Show in France. The new initiative will provide a platform for global cooperation on the development and deployment of electric vehicles.

Tocco is a remarkable Italian town, not only for its ancient heritage, but also for its futuristic projects that concern the implementation of renewable energy installations. The town benefits four wind turbines that are more than enough to meet the needs of its 2,700 inhabitants.

Beacon Power Corp., a provider of energy storage systems has established a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency to produce parts of a flywheel energy storage over a period of two years.

New technology is the key to the meeting the coalition's pledge to lead the "greenest government ever", David Cameron has said. The prime minister was announcing the publication of an online league table which will be updated daily, to allow the public to see which departments were cutting energy use the most.

Struggling to tackle the acute power crisis in the state, Shobha Karandjale, the new energy minister, is planning to encourage energy conservation as purchasing electricity is proving to be a costly affair. The government spends an average of Rs 350 crore a month to purchase power from private producers to meet the power crisis.

British Telecom, Belgacom, France Telecom-Orange, OTE, Telefonica and Turk Telekom among others, have joined heavyweights such as Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Vodafone and Cisco in the voluntary plan to help cut carbon emissions. The new signees bring the number of companies participating to 36.

Norwalk and Darien residents looking to dispose of used compact fluorescent light bulbs, commonly called CFLs, have a variety of options to take advantage of. At a news conference at the Home Depot location on Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk Thursday, state Senator Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia detailed the services available to those in the area.

The vehicle that has been Dubbed Superbus, is as long as a normal bus and has the same height as a conventional SUV, being capable to carry about 23 passengers. According to the designers, the new electric bus is a “future vision of sustainable public transport.” It also features an aerodynamic design to create a sustainable, fast and comfortable mode of public transport.

The Renault DEZIR, or the desire of any new-age, science-fiction addict, hot-blooded obsessed rock star (or less) is the masterpiece of Renault’s design team and one of the best car designs (in terms of sexiness) I have ever seen. Renault DeZir occupies a central piece at this year’s Paris auto show, with all the other sports cars fading into anonymity (ok, well, perhaps Jaguar’s new masterpiece or Citroen’s Survolt will keep up).

Beacon Power, a major player in flywheel energy storage, is now working with U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) on the development of a next-generation of flywheel storage. The new flywheel storage system is expected to be able to store 4 times as much energy as present flywheels, and at one-eighth the per kilowatt-hour cost.

Utilizing what we have in a wiser way could lead us to something worth it. As the famous line goes, “everything has its purpose” no matter how small or big it is. It also includes waste products such the awful pet poop, specifically dog poop. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, a dog park hasn’t been considering these dog poop a waste at all. In fact, in has turned out to be a very useful.

Solar cells currently used are mostly bulky and made from silicon and other non-recyclable materials, hence they’re not as green as they should be. Mimicking nature might be a solution to this problem. More exactly, North Carolina State University researchers have prototyped a water-based solar cell, mimicking the functioning of a leaf, to produce electricity.