Solar Power News

A campus building is designed to reduce stress from Californias car culture

Apr 14, 2021: Efficiency Lab for Architecture unveils Community Information Center for an Avenues: The World School campus in San Jose.

Fukushima nuclear power plant to release contaminated water into ocean

Apr 14, 2021: Ten years after an earthquake and tsunami caused meltdowns at the Fukushima power plant, Japan has announced plans to release contaminated water from the plant into the ocean.

Global warming driving mass migration of marine life

Apr 14, 2021: Marine life is migrating from the equator to the tropics, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Lessons from Schoonschip, Amsterdam's floating eco-village

Apr 14, 2021: How can people live in harmony with global warming and rising water levels? In Amsterdam, a group of forward-thinking people decided to go with the flow.

Eco-friendly, affordable housing emphasizes walkability in Milan

Apr 14, 2021: Cascina Merlata Lot R7/2 is a social housing complex that will function as a “city within the city” where residents can walk or ride their bicycles to everything they need for their daily lives.

A solar-ready holiday home disappears into a Czech forest

Apr 13, 2021: When Czech architecture firm NEW HOW Architects was asked to design a holiday home in the Ore Mountains, it decided to craft a nature-inspired home that would go against the trend of white plaster houses in the area.

French government to ban short domestic flights in favor of trains

Apr 13, 2021: The French government is planning to end all short flights for routes that could be traveled in 2.5 hours or less by train in order to reduce carbon emissions.

Nepal's rhino population is on the rise

Apr 13, 2021: The 2021 numbers are up 16% for a total of 752 rhinos, according to results released by Nepal’s government this week.

Charlotte McCurdy, Phillip Lim design carbon-neutral algae sequin dress

Apr 13, 2021: Fashionable materials like sequins don’t have to come at a cost to the environment.

Virtual Pollinator Park shows a future with or without pollinators

Apr 13, 2021: What will the world be like once pollinating insects, like the honeybee, are gone?

Redevelopment project brings major green space to Tokyo

Apr 12, 2021: Set for completion in 2023, the Toranomon-Azabudai Urban Redevelopment Project is a collaboration between urban landscape developer Mori Building Co. and luxury hotel operator Aman.

Harmful algal blooms release "Very Fast Death Factor" into air

Apr 12, 2021: A new study shows that the dangerous anatoxin-a, produced by cyanobacteria and found in algal blooms, can be released into the air, posing serious health risks.

Do we really need to mine the deep seas to power EVs?

Apr 12, 2021: Electric vehicle manufacturers are turning to deep sea mining for metals necessary for EV batteries. But this can be detrimental to these ecosystems.

An airy multigenerational home shows adaptive reuse done right

Apr 12, 2021: OEOOO has transformed and expanded a disused farmhouse into the Hehl Tenne House, a warm and inviting multigenerational home wrapped in timber inside and out.

Wright-inspired home has trees growing through the roof

Apr 12, 2021: Dubbed the House in Repino, the project will focus on minimizing the removal of existing trees.

Aerie launches REAL GOOD swimwear made with recycled nylon

Apr 9, 2021: Whether you plan to swim laps, go diving or just sunbathe in the backyard, Aerie’s new collection of sustainable swimwear is sure to make a splash.

Adventurer plans to drive EV from South Pole to North Pole

Apr 9, 2021: Chris Ramsey is planning to cover 17,000 miles in electric vehicles.

Sea level rise creates "ghost forests" along the Atlantic coast

Apr 9, 2021: Sea level rise is killing forests in protected areas on the eastern U.S. coast, according to a recent study.

Dismountable dojo in Vietnam is topped with a rice husk roof

Apr 9, 2021: Energy efficiency, Japanese design and an emphasis on low site impact are combined at DOJO Saigon, a new light-filled judo training hall in Ho Chi Minh City.

Solar-powered Zamasport HQ produces over half of its energy needs

Apr 9, 2021: Designed to follow the architecture firm’s philosophy of “slow architecture,” the sustainably minded headquarters prioritizes energy efficiency and worker wellness.

