Ultra-thin solar cells can absorb sunlight more efficiently than the thicker, more expensive-to-make silicon cells used today, because light behaves differently at scales around a nanometer (a billionth of a meter), say Stanford engineers. They calculate that by properly configuring the thicknesses of several thin layers of films, an organic polymer thin film could absorb [...]

In tune with its focus on continuing with combining hybrid attempts and smaller size, Honda  is offering another hybrid – the smallest and cheapest. This fall, Honda’s Fit will be on sale in Japan priced at 1.6 million yen hoping to become an instant hit. Honda will be launching the cute little car in the [...]

Empa researchers have succeeded in growing sea-urchin shaped nanostructures from minute balls of polystyrene beads using a simple electrochemical process. The spines of the sea urchin consist of zinc oxide nanowires. The structured surface should help increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic devices. Processes which lend materials new characteristics are generally complicated and therefore often rather [...]

Wind power may be invisible to the eye, but it can potent when correctly harnessed. Wind has been a source of energy for a long time. It was used by the Chinese and by the Babylonians 4,000 years ago, to power pumps for irrigation. In The Middle Ages, Europeans use windmills to grind corn. At [...]

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation food and bioenergy crops are now competing for land, water and other resources in many parts of the world. The FAO argues that the rising price of basic foods in 2007 – 08 that generated food scarcity worries and import restrictions in some countries wasn’t caused only [...]

When it comes to wave and tidal power, the United Kingdom has enormous potential to become a worldwide leader in the proliferation and utilization of the boundless renewable energy found in the ocean.  The northern coast of the UK is one of the world’s top locations capable of harnessing wave and tidal power in order [...]

It has never been easier to change your electricity provider to a green power supply. Nevertheless, there are degrees of green power, and you can normally choose between a mixture of regular and green and 100% renewable energy. No matter what your ethics are with regard to the source of the power you use, its [...]