Field: Clean Energy
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.
Combining crops and solar panels is allowing Kenya to “harvest the sun twice”
The panels are mounted high enough for crops to be grown underneath, sheltering them from the sun and allowing rainwater harvesting.
Radical new “Flying-V” plane aims to transform flight
The Flying-V airplane doesn’t look like anything you’ll find at today’s airports, but it could be the future of aviation.
Is the Salton Sea hiding enough lithium to power America?
A team of scientists plans to map out deep-earth lithium to see if it can sustainably supply America's urgent needs.
Meet the social entrepreneurs shaking up solar
Climate change and a lack of access to clean energy intensify the difficulties faced by minorities. Fortunately, leaders with strong roots in their communities have devised unique strategies for long-term change.
Starbucks is creating an EV “charger highway,” from Seattle to Denver
Starbucks is aiming to capitalize on the demand for electric vehicle infrastructure by installing chargers at up to 15 locations in the U.S.
Volkswagen reveals release date for electric Microbus
Volkswagen will begin selling its all-electric ID. Buzz — a modern take on the iconic Microbus — in the U.S. in 2024.
Elon Musk: Europe should revive nuclear energy
The Ukraine crisis has highlighted Europe's dependence on Russia for fossil fuels. Is more nuclear energy the solution?
First solar canal project is a win for water, energy, air and climate in California
California’s aging power infrastructure has contributed to catastrophic wildfires and multiday outages. Solar canals can help.
Nuclear fusion: how excited should we be?
We know that fusion works – it is the process that powers the Sun, providing heat and light to the Earth. But can we do it ourselves?
First AI controls plasma inside fusion reactor
DeepMind has co-developed an AI capable of controlling the super-hot plasma inside a tokamak fusion reactor.
Texas A&M grads use flare gas to mine $4M in Bitcoin
Two college grads earned four million dollars by mining the cryptocurrency with specialized shipping containers that use flare gas.
MIT spinoff plans to drill 12 miles into Earth’s crust
MIT spinoff Quaise Energy is building a drill that vaporizes rock so that we can tap into the geothermal energy miles below our feet.
Fusion reactor breaks 24-year-old nuclear record
A new record set by the world’s largest nuclear fusion reactor is giving researchers confidence we’re on the path to usable fusion energy.
Why pumping water back into hydro dams beats batteries for renewable power
The U.S. has thousands of reservoirs that could be paired for pumped hydro storage without the need for rivers.
Clean offshore charging buoys can save city air
Shipping giant Maersk is building custom charging buoys that provide electricity to ships moored overnight. The first is set to launch this year at an offshore wind farm.
Toyota is building a “Lunar Cruiser” for Japan
Toyota's pressurized moon rover, the “Lunar Cruiser,” could help astronauts live on the moon — and help us combat climate change on Earth.
These solar panels are thinner than a piece of paper
Stanford University researchers announced they had achieved record efficiencies in a promising class of new materials for solar cells — which can be thinner than a piece of paper.
Earthships: The sustainable buildings made from trash
Interest in Earthships, a type of off-the-grid home built from old tires, is picking up as people look for ways to live more sustainably.
This battery may solve renewables’ energy storage problem
Flow batteries are a type of liquid battery that has the potential for large-scale, long-term energy storage. Researchers have found a new material for flow batteries and it looks a lot like molasses.
Batteries of the future could be made from trees
To improve battery life and safety, while maintaining ionic conductivity, researchers aim to replace the liquids commonly used in batteries with a solid material made from trees.
How buildings can adapt to the seasons
Scientists have invented an all-season smart-roof covering that keeps homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It uses a phase-shifting material that doesn’t require additional electricity.
These supergrids are uniting the world’s clean energy supplies
Europe is creating a supergrid across regions, countries, and oceans to smooth out the fluctuations in energy suppliers — and hopefully build more resilient power systems.
There's a ton of wind power in the deep sea. Let's go get it.
The most powerful winds can be found over the deep, open ocean. Floating wind turbines could tap into this and 100x our wind energy.
NASA plans to put a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2031
NASA and the Department of Energy are asking U.S. companies for help putting a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2031.
Self-driving electric tractor startup to boost production eight-fold
California startup Monarch Tractor has raised $61 million to increase production of its self-driving electric tractor.
The science of climate change in 6 charts
Here's what the science says about climate change — and a few reasons to be optimistic.
