New “tandem” solar cell breaks world record
A new tandem solar cell containing layers of silicon and perovskite has demonstrated an unprecedented efficiency of 33.7%.
These 4 charts show the unstoppable growth of solar
Solar is growing fast enough to displace fossil fuels from the entire global economy before 2050, but infrastructure needs to keep up.
Westinghouse’s small nuclear reactor could power the future
Westinghouse Electric Company has unveiled a small nuclear reactor based on the same tech as a larger reactor already in operation.
Shutting down nuclear power could increase air pollution
If nuclear reactors are retired, polluting energy sources that fill the gap could cause more than 5,000 premature deaths.
New battery tech boosts EV range by 20%
A new silicon anode material for EV batteries can boost a vehicle’s range by 20% while cutting down on charging times.
New lithium recycling method is cleaner and cheaper
A cheaper, cleaner lithium recycling method could help ensure we have enough of the valuable metal to power the clean energy future.
The ocean “twilight zone” could store vast amounts of carbon captured from the atmosphere
There may be ways to enhance natural processes so the ocean pulls more carbon out of the atmosphere to help slow climate change.
Self-sufficient “microgrids” could save you from power grid emergencies
Centralized power systems rely on large power plants and transmission grids, but microgrids are self-sufficient.
Batteries not included: How your own body could power wearables
Batteries are the weak link for wearable and implantable devices. But what if you could harvest energy from the heat, sweat or vibrations of the wearer?
These 3D-printed batteries could be the future of clean energy
Silicon Valley startup Sakuu has developed a 3D-printing platform that it says can mass produce solid-state batteries, in any shape and size
These “microreactors” could be the future of nuclear power
Microreactors that can be built and deployed much faster than traditional nuclear power plants could be the future of nuclear energy
John Deere unveils quieter, electric riding mowers
John Deere is entering the electric market with models aimed at homeowners and the golf industry.
World’s largest electric cargo plane can carry up to 400 pounds
The Pelican is an autonomous electric cargo plane capable of transporting 400 pounds of cargo 200 miles in less than three hours.
Could hydrogen-fuelled flights be a reality by 2035?
By 2035, hydrogen fuel cells could be used to electrify mid-range flights and hydrogen combustion aircraft could be used on long-haul flights.
How heat pumps of the 1800s are becoming the technology of the future
With ever-improving efficiencies, and rising sales in multiple countries, heat pumps are only getting harder for their detractors to dismiss.
First small modular nuclear reactor certified in US
The US’s first certification of a small modular reactor design could lead to cheaper, safer nuclear power plants.
MIT grads unveil the world’s first ammonia-powered semi truck
Amogy, a startup founded by four MIT grads, has unveiled an ammonia-powered semi truck that can be refueled in just eight minutes.
This MIT research could help us unlock smaller, lighter, and safer batteries
Replacing the liquid electrolyte in rechargeable lithium batteries with a thinner, lighter ceramic material could revolutionize technology.
This Swedish start-up is building an electric airliner
A Swedish startup has joined the race to build the world’s first electric airplane to help reduce the carbon impact of flying.
How do floating wind turbines work?
Several full-scale demonstration projects with floating wind turbines are already operating in Europe and Asia. How do they stay afloat?
The mail is finally going electric (its trucks, anyway)
After withering criticism from the EPA, Biden officials, and 16 states, the USPS has announced it will order more electric delivery vehicles.
New experiment produces hydrogen with LEDs
Quantum simulations have identified a cheap way of extracting hydrogen fuel from liquid ammonia using LED light.
Paper-thin solar cell can turn any surface into a power source
MIT researchers have developed a scalable fabrication technique to produce ultrathin solar cells that can be stuck onto any surface.
Seven science and tech breakthroughs you may have missed this year
A roundup of major science and tech achievements that flew under the radar in 2022, including new vaccines, advanced solar cells, and more.
After 50 years, fusion power hits a major milestone
Researchers in California achieved net energy gain in a thermonuclear fusion experiment. But how great of a breakthrough is this, really?
New battery is cheaper than lithium-ion with four times the capacity
A new type of room temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) battery could help solve the renewable energy storage problem.
Here’s what that fusion power breakthrough really means
This year, NIF reports that it has achieved "ignition" — that is, it has achieved slightly more fusion energy output than laser energy input.
Construction juggernaut unveils huge electric mining truck
Construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has demonstrated its first battery-electric large mining truck.
This meteorite material could power our clean energy future
A lab-made version of tetrataenite, a mineral found in meteorites, could replace rare earth elements in the production of permanent magnets.
Your house could become a rechargeable cement battery. Here’s how. 
Rechargeable cement batteries could allow for whole sections of multi-storey buildings to be made of functional concrete.
Molten salt reactors could save nuclear power
Molten salt reactors, a type of nuclear reactor first explored in the 1950s, could be the future of clean energy.
New motionless tech harnesses wind energy from rooftops
Aeromine Technologies’ motionless wind energy system promises to increase the amount of renewable energy generated from rooftops.
New MIT system could cool buildings up to 10℃— without electricity
MIT’s new “passive cooling” system could break the spiral of more air conditioning.
