As demand for clean energy continues to grow, the solar industry forecasts millions of photovoltaic systems will dot the landscape by the end of the decade. However, a severe shortage of the silicon used in the systems threatens to dampen solar's growth.
Solar power these days comes from cells that turn light into electricity, but researchers are now working on materials that can crank out hydrogen.
Demand for solar power in the United States is beginning to climb, but now the supply of solar cells is plummeting as manufacturers ship their wares to more-profitable Europe.
The U.S. Army is funding research and development of flexible solar panels that will allow soldiers to power essential communications equipment while also reducing weight and their visibility to the enemy.
Scientists from around the world will soon gather to discuss how satellites could be used to address the world's energy needs by relaying solar power to Earth. But the U.S. government's decision to abandon research in 2001 could prevent the alternative energy source from ever seeing the light of day.
The U.S. military is developing technology to extend the life of its spy satellites, which become useless once they run out of fuel and their orbits decay. But instead of creating a complex chemical propellant, the Pentagon has turned to one of the simplest compounds on Earth -- water. The new self-sustaining satellites would last much longer and give the military new flexibility in monitoring activities around the world.
Researchers seeking another energy source to ease the world's dependency on fossil fuels are looking to a microscopic green algae that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen under controlled conditions.