Quoted: Scientists have found a way to use asphalt's heat-soaking property for an alternative energy source by developing a solar collector that could turn roads and parking lots into ubiquitous -- and inexpensive sources of electricity and hot water.

Quoted: Researchers have devised an inexpensive way to produce plastic sheets containing billions of nanoantennas that collect heat energy generated by the sun and other sources. The new technology is the first step toward a solar energy collector that could be mass-produced on flexible materials, say the researchers.

Within 10 years, homeowners could power their homes in daylight with solar photovoltaic cells, while using excess solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water to power a household fuel cell. If the new process developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finds acceptance in the marketplace, electricity-by-wire from a central source could be a thing of the past.

Quoted: Solar hot water could help states with the increasingly difficult task of meeting renewable portfolio standards (RPS). Elisa Wood explores this new market opening for the oft-neglected technology.
Solar hot water heating is a bit like the brilliant actor who never wins a blockbuster movie deal. The technology receives great reviews, but has yet to hit the big time in the US energy market.

Using the sun to heat water has taken a backseat, in particular, to its sister technology, photovoltaics, which uses sunlight to generate electricity.

Quoted: New technology could turn your windows into solar panels or improve the efficiency of existing solar cells, reducing the cost of solar power, says a new report.

Quoted: Without a shadow of a doubt, renewable energy is the way to go towards a green future that is both clean and sustainable. If the world had any doubts about it then even those doubts have been dispelled by the recent agreement at the G8. Even if that was not very substantial, it still tells us the direction in which we need to be going. Solar Tree is one such green option for a future filled with solar goodness that is being brought to you for the first time exclusively by Ecofriend. Designed to replace the traditional solar roof, it makes solar energy a lot more profitable and sustainable for use!

Quoted: Imagine windows that not only provide a clear view and illuminate rooms, but also use sunlight to efficiently help power the building they are part of. MIT engineers report a new approach to harnessing the sun's energy that could allow just that.

The MIT Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Prize is awarde through MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition -- Energy Track. MIT student teams, other student teams, and professional start-up teams are eligible to participate in the Energy Track only. The process will include networking and team building events, professional mentoring and skills development, along with a unified judging process.