California s solar energy boom is often hailed as a green success story but a new study reveals a murkier reality beneath the sunlit panels. Researchers uncover seven distinct forms of corruption threatening the integrity of the state s clean energy expansion, including favoritism, land grabs, and misleading environmental claims. Perhaps most eyebrow-raising are allegations of romantic entanglements between senior officials and solar lobbyists, blurring the lines between personal influence and public interest. The report paints a picture of a solar sector racing ahead while governance and ethical safeguards fall dangerously behind.
Despite advances in machine vision, processing visual data requires substantial computing resources and energy, limiting deployment in edge devices. Now, researchers from Japan have developed a self-powered artificial synapse that distinguishes colors with high resolution across the visible spectrum, approaching human eye capabilities. The device, which integrates dye-sensitized solar cells, generates its electricity and can perform complex logic operations without additional circuitry, paving the way for capable computer vision systems integrated in everyday devices.
New research shows that the presence of solar panels in Colorado's grasslands may reduce water stress, improve soil moisture levels and -- particularly during dry years -- increase plant growth by about 20% or more compared to open fields.
Increasing renewable energy may not reduce the use of fossil fuels in the United States, according to a new study .
Photovoltaic systems are increasingly being installed not only on roofs but also on open land. This does not always meet with citizens' approval. What is known as agrivoltaics (Agri-PV), however, is viewed more favorably, as researchers have now been able to show. In this case, the solar cells are installed in spaces used for agriculture -- such as on pastures or as a canopy over grapevines. According to a survey of almost 2,000 people, this form enjoys much higher acceptance than normal solar parks.
The average energy project costs 40% more than expected for construction and takes almost two years longer than planned, finds a new global study. One key insight: The investment risk is highest for nuclear power plant construction and lowest for solar. The researchers analyzed data from 662 energy projects built between 1936 and 2024 in 83 countries, totaling $1.358 trillion in investment.
Janus heterobilayers -- dual-sided materials with unique properties -- may be the key to efficiently creating clean hydrogen fuels.
How might floating solar energy projects impact wild birds and vice versa? A paper outlines key considerations for a growing floating solar industry.
New research reveals how Saharan dust impacts solar energy generation in Europe. Dust from North Africa reduces photovoltaic (PV) power output by scattering sunlight, absorbing irradiance, and promoting cloud formation. The study, based on field data from 46 dust events between 2019 and 2023, highlights the difficulty of predicting PV performance during these events. Conventional forecasting tools often fail, so the team suggests integrating real-time dust load data and aerosol-cloud coupling into models for better solar energy scheduling and preparedness.
Financial benefits, such as saving on utility payments and avoiding electricity rate hikes, are a key driver of U.S. adults' willingness to consider installing rooftop solar panels or subscribing to community solar power, a new study suggests.
As farmers debate whether fields should be used for agriculture or solar panels, new research says the answer could be both. Scientists analyzed remote sensing and aerial imagery to study how fields have been used in California for the last 25 years. Using databases to estimate revenues and costs, they found that farmers who used a small percentage of their land for solar arrays were more financially secure per acre than those who didn't.
The UK government needs to go beyond offering subsidies for low-carbon technologies (LCTs) like electric cars and solar panels for energy and heating, if it is to meet its net-zero targets by 2050, a report suggests.
Engineers have hit the trifecta of sustainability technology: A group has developed a low-cost method to produce carbon-free 'green' hydrogen via solar-powered electrolysis of seawater. A happy byproduct of the process? Potable water.
Researchers analyzed trade-related risks to energy security across 1,092 scenarios for cutting carbon emissions by 2060. They found that swapping out dependence on imported fossil fuels for increased dependence on critical minerals for clean energy would improve security for most nations -- including the U.S., if it cultivates new trade partners.
Researchers have found a way to dramatically reducing energy loss and boosting efficiency perovskite solar cells by incorporating rubidium using lattice strain -- a slight deformation in the atomic structure that helps keep rubidium in place.
The same dirt that clings to astronauts' boots may one day keep their lights on. Researchers created solar cells made out of simulated Moon dust. The cells convert sunlight into energy efficiently, withstand radiation damage, and mitigate the need for transporting heavy materials into space, offering a potential solution to one of space exploration's biggest challenges: reliable energy sources.
Fossil-fuel plants are increasingly being forced to stop and start production in response to changes in output from renewables. In a new study, researchers developed a dynamic competitive benchmark that accounts for start-up costs and other unit-level operating constraints. They apply their framework to Western Australia, a setting where rooftop solar capacity more than doubled between 2014 to 2018 to world-leading rooftop solar penetration rates. The study found that the large-scale expansion of rooftop solar capacity can lead to increases in the collective profitability of fossil fuel plants because competition softens at sunset--- plants displaced by solar during the day must incur start-up costs to compete in the evening.
Researchers have developed a new material that, by harnessing the power of sunlight, can clear water of dangerous pollutants.
