11 h. ago Hydrogel coating for solar panels boosts power generation efficiency

A research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed a simple and affordable hydrogel coating that not only enhances the heat dissipation in solar panels for cooling their "hot spots" effectively, but also increases power generation efficiency, ultimately supporting Hong Kong's goal of achieving urban carbon neutrality.

Politics

5 d. ago Unlocking vast lithium stores: Faster, cleaner method extracts critical mineral from low

Demand for lithium is skyrocketing as factories across the world churn out electric vehicles and the massive batteries that make wind turbines and solar panels reliable sources of energy. Unfortunately, current methods for producing lithium are slow and require high-quality feedstocks that are found in relatively few locations on the planet. Ironically, the environmental costs are also significant: refining the mineral behind clean energy requires large amounts of land and pollutes water supplies that local communities depend on.

Politics

1 week ago How policy, people, and power interact to determine the future of the electric grid

When energy researchers talk about the future of the grid, they often focus on individual pieces: solar panels, batteries, nuclear plants, or new transmission lines. But in a recent study, urban systems researcher Anton Rozhkov takes a different approach—treating the energy system itself as a complex, evolving organism shaped as much by policy and human behavior as by technology.

Politics

1 week ago Power grid testing boosts distribution innovations to utility scale

A historic legacy now translates to pioneering capabilities in electric grid technology at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The secure electrical infrastructure that enabled World War II nuclear advances under the Manhattan Project has evolved into the ideal test bed for modernizing the nation's grid for the 21st century.

Politics

1 week ago The solar boom has a dirty secret: How to avoid another mountain of waste that can't be recycled

Solar power has a dark side: panels are still built to be thrown away, and we risk creating a mountain of waste that locks away valuable minerals.

Politics

2 w. ago California bill would help renters lower electricity bills by easing rules for plug

California bill would help renters lower electricity bills by easing rules for plug-in solar panels  San Francisco Chronicle

Politics

2 w. ago Cracking the 'long tail' problem: New research targets hidden solar panel issue

New research has uncovered a critical challenge in solar energy with the discovery that a considerable number of solar panels degrade much more rapidly than expected. About a fifth of solar panels examined in a new study fail much faster than expected and some may last for only half their anticipated lifetime.

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