How to Use Solar Energy at Night

http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/03/04/sumitomo.battery.90.percent.cheaper.than.li.ion/

molten salt battery to replace lithium ion in a few years!

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-to-use-solar-energy-at-night

This is old news but still relevant considering all those who downplay solar in the media.
Comparing efficiencies of renewables with fossil fired plants makes no sense when one is clean and limitless and the other is finite and dirty.

In Oakland, A Creative Strategy for Financing the City's Solar Roofs

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/22/idUS255474449820110422

Another interesting community initiative called Solar Mosaic!

Transforming to Solar Power Helped to Reinvent Company

http://www.freep.com/article/20110417/BUSINESS06/104170485/Transforming-solar-power-helped-reinvent-company

"It took us a long time to convince people that solar is a real thing, that it can supply real power," Agrawal said. "Oil and hydrocarbons are ingrained into our culture so much that we always think that is the only way to get energy. But actually there are many other ways to get energy."

Considering the latest report on fracking from the NY Times, let's hope more companies start to realize that the time is here to convert to clean energy

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/science/earth/17gas.html?_r=1&hp

Boiling Water with Solar Trough

My first crude video showing how I boiled water with my solar multiplyer design

Scientists Discover Wild Solar Energy Effect, Allows Power Without Cells

http://www.dailytech.com/Scientists+Discover+Wild+Solar+Energy+Effect+Allows+Power+Without+Cells/article21388.htm

This is fascinating though still in its infancy

'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar revolution

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html

"MIT researchers have developed a new catalyst, consisting of cobalt metal, phosphate and an electrode. When the catalyst is placed in water and electricity runs through the electrode, oxygen gas is produced. When another catalyst is used to produce hydrogen gas, the oxygen and hydrogen can be combined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power a house or an electric car, day or night."

Solar Junction claims cell efficiency record

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20053851-54.html

43.5% efficiency on a PV cell is the new record. It uses concentrating mirrors for 400 to 1000 suns.

Nanoparticles Improve Solar Collection Efficiency

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110405081910.htm

"It might also be possible to filter out nanoparticles of soot, which have similar absorbing potential, from coal power plants for use in solar systems," he says. "I think that idea is particularly attractive: using a pollutant to harvest clean, green solar energy."

First Polymer Solar-Thermal Device Heats Home, Saves Money

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110404111148.htm

Combines PV and solar thermal technolgy

Feds Set to Open Ind. Solar Power Project

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-solarpower-ind,0,5922511.story

6 acres of rooftop solar PV plus solar thermal hot water.

Oregon Cowboy Town Promotes Solar Energy

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13336741&page=1

Community supported financing with 0% interest loans!

Philadelphia Navy Yard to get Solar Storage

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20049262-54.html

"The Energy Innovation Hub will include a live demonstration of a microgrid with a 2,700 square foot net-zero energy home. International Battery will provide Sunverge with an 8.2 kilowatt-hour Lithium Iron Phosphate battery pack for use in the residential SIS [Solar Integration System],"