Researchers investigated how to use bio-based materials to produce effective UV protection films for solar cells. The study was the first to compare how the properties of different bio-based UV filters change over time.
Scientists have unveiled an innovative approach for synthesizing azaparacyclophanes (APCs), a class of highly advanced ring-shaped molecular structures with immense potential in material science. Their innovative Catalyst-Transfer Macrocyclization (CTM) method streamlines the production of these complex macrocycles, paving the way for more efficient and scalable applications in organic electronics, optoelectronics, and supramolecular chemistry -- such as displays, flexible solar cells and transistors.
Perovskite solar cells could last ten times longer thanks to new research, which suggests alumina nanoparticles significantly enhance the lifespan and stability of these high-efficiency energy devices.
In a significant advancement for boosting renewable energy generation development, engineers have examined nanoscale properties of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). This initiative has resulted in the development of more efficient and durable cells, poised to substantially diminish costs and broaden applications, thereby connecting scientific research with the needs of the business community.
Researchers have developed a battery that can convert nuclear energy into electricity via light emission, a study suggests.
Perovskite solar cells are highly efficient and low cost in production. However, they still lack stability over the decades under real weather conditions. An international research collaboration has now explored the effects of multiple thermal cycles on microstructures and interactions between different layers of perovskite solar cells. They conclude that thermal stress is the decisive factor in the degradation of metal-halide perovskites. Based on this, they derive the most promising strategies to increase the long-term stability of perovskite solar cells.
After a cyber attack or natural disaster, a backup network of decentralized devices -- like residential solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and water heaters -- could restore electricity or relieve stress on the grid, engineers find.
Researchers have developed a reactor that pulls carbon dioxide directly from the air and converts it into sustainable fuel, using sunlight as the power source.
Researchers developed a method to recycle all parts of a solar cell repeatedly without environmentally hazardous solvents. The recycled solar cell has the same efficiency as the original one. The solar cell is made of perovskite and the main solvent is water.
An expert in energy technologies uses AI tools to investigate the impact of extreme weather on solar-powered and electrified homes and uncover their unique vulnerabilities and develop insights on how they handle harsh conditions.
Combining two semiconductor thin films into a tandem solar cell can achieve high efficiencies with a minimal environmental footprint. Teams have now presented a CIGS-perovskite tandem cell that sets a new world record with an efficiency of 24.6%, certified by an independent body.
Photosynthesis -- mainly carried out by plants -- is based on a remarkably efficient energy conversion process. To generate chemical energy, sunlight must first be captured and transported further. This happens practically loss-free and extremely quickly. A new study shows that quantum mechanical effects play a key role in this process.
Flexible perovskite solar cells are promising for lightweight and versatile applications but their sensitivity to humidity and temperature poses a challenge to long-term durability. To address this, researchers have conducted a comprehensive study to test the degradation of these solar modules under extreme heat and humidity. Through accelerated testing, they identified how the water vapor transmission rates of barrier films affect the module's stability, giving critical insights for development of durable solar cells.
How can the latest technology, such as solar cells, be improved? An international research team is helping to find answers to questions like this with a new technique. For the first time, the formation of tiny, difficult-to-detect particles -- known as dark excitons -- can be tracked precisely in time and space. These invisible carriers of energy will play a key role in future solar cells, LEDs and detectors.
Researchers have used electron spin resonance technology to observe the state and movement of the charge inside Ruddlesden-Popper tin -based perovskite solar cells, an emerging technology for next-generation solar cells. They have discovered a mechanism that improves the performance of these cells compared with conventional three-dimensional tin-based perovskite solar cells. Their findings signal a great leap forward in the development of high-efficiency, long-lasting solar cells.
Scientists have developed a new optimization model to improve microgrid operation. This model adapts to unexpected changes in power supply and demand, ensuring stable and efficient energy systems. By addressing challenges like power outages and varying energy needs, this approach enhances the reliability and sustainability of microgrids, making it suitable for real-world use in areas with unstable power grids.
While floating solar -- the emerging practice of putting solar panels on bodies of water -- is promising in its efficiency and its potential to spare agricultural and conservation lands, a new experiment finds environmental trade-offs.
Perovskite solar cells are a flexible and sustainable alternative to conventional silicon-based solar cells. Researchers were able to find -- within only a few weeks -- new organic molecules that increase the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. The team used a clever combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated high-throughput synthesis. Their strategy can also be applied to other areas of materials research, such as the search for new battery materials.
Federal reservoirs could help meet the country's solar energy needs, according to a new study. Geospatial scientists and senior legal and regulatory analyst quantified exactly how much energy could be generated from floating solar panel projects installed on federally owned or regulated reservoirs.
Radiation testing suggests that solar cells made from carbon-based, or organic, materials could outperform conventional silicon and gallium arsenide for generating electricity in the final frontier, a study suggests.