Stanford engineers warn that electric car charging could crash a grid powered by renewable energy 
Most electric car charging is done at night. A grid powered mostly by renewable energy might not be able to meet demand.
Electric planes are coming: Short-hop regional flights could be running on batteries in a few years
Aerospace engineer Gökçin Çınar discusses sustainable aviation concepts, including hybrid-electric planes and hydrogen fuel alternatives.
China has discovered a brand new moon mineral
A new moon mineral discovered by China contains helium-3, an element that could one day fuel nuclear fusion reactors on Earth.
Air Canada orders 30 electric-hybrid aircraft for takeoff in 2028
Flag carrier Air Canada has announced plans to have electric-hybrid planes on regional and commuter routes by 2028.
Brick batteries may be a key to decarbonizing heavy industry
By storing renewable energy as heat in brick “batteries,” Rondo Energy believes they can decarbonize heavy industry.
The surprising history of how electric vehicles have played the long game and won 
The electric vehicle’s environmental credentials might give them a final push to win the long game over traditional cars.
This startup wants to build a radically powerful new kind of wind turbine
Norwegian startup World Wide Wind wants to build offshore wind turbines based on a completely different design from traditional models.
This rock-bending tech may change clean energy 
A technology that stores energy underground could make enhanced geothermal systems more cost competitive.
1.7 billion years ago, Earth had a natural nuclear reactor
Seventeen natural sites possessing ancient nuclear reactions have now been found: evidence of Earth's first nuclear reactor.
Heat pumps can cut your energy costs by up to 90%
Heat pumps are becoming all the rage around a world that has to slash carbon emissions rapidly while cutting energy costs.
Wave energy generator passes 10-month test at sea
A wave energy generator has completed a ten month open ocean trial.
New solar device can pull hydrogen straight from the air 
Researchers have created a solar-powered device that can pull water from the air to create hydrogen.
Powerful new magnets bring fusion power a step closer
A new system for generating magnetic fields suitable for spherical tokamaks is fueling progress on nuclear fusion.
Today’s coal plants could be converted to run on clean hydrogen
Australian startup Star Scientific has developed a tech it says makes it easy to use hydrogen fuel at existing coal-fired power plants.
Researchers have found a way to pull more than 95% of uranium from seawater
Seawater contains millions of tons of uranium, but it’s too expensive to extract. A new material may change that.
Nuclear power might not be dead in California 
California is considering a $1.4 billion plan to delay the retirement of Diablo Canyon, its last nuclear power plant.
Gates-backed company is using robots to build mega solar farms 
With new capital from a Bill Gates-backed VC firm, Terabase wants to automate solar farm construction.
Next US energy boom could be wind power in the Gulf of Mexico 
Wind power on land has seen remarkable growth in the U.S. over the last 15 years, including in Texas. Is offshore wind next?
Swiss team sets new world record for solar power 
Swiss researchers have developed two perovskite-on-silicon solar cells that are more efficient than previously thought possible.
Transparent solar panels could soon turn windows into energy harvesters
A new solar panel design can efficiently convert light into electricity, while still allowing almost 80% of incoming light to pass straight through.
You can ride this “flying” electric ferry in 2023 
Stockholm is piloting a “flying” electric ferry that’s expected to cut commute times in half and make public transportation more sustainable.
NASA is closer than ever to generating nuclear power on the moon 
NASA has given three companies $5 million contracts to develop mini reactors capable of generating nuclear power on the moon by 2031.
GM has a plan to solve the biggest obstacle to EVs
GM, Pilot Company, and EVgo are building a new EV charging network comprising 2,000 stalls at up to 500 travel centers across the US.
3D-printed reefs installed around Denmark’s offshore wind farm
The massive Anholt Offshore Wind Farm in the North Sea is now home to 3D-printed reefs in a bid to boost biodiversity.
Alternative batteries are solving the biggest problem in renewable energy
The world is overcoming the problem of renewable energy storage with batteries made of water, sand, and more.
Tapping into the million-year energy source below our feet
Quaise Energy wants to repurpose coal and gas plants into deep geothermal wells by using X-rays to melt rock.
This luxury solar electric car could go 7 months without recharging
Dutch startup Lightyear expects to begin delivering a $254,000 solar electric car to customers in November 2022.
“Passive cooling” could reduce indoor temps by up to 25 F in a heat wave
University of Oregon researchers have discovered that simple acts like drawing shades during peak sun and opening windows at night may help save lives during heatwaves.
This artificial island will power 3 million European households
Denmark is building an artificial island in the North Sea that will eventually be capable of meeting all the nation’s electricity needs.
$26K solar car now has a factory
Solar car startup Aptera has purchased a factory where its vehicles will be carried from station to station by autonomous robots.
New nuclear fusion reactor design may be a breakthrough
Nuclear fusion reactors have existed for years, but none of them are able to sustainably produce energy yet.
Former landfills are becoming “brightfields” 
US cities are covering the capped sites of former landfills with solar panels, turning the “brownfields” into “brightfields.”
These bendy wind turbines won’t crack in hurricanes
To significantly scale up offshore wind turbines, SUMR researchers are testing a design inspired by the flexibility of palm trees.
