The stimulus bill currently being drafted by U.S. Congress contains language that seeks to change the tax credits received from investing in solar and wind energy into direct payments to investors for the next two years. That means that the 30% renewable energy tax credit that is given to solar energy and wind power investors [...]

Residential solar power systems might be an affordable option for more homeowners now as SunRun has released two flexible payment options: SunRun Total Solar and SunRun Power Plan. For those considering buying solar panels but couldn’t manage the upfront costs the Power Plan allows purchasers to pay $2,000 plus financing options that involve a fixed [...]

Pacific Gas and Electric is one of the biggest utilities in the U.S. and has a good history as a progressive purchaser of solar energy from third parties. Today, however, at the Clean-tech Investor Summit, PG&E CEO Peter Darbee stated that they now intend to build their own solar energy installations. Without getting into the [...]

God said, “Let there be light!” and then he installed some solar panels and totally dug it. OK, so Genesis might not have gone quite like that, but it’s close right? Anyway, we thought you might enjoy this video on the installment of a massive array of solar panels that were actually given to the [...]

Of all the places to find a planned city built around the principle of having absolutely no carbon footprint and no waste, you wouldn’t expect to find it in the oil rich United Arab Emirates. But that’s exactly where the city of Masdar is being built. Not only is the desert of the United Arab [...]

Denver-based startup BrightPhase Energy, has what it hopes will be an important addition to the solar energy industry, the Photensity. The Photensity is a box that contains three different technologies that exploit solar energy in three different ways. Primarily it acts as a solar panel with silicon solar cells that are mounted on a set [...]

This test illustrates how dunking solar panels underwater gives off a 9 percent stronger PV photovoltaic sun power due to the efficiency drop from heat build-up in PV panels. Water can be heated while the panel produces a more efficient energy yield. Good idea, but what happens in the winter for those of us who [...]

Fraunhofer, a German solar energy research institute, has just recorded an unprecedented level of efficiency in a solar cell. Through a triple layer solar cell of their design they managed capture 41.1% of a set amount of solar energy. The record was set while absorbing a solar energy concentration of 454 times that of sunlight. [...]

According to a recent report from the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) the renewable energy and efficiency industries accounted for over nine million jobs in the U.S. in 2007. It grew three times quicker than the American economy in general and accounted for over one trillion (that’s right – trillion with a “t”) in U.S. [...]

Mechanical designer Art Haines, who lives in Maine, built a solar-powered car from scratch with the help of high school students. Imagine never having to fill up again!