A research team achieves 63% energy storage efficiency and 5.17% overall efficiency by combining a supercapacitor with a solar cell.
Another advance has been made by experts in nano-scale chemistry to propel further development of sustainable and efficient generation of hydrogen from water using solar power. Experts have now identified a novel solar cell process to potentially use in future technologies for photocatalytic water splitting in green hydrogen production.
Researchers propose a unique numerical decision-making framework for solar panel protection against extreme weather conditions. The framework combines advanced wind simulations with machine learning to optimize individual solar panel angles under strong winds. Unlike previous methods, this new method treats panels as independent decision-makers and identifies creative, data-driven solutions to reduce stress, significantly outperforming current safeguards.
How can we ensure that as many households as possible adopt not only solar panels, but also their own battery to store solar energy, a heat pump, and an electric car? Researchers have looked into just this question.
Canada should focus on building mass utility-scale solar mega-projects to kickstart its green energy transition, according to a new report. The recommendation comes from a new article which looks at the current state of solar power and compares the benefits of both mass-scale projects and smaller, decentralized approached like individual homes and commercial buildings installing their own solar panels.
A new artificial intelligence model can predict how atoms arrange themselves in crystal structures.
A new study shows the benefits of coordinating the siting of solar farms, wind farms, and storage systems, taking into account local and temporal variations in wind, sunlight, and energy demand. This approach maximizes the utilization of renewable resources and reduces costs.
Large-scale production of organic solar cells with high efficiency and minimal environmental impact. In the study, the researchers studied molecule shape and interaction in organic solar cells.
Trying to improve the efficiency of solar cells to become independent from fossil energy sources is a major goal of solar cell research. Physicists now combine perovskite with organic absorbers to form a record-level tandem solar cell.
Researchers propose a new method to generate meteorological data that takes into account the interdependence of meteorological factors, such as temperature, humidity, and solar radiation.
A new study warns that current plans to achieve zero emissions on the grid by 2050 vastly underestimate the required investments in generation and transmission infrastructure. The reason: these plans do not account for climate change's impacts on water resources. Specifically, changes in water availability caused by climate change could decrease hydropower generation by up to 23% by the year 2050, while electricity demand could increase by 2%.
Researchers have found a new way to improve a key element of thermophotovoltaic systems, which convert heat into electricity via light. Engineers designed a thermal emitter that can deliver high efficiencies within practical design parameters.
Scientists have developed a new protective coating that significantly extends the life of perovskite solar cells, making them more practical for applications outside the lab.
New research may make it possible to keep electronic devices powered with another piece of equipment you're likely to bring with you while exploring the great outdoors: camping stoves. The work focuses on using the excess heat produced by stoves to create a thermoacoustic engine, which converts thermal energy into acoustic energy. This acoustic energy can then be transformed into mechanical or electrical energy. When optimized, these engines can generate power ranging from tens to thousands of watts, depending on their size.
An international team has identified a strategy to improve both the performance and stability for solar cells made out of the 'miracle material' perovskite by mitigating a previously hidden degradation pathway.
A team combined compositional data of primitive bodies like Kuiper Belt objects, asteroids and comets with new solar data sets to develop a revised solar composition that potentially reconciles spectroscopy and helioseismology measurements for the first time. Helioseismology probes the Sun's interior by analyzing the waves that travel through it, while spectroscopy reveals the surface composition based on the spectral signature produced by each chemical element.
New research into the vulnerability of power grids served by weather-dependent renewable energy sources (WD-RESs) such as solar and wind paints a hopeful picture as various countries around the globe attempt to meet their climate emissions targets -- with the research showing grids with high penetration of WD-RESs tend to have reduced blackout intensities in the US.
Researchers investigated the internal properties of low-cost materials used in perovskite solar cells, which are attracting attention for their high efficiency, using electron spin resonance (ESR) to analyze these materials at a microscopic level. The results clarify the underlying causes for reduced device performance, despite high local charge mobility, offering critical insights for designing improved solar cells.
Researchers have come up with a way to turn silicon into a direct bandgap semiconductor, opening the door to the manufacture of ultrathin silicon solar cells.
Research provides a deeper understanding of precisely what is happening in organic solar cells as light is converted into electricity. Researchers developed a new method which visualizes interfaces where the sunlight's energy is converted to electrical charges and used the findings to develop a set of design rules that can improve the efficiency of organic solar cells.
Approximately 50 percent of global final energy consumption is dedicated to heating. Yet, the utilization of solar power in this sector remains relatively low compared to fossil energy sources. An inherent problem limiting the widespread usage of solar energy is the intermittency of its direct availability. A promising solution comes in the form of molecular solar energy storage systems.
Researchers have significantly improved the performance of kesterite (CZTSSe) thin-film solar cells. They developed a new method for doping silver (Ag) in solar cells to suppress defects that hinder cell performance and promote crystal growth, thereby dramatically increasing efficiency and paving the way for commercialization.
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