Latest Solar Energy News

Categories

Can Solar, Thermal, and RF Harvesting Ever Offer a Good Energy ROI?

Some wearable manufacturers don’t consider energy harvesting (of any sort) a good return on investment. In pursuit of self-powered wearables, EE researchers are looking to change that.

August 05, 2021 by Kristijan Nelkovski

Home EV Charging and “Energy Independence”: Meet myenergi Lead Engineer Robin Richard

Pessimism about renewables, Meet Robin Richard, the lead engineer for myenergi, a company hoping to make renewable infrastructure accessible to all.

July 05, 2021 by Ingrid Fadelli

The Future of Photovoltaics Is Organic: A Conversation with KAUST’s Dr. Thomas Anthopoulos

Meet Dr. Thomas Anthopoulos, Professor of Material Science & Engineering at KAUST Solar Center, who navigates the "materials zoo" to find the best path forward for some of the most promising photovoltaics in the world: organic PVs.

May 31, 2021 by Ingrid Fadelli

Concrete Batteries: Cementing a New Foundation for Energy Storage?

In a newly published paper, researchers from Chalmers University describe how they were able to turn cement into a medium for electrical energy storage.

May 28, 2021 by Jake Hertz

In Search of the Next Top Semiconductor: Cuprous Oxide vs. Silicon

Semiconductor materials vying for silicon's crown are everywhere, it seems. One substrate that's been in research for many years is cuprous oxide. Is it a blip on the radar or the next heir apparent?

May 08, 2021 by Ikimi .O

Underwater HVDC-based Grid: Pushing the Limits of Power Transmission

Establishing an underwater power grid is no easy feat, though researchers and companies like ABB and Siemens can see the potential benefits.

May 04, 2021 by Rushi Patel

Grid Outages in Texas Spark Discussion on the Challenges of Renewable Energy Integration

Freezing temperatures and rolling blackouts have spurred discussion on whether renewable energy grid integration may be a safety net for future outages. Design-level challenges, however, make this endeavor more complicated than it may seem.

February 19, 2021 by Antonio Anzaldua Jr.

Can Solar Electric Vehicles (sEVs) Actually Become a Reality?

One of the prevailing issues with solar electric vehicles (sEVs) is range. What design obstacles must be overcome to make this future vehicle tech a widespread reality?

February 05, 2021 by Dr. Steve Arar

Energy Harvesting Spotlight: Maxim Claims “Smallest Solar Harvesting Solution”

IoT designers are commonly plagued with the issue of long-term deployment. Energy-harvesting paradigms, including a new solar harvesting device from Maxim, may be a promising supplement to battery cells.

January 18, 2021 by Adrian Gibbons

Materials Spotlight: How Perovskite Was a Hotbed of 2020 Research

The topic of perovskites never seems far from research outlets, and last year was no different.

January 05, 2021 by Tyler Charboneau

Batteries Aren’t the Only Renewable Energy Carriers on the Block. Supercapacitors Take the R&D Stage

Supercapacitors are increasingly hailed as a key to sustainable energy. Coupled with the demand for robust energy storage systems, these devices are gaining traction in R&D and across the market.

December 22, 2020 by Nicholas St. John

For Wearables, Inkjet-Printed Solar Cells Can Be an Ultra-Thin Power Source

The printed solar cells are so light, thin, and flexible that they can rest on a bubble.

September 17, 2020 by Luke James

Graphine-Based Supercaps Show Promise for Wind and Solar Energy Storage

The research team behind this new approach thinks that it’ll help meet the growing demand for increased storage capacity.

August 25, 2020 by Luke James

Singapore Scientists Achieve Highest Perovskite Power Conversion Efficiency

By using an existing method, the team from Singapore’s Nangyang Technological University (NTU) has brought perovskites one step closer to market adoption.

August 24, 2020 by Luke James

To Reach a Solar Boom, We Must Say Goodbye to Silicon, Claim Cornell Engineers

When it comes to the future of solar energy cells, some engineers think that we should be waving goodbye to silicon and replacing it with calcium titanium oxide, also known as perovskite.

August 18, 2020 by Luke James

Sizing Up Three SiC MOSFETs That Recently Hit the Market

Multiple companies have announced new SiC MOSFETs—indicating growing popularity in the device and a promising future for solar and EV applications.

June 20, 2020 by Jake Hertz

Progressing New Methods to Use Light and Reliable Organic Solar Cells for Wearables

In the electronics space, organic solar cells may find a range of useful applications, particularly in the development of wearable devices.

June 19, 2020 by Luke James

Microsoft Sends a Data Center to the Ocean Floor to Find a COVID-19 Vaccine

Why underwater? The reason is actually quite practical: cooling.

June 18, 2020 by Gary Elinoff

Internet from Solar-Powered Balloons? Loon Brings Mesh Connectivity from 12 Miles Up

A Google subsidiary, Loon, is sending solar-powered balloons twelve miles into the stratosphere to beam LTE down to sparsely-populated or disaster-struck regions.

May 18, 2020 by Gary Elinoff

Solar Materials of the Future are Great on Performance. But What About Toxicity?

The materials in solar photovoltaic panels can be toxic when improperly disposed of. Are alternative materials any better?

May 11, 2020 by Tyler Charboneau