A better way to connect solar, wind to the grid

The sun makes sidewalks hot enough to fry eggs, the wind blows hard enough to tear fences, but if solar and wind energy can't be converted to the 60-hertz alternating current (AC) standard in the United States, it can't be ...

Solar panels keep buildings cool

Those solar panels on top of your roof aren't just providing clean power; they are cooling your house, or your workplace, too, according to a team of researchers led by Jan Kleissl, a professor of environmental engineering ...

Japan firm develops 'sun-chasing' solar panels

A new Japanese solar power device can generate twice the electricity of current models thanks to moving mirrors that follow the sun throughout the day, according to its developers.

Solar power installs almost doubled in 2010

(PhysOrg.com) -- The report for 2010 was released by the Solar Energy Industries Association on the solar markets and installations of the United States, and it revealed that solar power is a growing market.

Fool's gold catches eye of solar energy researchers

Iron pyrite - also known as fool's gold - may be worthless to treasure hunters, but it could become a bonanza to the solar industry. The mineral, among the most abundant in the earth's crust, is usually discarded by coal ...

Insect eyes inspire improved solar cells

(PhysOrg.com) -- The eyes of moths, which allow them to see well at night, are also covered with a water-repellent, antireflective coating that makes their eyes among the least reflective surfaces in nature and helps them ...

Engineers give solar power a boost

The growing popularity of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across the United States has made it more important to maximize their power input. That's why UC San Diego environmental engineering professor Jan Kleissl is working ...

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