The Largest Solar Water Heater Plant is in … Denmark?
A windswept Danish island shows that solar power needn't be the sole province of sunnier climes.
Saving Fuel But Melting Ice Faster
Sailing from the Atlantic to the Orient across the roof of the world has been the dream of Arctic explorers and world traders for centuries. It saves fuel, too, so what's not to like? Well ...
Ponderous Polluters Let a Little Light Shine in
A cargo ship that generates some of its power from the sun may shine a light on ways to reduce transportation's dirty little secret — the world's oil-powered fleets are hideous global warmers.
Soaring With the Sun
Although solar energy is often seen as a technology tied either to spacecraft or terra firma, a new generation of engineers and adventurers is crafting solar-powered aircraft.
Hot Idea Wins Innovation Award after Two Centuries
A greenhouse-on-the-go first described centuries ago may help fight climate change while improving Third World health.
Keeping Cool With the Albedo Effect
The co-author of A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology takes a look at how white backgrounds — be they snow, concrete or rooftops — might help bend back a little bit of global warming.
Making Solar Cells Cheaper — It Could Be Plastics
Like the advice given to Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, some people think the future of solar cells lies in plastics. Here's why.
Solar Building a Wise, and Ancient, Philosophy
The cheapest solar technology is just situating your home or office in the right direction when it's built. You don't have to be Socrates to understand the concept — but it might help.
Did Archimedes Solve Our Energy Crisis?
Sticking solar concentrators where the sun shines could potentially generate phenomenal amounts of electricity. But the perfect technology doesn't yet exist.
Electrifying the Developed World
The German experience offers an excellent model for creating a solar cell marketplace.