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Solar PowerOne of the most common renewable energy sources, solar power technologies capture radiant energy from sunlight and convert it into electricity or thermal energy. Solar is part of an emerging class of renewable energy sources that can diversify a region's or nation's power generation portfolio while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Solar power harnesses radiation from the sun to generate electricity, typically through devices known as photovoltaics—commonly referred to as solar panels. When light falls on photovoltaic materials, it is absorbed by electrons, making them conductive, much like the electrons flowing through a metal wire. Concentrated solar power systems instead use fields of mirrors to redirect sunlight toward a thermal fluid, which heats up. The fluid is used to turn water into steam, which spins a turbine connected to a generator to produce electricity.
Since their development, solar cells have become faster, more efficient, and cheaper, with costs decreasing from roughly $1,500 per watt in the 1950s to less than $1 per watt today. This has made solar power the fastest-growing source of electricity in the US.Explore Solar Power
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View a photo essay of renewable power landscapes in ChinaUsing a drone, Chinese photographer Weimin Chu captured the deployment of solar and wind power installations across the country, which accounted for half of all global installations in 2025. The images show modern infrastructure juxtaposed with natural landscapes and was featured in an award-winning exhibition presented by Greenpeace in 2025. Yale E360From 1991 to 2024, lithium-ion battery cell prices have fallen by 99%The decrease from about $10,000 to $50 per kilowatt-hour has been driven by innovations in battery chemistry, improvements in manufacturing and supply chains, and increases in global cumulative production, which have caused average price declines of 19% each time it has doubled. Our World in DataData center power demands have delayed the retirement of coal plantsUS data center power consumption is expected to triple by 2035 to meet the growing infrastructure needs of AI platforms. Longer construction times and higher startup costs for renewable energy systems such as wind and solar have led to at least 15 coal power plant closures being postponed. Yale E360Geothermal power plants can provide large-scale energy storage for other systemsThese facilities can store excess energy from solar and wind power as hot water or steam, which can be used to run turbines to generate electricity when other renewable energy sources are unavailable. Simulations have found efficiencies of 90% during a storage-use cycle, making it comparable to lithium-ion batteries. IEEE SpectrumThe continuous decay of radioactive elements regenerates geothermal energy reservesGeothermal power is a renewable energy source derived from Earth's interior, where the core reaches temperatures exceeding 5,000 degrees Celsius (9,000 degrees Fahrenheit). These temperatures result from leftover energy from collisions during planetary formation, with radioactive decay in the core releasing additional energy that travels to the surface. National GeographicAs of 2022, just 0.5% of installed renewable energy capacity worldwide is geothermalDespite being able to generate electricity regardless of the weather, solar (28%) and wind (27%) are far more prevalent, primarily because of their lower upfront costs. Geothermal plants use 88% less space than solar farms to produce the same energy, but have been restricted to geologically active regions. Visual CapitalistAs of 2025, wave power projects remain in early research and testing phasesWaves can become a steady source of renewable energy because they do not pause like wind and solar power do. However, funding gaps and the effects of storms, salt exposure, and biofouling—mussels and other sea creatures attaching to wave machines—have presented challenges in scaling the technology beyond testing sites. Science FridayTexas is the state with the most energy sector employeesTexas has more than 990,000 individuals in the energy sector—roughly eight out of every 100 workers statewide. Oil and natural gas production account for more than 289,000 workers. USAFactsMore batteries in the power grid would create an on-demand energy reservoirMost power grids are inefficient because they require enough generation capacity at all times to avoid blackouts. This means at any given time, as much as 50% of generating capacity at power plants can go unused. Batteries would reduce this inefficiency and allow for real-time adjustments. Works in ProgressOsmotic power captures energy through water's movement across variations in salinityWater naturally moves from regions of low salinity, like freshwater, to areas of high salinity, like ocean water, across a semipermeable membrane. This movement produces pressure that can be harnessed to generate electricity. Earth.orgLarge oil companies knew about the