Blog

Mar
13

Harnessing the power of sunlight. How do solar panels work?












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Jacksonville, Florida homeowner laying down on his solar panel system


Solar panels are a popular way to generate clean, renewable energy from the sun. But how do they work? In this blog, we'll break down the basics of how solar panels work in layman's terms.


Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which are typically made of silicon. When sunlight hits the PV cells, it creates an electric field that causes electrons to flow, generating direct current (DC) electricity. This electricity can then be used to power your home, business, or stored in a battery for later use.


But how do PV cells turn sunlight into electricity? The process starts with the sun's rays, which contain particle...


Mar
12

Swiss on track to be the first airline to use solar fuel



Swiss are to become the first airline in the world to power planes by “liquid sunlight.”


The airline, which is owned by Lufthansa Group, has struck a deal with Synhelion, a company that uses solar energy to convert CO2 into a synthetic fuel called syngas.


Swiss-based Synhelion, which is a spinoff from the Swiss Institute of Technology, has mastered a way of manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from renewable energy sources.


And the move, the airline says, is the first step towards making the aviation industry more sustainable through carbon-neutral, fossil-free flying.


But what is syngas?


Syngas is a liquid fuel with the same properties as fossil fuels, but it is produced art...


Mar
11

Stunning aerial photographs show the impressive solar infrastructures that will soon power the whole world




Aerial view of Ivanpah Solar Power Facility in California.The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, near Ivanpah Dry Lake, California, generates enough electricity to serve more than 140,000 homes in the state during the peak hours of the day while reducing 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.











What will the world of the future look like?



It's a question that's increasingly inescapable in the era of global warming, or, as scientists increasingly call it, the Anthropocene: a world shaped by humans, the machines we use, and the pollution those emit—a world of anthropogenic change.


The war in Ukraine is exposing in harsh terms the world's continued heavy reliance on old-school fossil fuels, as gas prices skyrocket with the U.S. banning the ...