A breakthrough in battery technology could make large-scale energy storage practical. Researchers at Harvard University say their organic flow-battery would be affordable and efficient. Professor Michael Aziz tells host Steve Curwood how the technology works and why it could significantly … Continue reading
The German experience shows that there are some real challenges associated with renewables integration. But they're not technical — they are mostly related to rate structures, the high cost of legacy renewable energy subsidies and overlapping energy markets between countries. … Continue reading
On Wednesday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted to become the first state in the nation to come up with a methodology for calculating the value of solar power generated by consumers — and not just how much that power … Continue reading
This is Aros, a Wi-Fi connected air conditioner aimed at energy-conscious consumers that Quirky and GE are launching today. It's by far the biggest and most complicated product that Quirky has ever built, and it aims to help solve truly … Continue reading
In the past few years, net-zero buildings—those that produce as much (or more) clean energy on site as they use annually—have been gaining momentum. Once considered a crazy idea, they’re now coming of age as a realistic goal for a … Continue reading
More than 40 million people worldwide have been displaced from their homes and left to find shelter in strange lands. Maybe they find a tarp, or a tent, but their quality of life almost always remains dismal. To close this … Continue reading
AUSTIN, TX – A new report from The Solar Foundation (TSF), a national non-profit research organization, finds more than 4,100 Texans are now working in the solar power industry, marking a 28 per cent increase in solar jobs in one … Continue reading
When Bill Sinkin first approached CPS Energy about promoting solar power, officials were amenable, said Joe Fulton, who was director of environmental planning and research at the time. A change in leadership delayed the agreement, but since it was inked … Continue reading
Designers Kyuho Song and Boa Oh have developed a solution to having no electrical power source to plug into on the go. While our advancing technology provides countless benefits, it has also added to our modern day inconveniences. One such … Continue reading
Earthships are 100% sustainable homes that are both cheap to build and awesome to live in. They offer amenities like no other sustainable building style you have come across. For the reasons that follow, I believe Earthships can actually change … Continue reading
When SolarCity and Tesla last month announced they were teaming up to offer battery backup for residential solar PV systems, they generated much excitement … and a disproportionate amount of press. From Greentech Media to the New York Times, stories … Continue reading
The Grid Edge: How Will Utilities, Vendors and Energy Service Providers Adapt? The intersection of grid modernization and the rise of a new end-to-end energy system is already upon us. The term “smart grid” is getting a bit long in … Continue reading
Read This Retiring Utility Commissioner’s Candid Words About Energy Policy “I suspect that [utilities] would still dearly like to strangle rooftop solar if they could.” When public servants leave office, they sometimes offer up the most candid words of their … Continue reading
Architecture 2030 challenges the global architecture and building community to implement strategies to reduce energy and water consumption and vehicle emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Becoming a 2030 District offers San Antonio an ideal model for monitoring emissions and … Continue reading
Over the weekend, the New York Times noted that the solar power “craze” is partly responsible for Wall Street’s recent good times. The Times used the example of solar giant SolarCity, which has seen a sevenfold increase in its share … Continue reading
Researchers from North Carolina State University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have found an easy way to modify the molecular structure of a polymer commonly used in solar cells. Their modification can increase solar cell efficiency by more than … Continue reading
Green design is no longer a niche market in building construction today. As energy and health costs have increased, demands for healthier, safer and environmentally friendly buildings have become the norm rather than the exception. “(Green architecture) is becoming much … Continue reading
Two reports published by the US Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL show that soft costs — such as financing and other non-hardware costs — now make up the largest section of solar installation costs, coming in at 64% … Continue reading
In this 2013 report, new research by MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group looks at companies that “walk the talk” in addressing significant sustainability concerns. So-called “Walkers” focus heavily on five fronts: sustainability strategy, business case, measurement, … Continue reading
According to Fox Business reporter Shibani Joshi, renewables are successful in Germany and not in the U.S. because Germany has “got a lot more sun than we do.” Sure, California might get sun now and then, Joshi conceded during her … Continue reading