China successfully tests space-based solar power components 
Researchers at China’s Xidian University have successfully tested a proof-of-concept for collecting solar power via satellites.
A groundbreaking solution could unleash our hydrogen future
German researchers have created genetically engineered bacteria that can rapidly store and release hydrogen fuel.
Washable smart fabric turns movement into electricity 
NTU Singapore researchers have developed a washable, stretchy smart fabric that turns movement into electricity.
The biggest myths about electric vehicles
Electric vehicle sales are skyrocketing, but misinformation about the tech is still rampant. These are seven of the biggest myths about EVs.
Electric car supplies are running out
People who aspire to own a brand new electric vehicle will struggle to move forward. Will this also slow down the journey to net-zero?
MIT grads demonstrate first ammonia-powered tractor
Amogy, a startup founded by four MIT grads, has transformed a John Deere into the world’s first zero-emission, ammonia-powered tractor.
Massive turbine turns deep ocean currents into electricity 
Deep ocean currents could be an economically viable source of clean energy, based on a recently wrapped demo in Japan.
Portugal set to start up Europe’s largest floating solar park
Floating panels don’t require costly real estate and those on reservoirs used for hydropower are particularly cost effective.
Humans have big plans for mining in space
What's holding us back from mining in space when we have such big plans already? The sheer cost, for one thing.
Lasers could cut lifespan of nuclear waste from “a million years to 30 minutes,” says Nobel laureate
If no solution is found, we're already stuck with some 22,000 cubic meters of long-lasting hazardous waste.
A massive kite is now generating carbon-free electricity
Airborne wind energy systems put turbines in the sky, where the wind tends to blow faster and more consistently.
IKEA will now sell solar panels
Furniture retailer IKEA will begin selling home solar solutions to US customers to encourage sustainable living.
Ultrathin fuel cell uses the body’s own sugar to generate electricity 
Batteries have a limit to how small they can be made, and they need to be charged. What if you could power your own medical device?
Algae-powered computer runs for a year on light and water 
An algae-powered computer demonstrates a sustainable, reliable way we could power small IoT devices in the future.
You can finally reserve a Tesla Semi 
Members of the public can now reserve a Tesla Semi, an all-electric, heavy-duty vehicle that Elon Musk first unveiled in 2017.
Solar + battery hybrids are poised for explosive growth
Solar panels and battery storage can generate renewable power when solar energy is at its peak during the day and then release it as needed.
Finland prepares world’s first “nuclear tomb” 
Deep beneath Finland, a “tomb” for nuclear waste is set to be a test for geological disposal facilities.
3 emerging technologies that will give renewable energy storage a boost 
The U.S. Department of Energy has predicted that renewable energy will be the fastest-growing U.S. energy source through 2050.
A nun built a hydroelectric plant that’s providing free power to a town in Africa
Blackouts are a daily disruption in the country, which sources most of its electricity from a run-down and mismanaged hydropower system.
This German firm is building a floating solar plant on a quarry lake 
A German company will switch on a floating solar power plant, a rapidly-installed, renewable technology that could help phase out oil.
The US has untapped green energy, hidden in abandoned oil wells 
By converting some of its abandoned oil and gas wells into geothermal power stations, the US could secure its clean energy future.
This hydrogen aircraft could really work
California startup HyPoint plans to make a hydrogen-powered aircraft with nearly three times the range of a turboprop commuter jet. 
Bioluminescent bacteria will soon light up this French street
French commune Rambouillet is serving as a testing ground for the soft glow of bioluminescent bacteria on the street.
Big tech companies pledge nearly $1 billion toward carbon removal
The pledge is an advance market commitment — an economic strategy that's been used to increase vaccine coverage across the planet.
MIT’s new heat engine beats a steam turbine in efficiency
A new highly efficient heat engine with no moving parts could allow us to generate electricity from renewables year round.
An accidental discovery could change the world 
A surprise discovery by Drexel University scientists could unlock an elusive technology: lithium-sulfur batteries.
New solar panels generate electricity long after the sun sets 
Engineers at Stanford University have created a solar cell that generates electricity at night by exploiting the process of radiative cooling.
Cheap molten salt battery can store energy for months 
A low-cost molten salt battery that can store energy for months could allow us to tap into renewables year round.
Nuclear fusion hit a milestone thanks to better reactor walls
A team of scientists have shattered the record for the amount of energy produced during a controlled, sustained fusion reaction.
"Geogrid" helps cut home energy bills to just $1 per month
Austin’s Whisper Valley housing development uses geothermal heat pumps and solar panels to slash residents’ energy bills.
World’s first fully-recyclable wind turbine blade prototype debuts
Wind turbine blades are notoriously difficult to recycle, but researchers and industry players hope a new material design may change that.
Superjumbo jet engine flies on 100% sustainable aviation fuel
For the first time, an Airbus A380 superjumbo jet flew with 100% sustainable aviation fuel powering an engine.
Can my electric car power my house? Not yet for most drivers, but vehicle-to-home charging is coming
Want to help protect the environment, save money on gasoline, or try out the latest technology? Try powering your house with your car.