How solar energy can be stored in ‘batteries’ made from food waste
Soon you may be able to keep your house warm in winter using heat which molecules from food waste have borrowed from yesterday’s sunshine.
Solar power
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Farms especially suitable for energy sharing
Allowing Norwegian farmers to buy and sell excess electricity they generate is good for everyone. Today’s regulations prevent this.
Tiny gold particles can help harness energy from the sun to break down pollution
Researchers at NTNU have found a way to make gold nanoparticles with a uniform size and shape, opening up the possibility of finding more effective photocatalysts
There are easier ways of integrating solar power into the energy system
We need the electricity generated by solar panels in order to meet our climate change mitigation targets. But solar power must be integrated rationally and fairly – something that can only be achieved with effective regulation.
Carbon capture using sunlight and mirrors
Researchers are planning a solar energy plant that will capture ‘concentrated sunlight’ using mirrors. The plant will also be distinctive because it will generate both electricity and heat, which can be used to capture carbon dioxide.
Snow-repelling solar cell panels could boost generation in Norway
Norway has seen an increase in solar power capacity in recent years, but in winter solar panels face a big problem: snow. Researchers modelled how much extra electricity could be generated if solar panel surfaces were designed to repel snow and ice.
Nuclear power causes least damage to the environment
A comprehensive analysis of 870 power plants worldwide shows that nuclear power is a clear winner in protecting ecosystems. Bioenergy is a sure loser.
Energy crisis can help boost green energy investments in Europe
Can Europe use the energy crisis to help accelerate its efforts to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050? The EU’s Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change says yes.
Can floating solar islands meet the world’s future energy needs?
Covering less than ten per cent of the world’s hydropower reservoirs with floating solar panels would yield as much energy as all hydropower does today, one researcher says.
New solar panels from solar panel waste
Solar energy is good news for planet Earth – but solar panels are not as climate-friendly as they should be. Researcher Martin Bellmann is using what he calls the ‘black gold’ waste materials from solar panel manufacture to make new panels.
Wax, wood and CO2 — tools that can combat climate change
How scientists and engineers across the globe — and at NTNU — are harnessing unlikely materials to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Making floating solar farms a reality in the North Sea
During the next three years, a team of researchers will be developing a system designed to protect floating solar farms in the harshest ocean environments.
A new high-rise lab for the development of super-efficient solar panels
Not only are they high above us – they also offer us great benefits. From SINTEF’s new solar panel laboratory, you can see all across the city of Trondheim. Here, conditions are optimal for research into solar panel performance at Nordic latitudes.
Pixelization — Using solar panels to beautify building facades
The shift to greener energy technologies can be beautiful as well as carbon neutral.
First ones out to buy and sell neighbourhood electricity
Many buildings with solar cells produce more electricity than they consume themselves, but current legislation prevents surplus power from being sold to neighbouring consumers. A pilot project in Trondheim will be the first in the world to test a system that makes this possible.
Want to save the planet? Cut coal use by 95 percent, oil by 60 percent by 2050, report says
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its third Working Group report on how humankind can mitigate the ecosystem and societal effects of climate change. Much can be done, but the challenges remain enormous, the report confirms.
New ultra-high material efficient, low-cost solar cells — using nanowires
A new method using nanowires can make solar panels much more efficient and much cheaper than today.
A quick end to oil won’t save the climate
An abrupt halt to oil activities in the North Sea is not the solution to the climate crisis. The way forward is to establish alternatives to oil.
Rapid action can help prevent the worst consequences of global warming
A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) describes with unnerving detail just what can happen if nations fail to limit greenhouse gas emissions. But rapid international action will keep the worst consequences at bay, the panel said.
Researchers to test a solar farm at sea
The sun shines just as much out at sea as it does on land. There are also no restrictions on area use and seawater even helps to cool the solar panel technology. It’s only a matter of time before the first floating solar energy farms are installed at sea.
Capturing energy from sunlight with dyes inspired by nature
Solar cells that use special dyes to collect light could one day be integrated into buildings. Researchers at NTNU are trying to find the best dyes for the job.
Silicon for solar cells becoming more environmentally friendly
New discoveries are making silicon production cleaner, and solar cells of the future will become even more environmentally friendly.
From coronavirus to a greener society?
Governments across the globe are funding record-breaking crisis packages to cope with the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Is this the time to fund greener, more climate-friendly industries and investments?
China’s rapid development of solar and wind power
Chinese authorities are investing heavily in green energy. The country has become a world leader in solar and wind power. This rapid expansion was made possible by the approach taken by authorities.