How Technology Is Fueling The Push Toward Solar. Solar energy in the United States has seen immense momentum throughout the years. When the Solar Energy Industries Association released its annual report in 2008, it concluded that U.S. solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity reached a total of 1.183 gigawatts — a stellar achievement at the time. Contrast that figure with today, and the number is dwarfed by the United States’ installed capacity of 21.3 gigawatts, enough energy to power 4.3 million homes. As to what is powering this widespread adoption, one only needs to look at the residential market. According to recently released research by GTM, 72 percent of the market growth in 2014 is a result of solar tech companies offering diverse financing solutions and easy-to-navigate web platforms.
Going solar for homeowners has become as easy as online shopping. The commercial sector isn’t as fortunate, outside of a few large-scale projects driven by Fortune 500 and utility companies. Tech is changing that. Outpacing Commercial Solar A Bright Future. Incredible: a lamp that works without electricity, batteries or sunlight | Earth. We are one. Terms and Conditions Welcome to www.ewao.com (the "Website"). By using the Website, and the products and services of EWAO Limited ("EWAO") to view, upload, download, transmit or publish content (“Content”) available on or through the Website (referred to collectively as the "Services") you irrevocably agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and the EWAO’s Privacy Policy (collectively the "Terms"). These Terms apply both to third-party contributors and viewers of content (“Content”) displayed on the Website.
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The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to invest the $2 billion in breakthrough renewable energy technologies to help reduce global CO2 emissions. Although he is investing these funds, Gates told the Financial Times he believes current projects will only scratch the surface of renewable energy needs by 2030. Gates hopes his new investment will help to “bend the curve” in the fight to positively affect climate change. Related: Bill Gates tackles child mortality with $75M network of disease surveillance centers + Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Via The Guardian. LEDs are changing the way cities look from space. NASAThe International Space Station in orbit. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are snapping photos of Earth to measure light pollution, and they've found something surprising: Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) — which are touted for their energy-saving properties — are actually making light pollution worse.
And the change is so intense that ISS crew members can see it from space. To see it, take a look at these photos that astronauts snapped of the bustling city of Milan. Before Milan transitioned to LEDs, in 2012, the lighting levels in the surrounding suburbs were about the same as those of the city center. NASA/ESAImage of Milan at night in 2012, captured by astronauts aboard the ISS. But by 2015, after the city transitioned to LEDs, illumination levels in the city center were much brighter than those of the suburbs, with a higher amount of blue light.
Samantha Cristoforetti/NASA/ESAAstronauts aboard the ISS captured this image of Milan in 2015. This glass sphere might revolutionize solar power on Earth. German architect André Broessel, of Rawlemon, has looked into his crystal ball and seen the future of renewable energy. In this case it’s a spherical sun-tracking solar energy-generating globe — essentially a giant glass marble on a robotic steel frame. But this marble is no toy. It concentrates both sunlight and moonlight up to 10,000 times — making its solar harvesting capabilities 35 percent more efficient than conventional dual-axis photovoltaic designs. André Broessel was a finalist in the World Technology Network Award 2013 with the globe’s design and afterward produced this latest version, called Betaray, which can concentrate diffuse light such as that from a cloudy day. André Broessel’s latest invention looks like something out of a superhero movie. The bifrost device depicted in Thor, perhaps, or Eric Selvig’s wormhole machine in The Avengers.
In reality, though, it’s a stand-alone solar energy generator. But Broessel’s invention may be more than just aesthetically pleasing. Climate Change Could Be Reduced by Solar Roads. Currently, humanity is on the brink of environmental disaster due to climate change. Our future could be a bleak one with rising seas and an atmosphere heating up to extreme temperatures. Or it could be a peaceful place with clean energy and a major reduction of the usage of oil, gas and coal a thing of the past.
If one couple in Idaho gets their way, this clean green future could include their very own invention, solar roads. As a child, Scott Brusaw spent many a long afternoon setting up roads for his electric toy cars to run on. In the midst of the mid-2000s, with the debate about climate change beginning, Brusaw and his wife Julie wanted to think of a project that could reduce the effects on the environment caused by global warming. The couple reasoned that the material used to make the roads needed to be excessively strong.
Scott and Julie worked out the U.S is covered with around 72,000 kilometers of roads and concrete surfaces such as parking lots soaking up the sun’s rays. Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader.