Energy Production Technologies
Energy production technologies bring about new, clean, sustainable sources of energy. Read up on the newest, most affordable ways for us to fuel machines and devices.
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These new devices may be used in the future to absorb more of the sun's energy than today's solar panels are capable of collecting.
Sweden puts less than 1 percent of its household trash into landfills, in part because it burns nearly half to generate heat and electricity.
China, the world's largest emitter of CO2, is making steps to combat those emissions by creating the world's largest floating solar panel farm.
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Some scientists are proposing a massive array of wind-powered pumps to bring more Arctic water to the surface, so it can freeze and thicken existing sea ice.
A French company has created a miniature wind turbine that looks like a tree and could provide enough energy for a house.
These days, it seems everyone is "going green." From individuals to businesses, everyone is looking for ways to be more sustainable and environmentally-friendly. But is green tech the way of the future or just another fad?
By Beth Brindle
The rising cost and projected scarcity of fossil fuels has people talking. But finding a new power source and developing an infrastructure will be costly and challenging. Will we still be using gasoline in 2050?
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What if you could make solar cells that were cheaper, smaller and more efficient? In theory, nano flakes could help you do that, if the technology ever gets off the ground.
There are two main ways of generating energy from the sun. But one -- solar thermal technology -- is really poised to take off as a clean, reliable form of alternative energy.
Cellulosic ethanol can be made from any old stem, leaf or tree trunk. Farm wastes, grass clippings and recycled newspaper will work, too. So when can we expect this alternative fuel to arrive at gas stations?
Gasification could represent a second chance for coal. Will this old technology, which can run on coal or biomass, get a new life as one of the most important energy alternatives of the future?
By William Harris
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That's not just any mud. That's a fossil fuel that's stashed away in huge quantities in deposits all over the Earth's crust. Could that frozen fuel also heat up the planet?
By William Harris
Solar energy is clean and plentiful. There's one big problem, though: The sun doesn't shine all the time. Is there a way to keep solar plants powered up through the night?
By Julia Layton
You know what geothermal energy is -- heat from the Earth. Could a new twist on geothermal power help countries achieve energy independence?
Plants produce energy so perfectly: converting sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into power and emitting nothing harmful in the process. Can we imitate such an elegant system?
By Julia Layton