Green Energy

Closing in on the theoretical maximum efficiency, devices for turning heat into electricity are edging closer to being practical for use on the grid, according to University of Michigan research. Heat batteries could store intermittent renewable energy during peak production hours, relying on a thermal version of solar cells to convert it into electricity later. […]

Closing in on the theoretical maximum efficiency, devices for turning heat into electricity are edging closer to being practical for use on the grid, according to University of Michigan research. Heat batteries could store intermittent renewable energy during peak production hours, relying on a thermal version of solar cells to convert it into electricity later. […]

Why is squeezing out the gas so important? Electricity produced by gas peakers is the most expensive in the Australian grid. All electricity providers can then match that price even if they are producing electricity from free wind or sunshine. Batteries can store Australia’s massive oversupply of electricity produced during the day from abundant sunshine, […]

It doesn’t take a lot of energy to dig up coal or pump oil from the ground. In contrast, most renewable sources of energy involve obtaining and refining resources, sophisticated manufacturing, and installation. So, at first glance, when it comes to the energy used to get more energy—the energy return on investment—fossil fuels seem like […]

Replacing diesel school buses with electric school buses may yield up to $247,600 in climate and health benefits per individual bus, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The researchers found that these benefits—including fewer greenhouse gas emissions and reduced rates of adult mortality and childhood asthma—and […]

When Peter Gorr got his first solar roof in 2011, he didn’t know what to expect. But installation went smoothly, the smooth black panels lowered his electric bills, and Gorr—who is very concerned about climate change—relished the opportunity to lower his carbon footprint. He recalled with a chuckle how his wife, Susan, kidded him when […]

For years, the electricity sector has been the poster child for emissions cuts in Australia. The sector achieved a stunning 26% drop in emissions over the past 15 years, while other sectors have hardly budged. The share of renewable energy has gone from 7.5% to more than 30% in that time. But unfortunately, this impressive […]

The race is on to develop a new generation of liquid fuels that are activated by sunlight, and Yale researchers are helping to lead the way. Over the past decade, basic research aimed at creating sustainable, solar-powered liquid fuel has reached a crossroads. New semiconductor materials can effectively capture sunlight and catalyze the conversion of […]

General Motors and South Korean battery firm LG Energy Solution reached a settlement to establish a $150 million fund to provide monetary relief to Chevrolet Bolt EV owners who were affected by defective batteries, documents filed in a U.S. court on Thursday showed. GM launched the Chevrolet Bolt EV in 2015, using batteries made by […]

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing battery technologies to fight climate change in two ways, by expanding the use of renewable energy and capturing airborne carbon dioxide. This type of battery stores the renewable energy generated by solar panels or wind turbines. Utilizing this energy when wind and sunlight […]