Born-again solar cells are more efficient - tech - 11 September 2010 - New Scientist

Born-again solar cells are more efficient - tech - 11 September 2010 - New Scientist Plants counteract the damaging effects of the sun by constantly rebuilding their photosynthetic parts. To mimic this, a team led by Michael Strano at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology created a solar cell using light-harvesting proteins, lipids and carbon nanotubes. These stick together and the nanotubes channel electrons generated by the proteins to an external circuit.

Selenium makes more efficient solar cells

Selenium makes more efficient solar cells: "Research reported in the journal Applied Physics Letters, published by the American Institute of Physics (AIP), describes how solar power could potentially be harvested by using oxide materials that contain the element selenium."

The next best thing to oil - tech - 12 August 2010 - New Scientist

The next best thing to oil - tech - 12 August 2010 - New Scientist: "A renewable carbon economy? Surely that's a pipe dream? Perhaps not, now that solar power facilities are cropping up in deserts across California, Spain and North Africa. The idea is to use the sun to power chemical plants able to split carbon dioxide. Combine the resulting carbon monoxide with hydrogen and you have the beginnings of a solar fuel that could one day replace oil."

Chemists report promising advance in fuel-cell technology

Chemists report promising advance in fuel-cell technology: "In a new study, chemists at Brown University report a promising advance. They have created a unique core and shell nanoparticle that uses far less platinum yet performs more efficiently and lasts longer than commercially available pure-platinum catalysts at the cathode end of fuel-cell reactions."

Observations: What happens when coal is gone?

Observations: What happens when coal is gone?: "In two centuries, people will still want to drive cars, fly in airplanes and have lighting in their houses. “Everybody I know thinks there will be big price increases with the end of easy oil and there’ll be a struggle over the resources,” he said Monday. The young scientists in the audience “need to figure out how to keep that struggle from turning into a hot war.”"

Highly Efficient Solar Cells Could Result from Quantum Dot Research | Renewable Energy World

Highly Efficient Solar Cells Could Result from Quantum Dot Research | Renewable Energy World: "Tesax, United States -- Conventional solar cell efficiency could be increased from the current limit of 30 percent to more than 60 percent, suggests new research on semiconductor nanocrystals, or quantum dots, led by chemist Xiaoyang Zhu at The University of Texas at Austin."

Green machine: Cars could run on sunlight and CO2 - tech - 02 June 2010 - New Scientist

Green machine: Cars could run on sunlight and CO2 - tech - 02 June 2010 - New Scientist: "Experimental solar-powered reactors have shown they can create the building blocks for synthetic liquid fuels. They've got a way to go, but these projects could take a big chunk out of net carbon dioxide emissions without the need for major changes to either vehicles or refuelling infrastructure."