Pope Benedict XVI has touted a message of ecological sustainability and conservation since his election in 2005. On the “World Day of Peace” in January of 2007, the Pope even proclaimed concrete ecological programs and initiatives for the Vatican which are actually coming to fruition. Prep work for installation of solar panels on the roof of

I’ve seen many solar charging devices for various gadgets and gizmos, but this is the first one I can think of that I might actually want to show off in my living room. From designer Vivien Muller, this modular little bonsai tree features up to 54 mini-photovoltaic cells to act as leaves and soak up the sun.

With so many disasters appearing in the news over the last 10 days, something like the Solarial should be made a reality as soon as possible. According to the creator, this unmanned airship provides “mobile support infrastructure for disaster relief and remote communities, generating renewable energy and supplying communications links where they are needed most.”

Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, is debating the implementation of a naturally-inspired solar design to help ease the use of traditional power sources and add some green to the city. Called a “Solar Lily”, the pads of photovoltaic cells would be anchored in the Clyde River — and potentially even computer-controlled — to take

The New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle had stories this weekend that presented opposite views of the economics of residential solar power. While the NYT says solar power “makes no economic sense” for the average homeowner, the San Francisco Chronicle says “the economic benefits are impossible to ignore.” Who is right? Maybe both papers… We’ll start with this story in the Chronicle, a

One of the more frustrating aspects of camping is breaking down your gear in as efficient a way as possible to minimize weight. I often look for creative gear that serves two purposes at once. Such is my excitement of the Lightcap 200 Solar LED Cap. Basically, it will take any standard water bottle and

While no one is exactly sure what the lifespan of a solar cell is, we do know that they degrade over time due to the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. As a result, you lose efficiency in the panels. Generally, manufacturers will cover a panel against defects for 20-25 years — but after that, it’s

  Emcore Corp, a leading supplier of space based solar power and communication systems has signed a contract to supply 60MW of solar power systems to Pod Generating Group in Ontario, Canada. From their space-based experience, Emcore has formed a Solar Power division to bring advanced technology to terrestrial applications. On the ground, Emcore provides multi-junction solar

WorldWater & Solar Technologies Corp. will soon be shipping 12 of its Mobile MaxPure solar-powered water purification systems to the US military, which will use them to bring clean fresh water to farmers and families in the Euphrates Valley region of Iraq. The portable systems have the ability to supply 30,000 gallons per day of

While electric cars are an excellent step forward, they’re still dependent on energy from generally dirty sources of energy. The average person will not have solar panels on their garage awaiting the new green car of the future. But what if — when you bought your car — you were given the option of buying

The Carousel Center mall in Syracuse, New York, is planning to cover parking areas with solar panels and says the solar panels will provide up to 12 percent of the power needed to operate the 1.3 million square foot expansion to Carousel Center. The mall owners recently announced the mall is going green, switching to

The nation’s fifth-busiest airport will get about half of its electricity from the sun – and it isn’t costing Denver International Airport or the city of Denver a dime up front. The two-megawatt system will supply half the power needed to run the airport’s shuttle between terminals and is projected to cut the airport’s carbon