Will battery recycling be ready when all these new EV batteries die?
The growing usage of lithium-ion batteries, particularly in vehicles, is outpacing the technology to recycle them. But researchers and innovators are scrambling to find an effective and eco-friendly battery recycling technique.
Metal-eating bacteria could clean up dirty mining sites
A unique metal-chomping microorganism ate through a nail in just three days. Now they might be tasked with an enormous mission: cleaning up mining waste.
Agrivoltaics let farmland serve double duty
Agrivoltaics combines farming with renewable energy, using the shade of solar panels to help plants thrive in a changing climate.
Electric cars could one day power your house – here’s how to make it happen
Electric cars could power millions of households by plugging their battery power back into the grid instead of being stored.
Are mini reactors the future of clean energy?
The U.K is giving Rolls-Royce nearly $300 million to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) to increase its supply of clean energy.
Nuclear fusion would change the world. Has its time arrived?
Energy startup Helion claims it will generate electricity from a nuclear fusion device by 2024 — a milestone that could transform the world.
Zero-emission natural gas power plants are coming to US, UK
Net Power has designed a new kind of natural gas power plant that can efficiently capture almost all of the carbon dioxide it generates.
Climate tech is booming — and this is better news than COP26
It’s estimated that 65% of emissions reductions can be achieved by existing technologies. The other 35% will need to come from tech breakthroughs.
Solar energy is about to get a whole lot cheaper
Bottlenecks in the production of silicon thwart solar panel manufacturing. Some companies are turning to perovskite instead.
Superchargers are no longer just for Teslas
Non-Tesla EVs can now use a select number of Tesla Superchargers — and the goal is to expand that access to the entire Supercharger network.
You can now buy a flying car for $92,000
More than 150 companies are developing flying cars. Here's why they're aren't yet off the ground and darting across city skies.
The world will electrify. This technology can power our sustainable future.
In partnership with Turntide
Attacking climate change requires reimagining our buildings and vehicles as intelligent systems. And it all starts with a smart motor.
Ex-SpaceX engineers bring Mars colony tech to Earth
Inspired by Mars colonization, engineers aim to replace diesel generators with nuclear microreactors
We could see planes fueled by captured CO2 in 2022
Dimensional Energy, a startup based in New York, plans to use this new environmentally friendly jet fuel to conduct flight tests by 2022.
Japan is restarting aging nuclear reactors after 10 years offline
Three of Japan’s nuclear reactors closed after the Fukushima disaster are restarting, a controversial move designed to reduce CO2 emissions.
New EV charging station quickly powers four vehicles at once
Swiss tech company ABB has unveiled a new EV charging station that can quickly power four vehicles at once.
Solar panel recycling: how companies will make it work
By recovering the high-value materials, solar panel recycling could become an economically viable option for aging panels.
These nuclear reactors can recycle radioactive waste
The future of the nuclear industry lies in developing cheaper and more nimble reactors.
China’s experimental thorium reactor is ready for testing
An experimental thorium reactor in China could greatly expand the number of people who can benefit from clean nuclear energy.
New 3D-printed batteries could change energy storage forever
A 3D-printing startup has created a solid state battery that "equals or betters" the performance of current lithium-ion batteries.
Can these mirrors give us solar power at night?
Concentrated solar power plants could help us achieve our clean energy goals, but it won't come cheap.
Twisty nuclear fusion reactor gets twice as hot as the sun
Physicists optimized a nuclear fusion reactor to overcome a problem that causes heat loss and prevents the device from sustaining fusion.
Don’t want to buy an e-bike? Subscribe to one.
German startup Dance's e-bike subscription service gives people a chance to enjoy the benefits of the bikes without the hassles.
Nuclear fusion experiment puts ignition within our grasp (Updated)
Scientists appear on the brink of achieving nuclear fusion ignition, bringing the dream of near-limitless clean energy closer to fruition.
3D-printed nuclear reactor parts installed at US plant
An Alabama power plant is now using 3D-printed nuclear reactor parts, a milestone that could shape the future of nuclear energy.
The world’s first sodium-ion battery for EVs has arrived
The world’s biggest battery maker for EVs is now manufacturing a sodium-ion battery that could help end the industry’s dependence on lithium.
Goodbye AC: This new roofing material keeps houses cool
A scientist has invented “cooling paper” — a material that reflects the sun's rays off rooftops and even absorbs heat from homes and buildings. And it is made from recyclable paper.