Solar Power

The billionaire co-founder of finance app Robinhood has a new startup focused on beaming solar power from satellites to receivers on Earth. With $50 million in funding, this Starlink-for-electricity outfit aims to launch a test in orbit next year.

A report from UK-based climate and energy think tank Ember notes that clean energy sources accounted for 40.9% percent of electricity produced around the world in 2024. From solar to wind energy, here are all the big figures you need to know about.

Toyota's just unveiled a quadricycle concept that I really hope it gets around to building. The compact FT-Me seats two, takes up just half a parking space, and is designed to offer plenty of flexibility in a small package.

Since 2012, UK-based Power Roll has been working on a way to print low-cost solar film. It's now one crucial step closer to manufacturing its lightweight film, with a new design for its perovskite solar cells that should drop production costs.

The MWC trade show is upon us, and Lenovo's slapped a solar panel on a laptop to bring to its booth. The Yoga Solar PC can run off the power of the sun, packs decent specs, and appears well built. Too bad it's only a concept at this point.

Abu Dhabi will soon be home to a 5.2-GW solar farm – snagging the top spot on the global solar energy plant leaderboard. It'll be the world's first '24/7' solar photovolatic plant coupled with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

While there are a few electric cars that have onboard photovoltaic panels for charging on the go, such vehicles are definitely in the minority. The DartSolar system was designed to change that, by adding a rooftop solar power system to any EV.

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a list of research programs and future technologies it's working on – including a "new kind of solar paint" it says could generate enough energy for up to 20,000 km (12,427 miles) of driving per year under ideal conditions.

UK startup Space Solar has signed an agreement with Reykjavik Energy that could see Iceland become the first country to receive power beamed from a space-based solar power plant. The 30-MW demonstrator is scheduled to go online by 2030.

Solar and wind farms are a common sight on land. But just like wind turbines, massive PV installations may soon be heading offshore. China is looking to lead the charge, and is embarking on sea trials of a wave-resistant hexagonal floating platform.

Even on busy rail networks, the gap between lines can spend much of its time doing little but face skyward, so why not put that space to good use? Swiss startup Sun-Ways is looking to do just that by installing solar panels in between railway tracks.

Swedish company NoviOcean has tested a third-gen prototype of its combination wind/solar/wave energy platform, a floating platform rated for up to 1 MW of consistent clean energy around the clock, thanks to a fascinating buoyancy-driven mechanism.