Solar Power News

SUNY New Paltz Engineering Innovation Hub achieves LEED Gold

Aug 14, 2020: In New York’s Hudson Valley region, the public liberal arts college SUNY New Paltz has earned a LEED Gold certification award for its newly completed Engineering Innovation Hub building.

Rare large blue butterflies reintroduced in Gloucestershire

Aug 14, 2020: Rare large blue butterflies just experienced their most substantial reintroduction into the wild. About 750 of the globally endangered butterflies successfully hatched from larvae and flapped around Rodborough Common in Gloucestershire this summer.

Earth Overshoot Day comes 3 weeks later this year

Aug 14, 2020: Earth Overshoot Day will fall on August 22.

Wild in Africa jewelry supports wildlife conservation charities

Aug 14, 2020: While healing from an injury in Nairobi, Shannon Wild found comfort in making beaded bracelets. She turned this passion into a new business.

Mightly kids clothing is GOTS- and Fair Trade-certified

Aug 14, 2020: Mightly's new clothing are made with organic, fair-trade cotton.

Efficient low-cost system for producing power at night

Aug 13, 2020: Researchers have designed an off-grid, low-cost modular energy source that can efficiently produce power at night. The system uses commercially available technology and could eventually help meet the need for nighttime lighting in urban areas or provide lighting in developing countries.

PriestmanGoode designs sustainable, plastic-free takeout containers

Aug 13, 2020: PriestmanGoode has designed a durable, endlessly reusable takeaway container for restaurants and homes alike.

North Carolina denies permit for extension of Mountain Valley Pipeline

Aug 13, 2020: A key water permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline extension has been denied.

Migratory birds triumph over Trump administration

Aug 13, 2020: A federal judge strikes down the Trump administration's move to rewrite the Migratory Treaty Bird Act.

Stefano Boeri proposes SUPERVERDE urban greening modules

Aug 13, 2020: These green modules could increase biodiversity, decrease the urban heat island effect and demineralize soils.

Chipotle debuts surprising new venture: sustainable clothing

Aug 13, 2020: Stop thinking of Chipotle as just another restaurant and start thinking of it as a great new clothing line. The well-known Mexican chain has launched Chipotle Goods, a line of sustainable clothing made with responsibly-sourced materials.

How Everland is changing the eco-retreat scene

Aug 12, 2020: It's time to escape to Everland for family- and eco-friendly fun.

Indigenous Amazon communities use tech to protect the forest

Aug 12, 2020: Indigenous communities in Brazil leverage technology to protect the Amazon and its resources. For a long time, Indigenous communities have protected the forest from illegal loggers and poachers.

Cod are disappearing due to global warming

Aug 12, 2020: Cod lovers might have to change their preferences soon. According to new research published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, global warming may cause a decline in cod populations. Cod thrive in cool water, and global warming pushes the species to the brink of extinction.

Perovskite and organic solar cells rocketed into space

Aug 12, 2020: Researchers have sent perovskite and organic solar cells on a rocket into space. The solar cells withstood the extreme conditions in space, producing power from direct sunlight and reflective light from the Earth's surface. The work sets the foundation for future near-Earth application as well as potential deep space missions.

Countries transitioning to zero carbon should look at more than technology cost

Aug 12, 2020: A 'one-size-fits-all' approach to producing cleaner energy based on cost alone could create social inequalities, finds a new study.

Meet eBussy, the new modular, electric truck-to-van

Aug 12, 2020: The eBussy doesn't look like your typical electric vehicle. This innovative creation offers more than you might expect!

The Lookout House celebrates site's volcanic history

Aug 12, 2020: When Faulkner Architects was asked to design a house on a spectacular site in Truckee, California, the Placer County-based design practice allowed the beautiful landscape to dictate the design. The contemporary home, aptly named Lookout House for its views, emphasizes indoor/outdoor living with its full-height glazing and natural material palette.

Molecular additives enhance mechanical properties of organic solar cell material

Aug 12, 2020: Computational experiments on semiconducting polymers show that under harsh loading conditions -- stretching and compression -- the addition of small molecules enhances performance and stability. The research points to a promising new direction for solar cell research.

Testbeds repurposes architectural mockups into community assets in NYC

Aug 11, 2020: The project will reuse luxury real estate mockup structures as garden buildings, sheds, classrooms and more.

ZHA creates modular, low-carbon housing platform for Roatn Prspera

Aug 11, 2020: Clients can virtually plan their modular, low-carbon and even net-zero homes.

This energy-efficient home in Spain has a rainwater-fed infinity pool

Aug 11, 2020: Find Casa Palerm on the beautiful Balearic island of Mallorca, located in the Spanish Mediterranean.

