Improved Solar Power with New Organic Sensitizers
Cheaper, better solar power? Harnessing the power of the sun might finally become easier and less expensive thanks to new research into organic sensitizers.
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Are Hydropower Dams the Future of Energy?
By Emily Folk @EmilySFolk Growing concerns about fossil fuels—especially their potential contributions to pollution and global warming—have individuals and governments around the globe looking for alternative sources of power. Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of electricity, already responsible for generating around 52 percent of the United States’ renewable electricity generation according to the National Hydropower Association. Hydroelectric dams are seen as some of the best options available. However, there are challenges that hydropower will need to overcome—otherwise, they may prevent the energy source’s widespread adoption. Current state of…
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Emerging Battery Tech for Energy Industry
By Emily Folk, @EmilySFolk Advances in battery technology are transforming one of the most promising movements in the modern energy industry: the push toward renewable energy power solutions. Solar, wind, geothermal, and even hydro energy sources have a lot to offer besides near-limitless energy generation. They are clean in the sense that they have little to no impact on the surrounding environment, and they are generally inexpensive to produce under the right conditions. The problem with most renewable energy sources is that they tend to come with a glaring limitation.…
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Renewable Energy and the Power of Diverse Sources
By Susannah Bruck As we continue to explore new forms of renewable energy, in order to decrease our dependence on oil and coal, researchers are beginning to see which energy sources are the cleanest and most efficient. We also need to consider which forms of renewable energy are viable options to power our homes, businesses, cars, and devices on a large scale. The use of renewable energy in the United States has steadily increased in recent years as the public’s awareness and interest has grown. However, in 2015, only 10…
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New Solar Energy Storage Works at Night
By Kate S. Most solar energy systems rely on using sunlight as an immediate power source, but can’t function at night or in cloudy weather. So, what if a solar cell could store solar energy and release it for use after the sun goes down? That’s the technology a materials science and engineering team from the University of Texas at Arlington has developed. They have successfully built a new energy cell that can store large-scale solar energy, even when it’s dark. The prototype is an “all-vanadium photo-electrochemical flow cell” that…
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Turning Evaporation into Electricity
By Kate S. The power of water has long been harnessed by humanity, but one part of the water cycle — evaporation — has been overlooked until now. Many scientists are experimenting with improved solar cells and biofuels, but Columbia University scientists have a new, noteworthy idea. They have announced the development of a novel device that turns evaporation into electricity. In fact, the small prototype generates enough electricity to power a lightbulb and the rotary engine that drives a miniature car. Energy from Evaporation When evaporation energy is scaled…
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