Ancient Societies May Have Been More Climate Resilient than Once Believed

Apr 8, 2021: Nothing is more certain than change, and over the past 2,000 years, civilizations that once dominated their regions have all but disappeared. But how much did climate change have to do with some of those collapses, as with Mayan civilization in Central America, or the……

Artist Hugo McCloud spotlights waste with art made of plastic bags

Apr 8, 2021: Artist Hugo McCloud, known for using unusual medium choices such as aluminum sheeting, tar paper, scrap metal and solder, spent his quarantine in Mexico, layering together tiny pieces of plastic bag waste.

Seaspiracy inspires grocery store to stop selling fish

Apr 8, 2021: "Seaspiracy" is trying to save the oceans, and the new Netflix documentary and movement is making strides.

Solar and wind power could mitigate conflict in northeast Africa

Apr 8, 2021: A new study shows that several disagreements between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt around Africa's largest hydropower plant, the new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), could be alleviated by massively expanding solar and wind power across the region.

Warming in deepest parts of the Great Lakes could be irreversible

Apr 8, 2021: New research published in the journal Nature Communications shows that the deepest parts of the Great Lakes are warming up.

Understanding NFTs and energy consumption

Apr 8, 2021: Non-fungible tokens (or NFTs) are the newest players in the cryptocurrency market, and their environmental impact may surprise you.

Carbon dots from human hair boost solar cells

Apr 8, 2021: Researchers have used carbon dots, created from human hair waste sourced from a barbershop, to create a kind of 'armor' to improve the performance of cutting-edge solar technology.

Allbirds creates a plant-based leather

Apr 8, 2021: Allbirds put its best foot forward when it stepped into the sustainable footwear sphere. Now, the company is going further with the development of a new, plant-based leather.

Brooklyn Home Company designs passive townhouse with raw wood elements

Apr 7, 2021: A passive townhouse in Brooklyn features wood design accents and a rooftop patio for lounging.

Framework could support more reliable electric power distribution systems

Apr 7, 2021: Imagine that the process of distributing electricity to homes from the power grid is like travelers boarding a train. There are multiple steps to take before they can reach their final destination.

COVID-19 lockdowns lead to decreasing light pollution

Apr 7, 2021: One welcome side effect of COVID-19 lockdowns is the reduction of light pollution.

Neurological disorder leaves bears in California vulnerable

Apr 7, 2021: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is concerned over increasing incidences of bears with rare neurological disorders showing up in residential areas.

Studio Gang transforms coal plant into LEED Silver-targeted student union

Apr 7, 2021: Riverfront revitalization and sustainable adaptive reuse combine at the Beloit College Powerhouse, a Studio Gang-designed student union focused on recreation and wellness.

Meet the artists creating sustainable artwork for Nespresso's flagship cafes

Apr 7, 2021: Nespresso's parent company, Nestlé, has certainly come under fire for things like bottling water in California during historic droughts and sourcing water near Flint, Michigan in the past. While the company attempts to offset the environmental impact of its coffee business via a recycling program, Nespresso will also highlight sustainability through art.

Customizable, natural lichen green walls require no maintenance

Apr 6, 2021: These vertical gardens, made from 100% natural and stabilized lichen moss, don’t attract dust or insects and are adaptable to almost every type of interior space.

UK launches world's largest ocean monitoring system

Apr 6, 2021: The U.K. has announced a plan to install an underwater network of cameras to monitor and protect ocean biodiversity.

Leaking wastewater pond causes state of emergency in Florida

Apr 6, 2021: A leak in a wastewater pond caused a state of emergency in Manatee County, Florida last weekend.

Rainwater-capturing holiday home is an extension of the landscape

Apr 6, 2021: This home includes passive cooling systems, high-performance insulation, recycled natural resources and a garden irrigation system.

Eco-tourism company Banyan Tree Group plans expansion in 2021

Apr 6, 2021: The Banyan Tree Group is celebrated globally for its commitment to sustainable practices in the hotel industry.

New batteries give jolt to renewables, energy storage

Apr 5, 2021: Researchers have been exploring the use of low-cost materials to create rechargeable batteries that will make energy storage more affordable. Now, they have shown that a new technique incorporating aluminum results in rechargeable batteries that offer up to 10,000 error-free cycles.