“Solar Power” no longer refers just to chunky photovoltaic panels. A variety of tools for turning sunlight into usable energy– thin-film solar, solar thermal, solar heating, and more– are undergoing a burst of technological acceleration. Whether it’s powering an entire housing development or simply heating your house, taken together, their potential is huge. [...]

Second-generational biofuels created from inedible Parts of Plants Promise Near-term Alternatives to Oil. Biofuels can be made from anything that is, or ever was, a plant. First-generation biofuels derive from edible biomass, primarily corn and soybeans (in the U.S.) and sugarcane (in Brazil). They are the low-hanging fruits in a forest of possible [...]

This is not a typical town square in Uruguay. The square, in the town of Suarez some 40km from the capital Montevideo, has gone over to solar energy and LED technology. The aim is to reduce electricity costs and at the same time light more streets. If it works, the plan could serve as a [...]

You can get yourself an electric motorcycle with a top speed of 60 mph, 32 horsepower and 62 ft lbs of torque for less than $10,000. The bike can be shipped anywhere in the U.S. for a mere $500, so don’t worry if you don’t have a dealer nearby. Deliveries announced to begin in early [...]

What started in Sydney in 2007 is now a world wide phenomenon. Earth Hour is a symbolic event. Turning off our lights for an hour won’t stop climate change but it does demonstrate that our individual action is important and adds up to make a big difference. More importantly, it sends a very powerful message [...]

Hope-Bearer for Cleaner Air? The world’s cheapest car, the Indian-built Tata Nano, will launch on Monday, but another Indian company manufactures an electric car that has proven wildly popular — in London as well as Bangalore. The capillaries of India’s cities are clogged with every imaginable form of conveyance: hulking buses, braying bullock carts and [...]