Renewable Energy
Danny Kennedy of Sungevity says that his company spends as much time working through the permitting process as they do installing solar panels. How can local governments help speed the way to solar roofs? Watch
This is the simplest solar still design for distilling water using a parabolic dish, a vacuum tube, and a glass.
SolarReserve
Mirrors aren't just for making sure you look good! These innovators are using mirrors to concentrate sunlight in order to generate heat. Then, using a system based on molten salt, that heat can be converted in usable electricity!
Minnesota 2020
How can communities take advantage of local resources to produce enough energy to meet their needs? This research program from the University of Minnesota is trying to find out.
Planet Forward
A key issue for scaling up solar is where to put it: on every home or in huge arrays on the desert?
There are 130 million homes in the U.S. and they are responsible for 25% of the nation's green house gas emissions. See how this homeowner is getting to zero...and beyond! Watch
One of today's issues in our country is the prices of gasoline and the cleanliness of gasoline. Biofuels has been used, like ethanol, to help make gas more efficient and clean it up, making it better for the environment. Ethanol has, however,... Read More
Planet Forward
More people live in cities now than in any other time in human history--nearly half the world’s population. They are the economic engines of our society, but they are also the source of 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
National Science Foundation
A team of engineers and scientists at North Carolina State University has developed a new method for harvesting marine algae. By applying an electric charge they change the chemistry of the algae cell boundary and cause cells to clump together.... Read More
National Science Foundation
Researchers have developed a way to make an efficient catalyst that transforms biomass-derived sugars into a compound used in fuels, plastics and pharmaceuticals. The solid acid catalyst is noncorrosive and easily recovered for re-use, making it... Read More