Scientists Discover Methods of Harvesting Electricity from Plants

Source: inhabitat.com Published: May 9, 2013 Images via University of Georgia and Wikicommons user Pinpin. by Inhabitat Staff When it comes to capturing solar energy, plants are first in their class. Able to function at nearly 100 percent quantum efficiency, they can...

A Solar-Powered Plug That Sticks to Windows and Out from The Crowd

Source: mnn.com Published: May 3, 2013 Sure, there are a few kinks to be worked out, but the designers behind the clever and unfussy Window Socket are onto something: A solar converter-charger that serves as an outlet on windows, not walls. Photos: Kyuho Song and Boa...

Build a Solar Cooker for Just $5

Source: treehugger.com Published: April 29, 2013 © sclausson at Instructables Derek Markham A lot of the solar technology that hits the news tends to be a bit on the high-tech side, such as photovoltaic and concentrating solar power devices, but taking advantage of...

Artificial Leaf Produces Energy from Dirty Water

Source: treehugger.com Published: April 15, 2013 © Dominick Reuter / MIT News Megan Treacy mtreacy Back in 2011, researchers at MIT developed an artificial leaf technology that could produce energy from water and sunlight. The artificial leaf is essentially a silicon...

Solar Power in Africa Helps Villages Meet Basic Needs

Source: nationalgeographic.com Published: March 21, 2013 Solar panels also power the water pump to supply water for domestic use. This reservoir is connected to six water taps. (image via Chad Lipton/National Geographic Society) Less than 25 percent of the population...

Trees Used to Create Recyclable, Efficient Solar Cell

Source: sciencedaily.com Published: March 26, 2013 Solar cells are just like leaves, capturing the sunlight and turning it into energy. It’s fitting that they can now be made partially from trees. Georgia Institute of Technology and Purdue University researchers have...

Rotating, Sun-Tracking Solar Islands for Swiss Lake

Source: earthtechling.com Published: February 7, 2013 By Pete Danko Manmade islands for the production of renewable energy – they’re all the rage, suddenly. A few weeks ago we told you about Belgium’s plan to build an island in the North Sea with a below-sea-level...