Researchers identified a new polymer – a type of large molecule that forms plastics and other familiar materials – that improved the efficiency of solar cells. The group also determined the method by which the polymer improved the cells efficiency. The polymer allows electrical charges to move more easily throughout the cell, boosting the production of electricity – a mechanism
It’s been over 20 years since Peugeot sold a new car in the United States, and the 500 horsepower Peugeot Quartz plug-in hybrid SUV concept has me thinking it’s time for the French automaker to make a comeback. The Peugeot Quartz is the latest concept that takes a stunning design and applies a high-powered hybrid drivetrain to it. In this
There has been a lot of figurative-column space given over to China’s recent efforts to combat pollution by investing heavily in clean energies. From banning coal to increasing its renewable energy targets, China has become a clean-tech investors dream, a point borne out by its return to the top of Ernst & Young’s Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index.The Ernst &
Favorable government policies and incentives are continuously pushing the development of solar sector in Japan. But the development of ground-mounted solar systems is still a challenge there due to lack of vacant land. Kyocera has, therefore, come out with an alternative plan of installing floating solar panels over ponds. According to a recent announcement, Kyocera plans to build the world’s
Acquisitions and buyouts of projects in the renewable energy domain aren’t that common, especially when you talk about Africa. Africa has only just started attracting noticeable investment in renewable energy, and the recent announcement of Ghana’s largest and the first utility-scale wind energy project provides an extremely positive outlook for the continent’s endeavour to expand renewable energy infrastructure. Mainstream Renewable
Middle Eastern countries are rapidly working towards strengthening renewable energy infrastructure, and Jordan is the latest one to announce plans to add substantial capacity over the next few years. The energy minister of Jordan recently announced that the country is expected to commission about 1,800 MW of wind and solar power capacity by 2018. This includes 200 MW of solar
Tesla Motors will decisively, even state by state if necessary, win its ongoing war with the car dealership associations, according to a recent op-ed by a prominent industry journalist. The most that the dealership associations can hope for with their lawsuits is a short delay to Tesla’s expansion and growth — a delay that won’t stop the turning tide, according
SAN FRANCISCO – One automaker’s vision of the transportation future sat parked under a broiling sun not far from AT&T Park baseball stadium Tuesday. But the blackout tint on the sedan’s windows wasn’t to keep the interior cool, but hidden. Toyota quietly rolled into town with the newest addition to its eco-conscious fleet, the 2015 FCV. That stands for Fuel
Carbon nanotubes have been used in everything from energy-free lights to oil spill clean-up technology, and now a team from Rice University has used them to develop a paint that transforms any surface into a lithium-ion battery! This transformative paint holds the potential to create a functional, rechargeable solar battery on just about any surface. The Rice University team’s rechargeable
When ORNL scientist Orlando Rios first started analyzing samples of carbon fibers made from a woody plant polymer known as lignin, he noticed something unusual. The material’s microstructure – a mixture of perfectly spherical nanoscale crystallites distributed within a fibrous matrix — looked almost too good to be true. “I thought, this looks like a material that people would go