Renewables

The latest on the energy sources that keep on giving, from solar power to wind farms.

Latest in Renewables

Erthos in-ground solar panel farm array surrounded by fence
Technology

Solar energy company wants to bolt panels directly into the ground

By Andrew Paul

NASA Orion spacecraft with unfolded solar panels on wings as it circles the moon. The Earth is far off in the background.
Science

Artemis I’s solar panels harvested a lot more energy than expected

By Briley Lewis

Researcher in protective suit, gloves, and hairnet holding up ultrathin solar panel
Technology

These powerful solar panels are as thin as a human hair

By Andrew Paul

The hai smart Bluetooth showerhead next to text that says "Best of What's New, 2022, Home."
Technology

The best home innovations of 2022

By John Kennedy, Terri Williams

Energy-efficient heat pumps will be required for all new homes in Washington
Environment

Energy-efficient heat pumps will be required for all new homes in Washington

By Carla Delgado

Solaris Float Proteus floating solar panel array on body of water
Technology

This new floating solar farm follows the sun like a flower

By Andrew Paul

What new mining projects could mean for Alaskan salmon
Environment

What new mining projects could mean for Alaskan salmon

By Becki Robins / Undark

Solar panels
Environment

Global carbon emissions will peak in 2025, international agency estimates

By Laura Baisas

Close up of solar panel in green field at sunrise
Technology

Global CO2 emissions grew by less than a percent this year thanks to renewables

By Andrew Paul

Caltech solar power satellite prototype on space station table with earth horizon in window background
Technology

This space-adapted solar panel can fold like origami

By Andrew Paul

brilliant-10-2022
Science

The Brilliant 10: The top up-and-coming minds in science

By Mara Grunbaum, Yasmin Tayag

Woman sitting down on couch charging smartphone
Technology

A new experimental fabric can turn a coat into a mini solar farm

By Andrew Paul

Siemens Gamesa wind turbine against blue sky backdrop
Technology

A wind turbine just smashed a global energy record—and it’s recyclable

By Andrew Paul

Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility
Environment

The US’s first utility-scale renewable energy triple threat is online in Oregon

By Sara Kiley Watson

Even mining in shallow waters is bad news for the environment
Environment

Even mining in shallow waters is bad news for the environment

By Carla Delgado

New cars sold in New York state must be zero-emissions by 2035
Technology

New cars sold in New York state must be zero-emissions by 2035

By Laura Baisas

Industry factory against cloudy sky
Environment

Scientists think we can get 90 percent clean energy by 2035

By Andrew Paul

A century ago, wind power was a farming norm. What happened?
Environment

A century ago, wind power was a farming norm. What happened?

By Hal Harvey & Justin Gillis

Biofuel is a ‘renewable’ resource, but climate change could soon limit its potential
Environment

Biofuel is a ‘renewable’ resource, but climate change could soon limit its potential

By Carla Delgado

Solar PV panel up close.
Environment

Are solar panels headed for space?

By Thor Benson

Close up of electric vehicle charger plugged into electric car
Technology

New ‘super-fast’ method can shave EV battery charging down to minutes

By Andrew Paul

Everything you need to know about EV tax credits and the Inflation Reduction Act
Technology

Everything you need to know about EV tax credits and the Inflation Reduction Act

By Rob Verger

House with solar panels on roof.
Environment

How can electrified buildings handle energy peaks?

By Carla Delgado

In the ceramic box atop a solar tower, a chemical reaction takes place that makes jet fuel.
Science

This solar tower makes jet fuel from sunbeams, water, and gas

By Rahul Rao

a ship at sea
Technology

The world’s largest hybrid ship will set sail in 2024

By Colleen Hagerty

Offshore wind turbine against cloudy sky
Environment

Offshore wind has been slow to take off in the US. Here’s what could change that.

By Thor Benson

Tidal turbine against cloudy sky.
Environment

Tidal turbines put a new spin on the power of the ocean

By Sara Kiley Watson

Outdoor unit of heat pump
Environment

Two new bills could help pump up a climate-friendly system for heating and cooling homes

By Sara Kiley Watson

Red and blue states race to become hydrogen energy hubs
Environment

Red and blue states race to become hydrogen energy hubs

By Thor Benson

Wind turbines along desert road.
Environment

Low-carbon energy minimizes racial disparities in neighborhoods with air pollution

By Carla Delgado

Images from the March 1954 issue of Popular Science.
Environment

From the archives: The promising new world of solar power—in the 1950s

By Bill Gourgey

Wind turbines in the ocean to hint what the New York Bight offshore wind farm might look like
Environment

