Solar Power
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According to the US Energy Information Administration, in the five years from 2019 to 2024, in March and April specifically, electricity production using wind power has almost doubled, significantly outdoing generation from coal-fired power plants.
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Scientists have engineered a micro-aerial vehicle that has the potential to fly indefinitely in sunlight, using an electrostatic motor to power its ultra-lightweight unit. Until now, these tiny drones have been limited to around 30 minutes of airtime.
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The world's largest renewable energy and transmission project has received key approval from government officials. The Australia-Asia Power Link project will send Australian solar power to Singapore via 4,300 kilometer-long undersea cables.
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Two 650-foot-tall towers have risen in China's Gansu Province. Combined with an array of 30,000 mirrors arranged in concentric circles, the new facility is expected to generate over 1.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity every year.
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iYacht has been commissioned to help German TV and movie actor Daniel Roesner realize his vision for a "sustainable catamaran designed with circularity in mind." The 55-ft multihull will be built using scrap metal, reclaimed wood and recycled cork.
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Roboteos has developed an RV rooftop solar charging system that automatically deploys and tracks the sun all day. Called the Heliotrope 1.0, it's designed to pull in every last photon, giving van lifers the most charge without any extra effort.
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For the last couple of years, Omid Sadeghpour has been working on a fold-out solar array for his Tesla Model Y, which he reckons can get him up to 20 miles of range per day without plugging in. Now he's moving to an improved Beta2 version.
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One of the most promising, emerging solar cell technologies has received a major efficiency boost. Engineers at UNIST in South Korea have created quantum dot solar cells with a world record efficiency of 18.1%.
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Power demand spikes in the early morning and later evening, when solar arrays can't help. But researchers in Scotland say orbital launch costs are getting so cheap that giant space-based reflectors could soon be a viable way to power these timeslots.
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Portable photovoltaic systems are great for generating electricity while off the grid, but constantly moving them to keep them in the sunlight can be a hassle. Jackery's Solar Generator Mars Bot offers a solution to that problem, as it moves itself.
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SOM's new airport terminal in India provides weary travelers with a lush interior that's filled with plants and trees, and is made from natural materials like bamboo and stone. Impressively, all of its power needs are met by renewable energy.
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The world needs gargantuan amounts of clean energy moving forward, making this an area of colossal and growing opportunity for disruptive innovations. Here are some of the fascinating energy ideas and technologies that made us most hopeful in 2023.
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