Apple Hotel gains a green-roofed wellness center in South Tyrol

Aug 11, 2020: Apfelhotel is a nature-focused retreat tucked away in northern Italy.

MVRDV plans to sustainably repurpose the Dutch Expo 2000 Pavilion

Aug 11, 2020: The resident will transform the Dutch Pavilion into a co-working space.

10 fun and fascinating facts about sharks

Aug 10, 2020: Just in time for Shark Week on Discovery Channel, here are 10 interesting facts about sharks.

Canada's last Arctic ice shelf has collapsed

Aug 10, 2020: The Milne Ice Shelf, the largest remaining intact ice shelf in Canada, has collapsed. According to researchers studying the Milne Ice Shelf, the ice shelf collapsed in just two days at the end of July and lost about 40% of its area.

This tiny house is insulated with cork and powered by solar

Aug 10, 2020: The Natura tiny home is sustainable inside and out.

Solar-powered Brink Tower is a sustainable solution to Amsterdams housing shortage

Aug 10, 2020: Brink Tower offers high-quality housing and plentiful green space in Amsterdam.

Green-roofed CLT home opens up to a dreamlike garden in Germany

Aug 10, 2020: The design marries the natural landscape and the built environment.

FOReT's accessories marry sustainability with high-fashion

Aug 7, 2020: Who says that beauty has to hurt the Earth? Many less harmful options exist, and FOReT proves this with its line of sustainable, eco-friendly cork jewelry.

BP to reduce oil, gas production by 40% to focus on clean energy

Aug 7, 2020: BP is slashing its fossil fuel production in favor of clean energy investments.

The states winning the carbon emissions fight may surprise you

Aug 7, 2020: Washington state's ambitious carbon control policies are so popular that some of them have been adopted by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Despite this, some pro-green energy states such as Washington fall behind in statistics on reduced emissions.

How to prepare your pets for the end of lockdown

Aug 7, 2020: Inhabitat talks with three veterinarians on how to prepare pets for a return to "normal."…

Self-sufficient garden-city skyscraper proposed for NYC

Aug 7, 2020: This futuristic tower is completely self-sufficient with the ability to generate food, water and energy onsite.

Berkshire Residence targets Passive House standards

Aug 6, 2020: The home blends classic design and modern sustainability.

Analysis of renewable energy points toward more affordable carbon-free electricity

Aug 6, 2020: A study identifies long-term storage technologies that would enhance the affordability and reliability of renewable electricity.

Global warming to cause more deaths than all infectious diseases

Aug 6, 2020: A new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that by the end of the century, the number of global warming-related deaths will rival that of deaths caused by all infectious diseases combined. The study estimates that high, uncontrolled greenhouse gas emission rates will increase global mortality rates to 73 deaths per 100,000 people.

1 million minks culled in Spain, the Netherlands

Aug 6, 2020: Fear of viral spread has led to the killing of more than 1 million minks on farms in Spain and the Netherlands.

Vollebak's Garbage Watch is a timeless solution for e-waste

Aug 6, 2020: Vollebak, a company at the core of sustainable clothing innovation, targets time itself with a new prototype, the Garbage Watch.

Levis announces product line made with Cottonized Hemp

Aug 6, 2020: Levi's is making new jeans with hemp.

Mio Borsa unveils summer collection of vegan leather bags

Aug 5, 2020: Stylish, functional and affordable — Mio Borsa has dropped its new line of handbags.

Panda conservation efforts lead to unexpected losses

Aug 5, 2020: Many conservationists cite successful panda conservation efforts to show that protection measures work. That said, protecting pandas may come at a higher price than expected.

May the force be with you: Detecting ultrafast light by its force

Aug 5, 2020: A research team has developed a new technique to detect nano-sized imperfections in materials. They believe this discovery will lead to improvements in the optical detectors used in a wide range of technologies, from cell phones to cameras and fiber optics, as well as in solar cells.

Over 500 new dams planned for protected areas worldwide

Aug 5, 2020: Governments around the world are changing boundaries and bypassing laws to give the green light on harmful dam construction.

Ugakei Circles sustainable nature park set to open in 2021

Aug 5, 2020: Enjoy glamping, camping, hiking and more at this upcoming nature park in Japan.

Incorporating solar harvesting into the side of buildings could enhance energy sustainability

Aug 5, 2020: If builders could incorporate solar harvesting into the siding of a building, the amount of energy from the grid that a structure would need may significantly decrease. Researchers have demonstrated the potential of wedge-shaped luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). These efficient modular solar units could easily be hung on the side of a building.