The NY Bight could write the book on how we build offshore wind farms in the future

By Nikita Amir

Grass field with homes and wind turbines in the background.
Environment

Why ‘rooftop wind’ simply can’t compete with rooftop solar

By Thor Benson

Glen Canyon dam and Arizona bridge.
Environment

Lake Powell’s drought is part of a growing threat to hydropower everywhere

By Sara Kiley Watson

Small brown-black migratory bat help in a person's hand with head facing camera
Environment

This itty bitty bat flew across two continents at record speed

By Ella Weaver

Solar panels on a home's roof at sunrise.
Environment

Outdated zoning laws are holding renewable energy back

By Thor Benson

Car owners: here’s when experts say you should switch to an EV
Environment

Car owners: here’s when experts say you should switch to an EV

By Thor Benson

Man installing rooftop solar panel.
Environment

Ever heard of a microgrid? Here’s why you should start one.

By Thor Benson

City bike leaning up against lightpost.
Environment

A new climate report finally highlights the importance of our decisions

By Sara Kiley Watson

a residential home with solar panels on the roof
Environment

What you need to know about converting your home to solar

By Whitson Gordon

A small, portable solar panel for charging your devices.
Environment

Everything to consider before buying a portable solar panel

By Natalie Wallington

Rows of solar panels in the Chilean desert.
Environment

Dust-repellent solar panels could save billions of gallons of water

By Anuradha Varanasi

Offshore wind farm with sunset and person on paddleboard.
Environment

Minimizing offshore wind’s impact on nature is tricky, but not impossible

By Anuradha Varanasi

Smoke rising from Temelin Nuclear Power Plant in Czech Republic against the setting sun
Environment

The war in Ukraine puts new urgency behind Europe’s nuclear energy transition

By Thor Benson

Solar panels on field.
Environment

Rusty metal could be the battery the energy grid needs

By Anuradha Varanasi

Oil rig at sunset
Environment

What the bans on Russian fossil fuels actually mean

By Sara Kiley Watson

Smoke stack releasing carbon emissions on a sunny horizon
Environment

Tech to capture and reuse carbon is on the rise. But can it help the world reach its climate goals?

By Sara Kiley Watson

An Apple MacBook's lithium-ion battery.
Environment

We need safer ways to recycle electric car and cellphone batteries

By Anuradha Varanasi

Belo Monte dam in the Amazon lowlands of Brazil
Environment

How AI could help bring a sustainable reckoning to hydropower

By Anuradha Varanasi

Heron resting on floating solar panel.
Environment

Floating solar panels could be the next big thing in clean energy

By Thor Benson

ET interior with superimposed plasma.
Environment

In 5 seconds, this fusion reactor made enough energy to power a home for a day

By Sara Kiley Watson

Silhouette of hands during sunset.
Environment

Energy from nuclear fusion just got a little bit more feasible

By Angely Mercado

Power lines across sunset and cloud-filled sky.
Environment

Utility companies could nix one-third of their emissions by 2050. Here’s how.

By Angely Mercado

rows of offshore wind turbines
Environment

The US could reliably run on clean energy by 2050

By Nikita Amir

Wind farm along shorelines represent the US shift to clean energy through the CEPP
Environment

CEPP could boost the biggest climate policy in US history—if it survives the Senate

By Sara Kiley Watson

solar panels against a blue sky
Environment

Solar power got cheap. So why aren’t we using it more?

By Ula Chrobak

The price of solar panels just went up—here’s what that means for you
Environment

The price of solar panels just went up—here’s what that means for you

By Eleanor Cummins

A new program will incentivize utility companies to tap clean sources, and that’s not the only good news
Environment

A new program will incentivize utility companies to tap clean sources, and that’s not the only good news

By Angely Mercado

Bulldozer in silica sand mining pit
Environment

Super hot sand could help us store renewable energy

By Angely Mercado

transmission lines at sunset
Environment

Are mass power outages unavoidable after hurricanes?

By Neel Dhanesha

ocean wave crashing
Environment

This yellow floatie can churn the power of the sea into electricity

By Rahul Rao

How publicly owned power could shape the future of clean energy
Environment

How publicly owned power could shape the future of clean energy

By Angely Mercado

Solar cell for yellow hydrogen energy production
Environment

A beginner’s guide to the ‘hydrogen rainbow’

By Purbita Saha

skycool-panels-on-rool
Environment

This California company wants to make modern AC obsolete

By Andrew Zaleski

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