impact of carbon emissions since the ’70sPBS Frontline’s The Power of Big Oil reveals how industry giants like Exxon and Shell were researching climate change in the 1970s but then funded denial campaigns—using internal science to sow public doubt for decades. FRONTLINE1970s U.S. energy crisis sparked waves of green innovationFaced with the 1973 Arab oil embargo, the U.S. responded with bold innovation—enacting a 55 mph speed limit, pioneering daylight saving time, boosting solar research, expanding nuclear power, and pushing energy-efficient building designs and automotive technologies HISTORYThe carbon footprint of manufacturing a wind turbine is offset within seven monthsDespite initial carbon emissions during manufacturing, wind turbines generate nearly zero pollution across their 20- to 25-year lifetimes. Offsets occur when turbines replace energy generation from coal and natural gas plants, which emit carbon dioxide. Yale Climate ConnectionsWind farms are targets for conspiracy theories due to their visibility and complexityThe proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding wind farms is driven by deep-seated anxieties about change, distrust of government, and resistance to confronting the complexities of modern energy solutions. The ConversationAI's growing energy demands are driving tech companies to consider nuclear powerBig Tech has rebranded nuclear power as a green solution to address the strain on the grid from millions of people using power-hungry AI tools. As of mid-2025, generating one image uses as much electricity as charging the average smartphone, or leaving a household light bulb on for 87 consecutive days. The ConversationMaintenance, curtailment, congestion, and wind speed can park a wind turbineWind turbines are optimized to operate at wind speeds between about 10 and 80 kph, but an internal brake stops them if energy is not required. Routine preventative maintenance and cleaning also prevent blades from rotating. The Indianapolis StarCarbon-neutral data centers may be possible if built within wind turbinesWind turbine towers are typically hollow, housing only cables and a ladder for maintenance access. The excess electricity a wind turbine collects could power a stack of server racks more than 100 meters (328 feet) high within its tower. CNNTechnological advancements will make future wind turbines more efficient and quieterManufacturing larger, more powerful turbines will result in future wind farms requiring fewer of them to meet energy demands. Larger turbines will meet these demands while rotating at lower speeds, reducing risks to avian wildlife. US Department of EnergyExplore an interactive graphic of a wind turbine's componentsWind turbines contain a gearbox that increases the rotation of the blades by a factor of 100 from low to high-speed shafts. The latter moves magnets that change the magnetic field within a generator, creating electricity. Energy.govFrom 1990 to 2020, wind turbine height and blade length have more than tripledWind turbines' energy generation capacity—or maximum power rating—also increased by 375% from 1998 to 2023. As of that year, wind turbines can produce more energy per dollar than solar panels, though transportation and installation challenges remain. US Department of EnergyWind energy is categorized into distributed, land-based, and offshore typesDistributed wind turbines serve on-site energy needs efficiently, while land-based ones are large and generate cost-competitive electricity. Offshore wind turbines capture powerful winds above the ocean and may be pounded into the seafloor using pile drivers. US Department of EnergyWind turbines provide renewable energy from land, lake, or ocean environmentsTurbines convert wind's kinetic energy into mechanical energy, which allows generators to create electricity. They are among the lowest-cost electricity sources and can be built to float above water at scales larger than the Statue of Liberty. National Renewable Energy LaboratoryThe hand-dug 'Big Well' of Greensburg, KansasGreensburg, Kansas, built a 109-feet deep well between 1887 and 1888 and touted it as the world's largest. Men working for 50 cents a day dug the pit with pickaxes and shovels, and its walls were lined with local stone. It was a primary water supply until 1932, and has become a museum and a tourist attraction, one of Kansas' "Eight Wonders." Atlas ObscuraView US maps of monthly and annual averages of total daily solar resourcesThe state you live in and the month of the year drastically change how much solar energy you can expect to capture to power your home. These National Renewable Energy Laboratory maps show where you can generate solar resources year-round. National Renewable Energy LaboratoryAmong renewable sources, geothermal rivals hydropower in lifetime costAs of 2024, the levelized cost of energy—the average cost per unit of energy over the lifetime of a power plant—for geothermal power is surpassed only by solar photovoltaic and onshore wind. Geothermal's LCOE has remained relatively unchanged since 2007, with significant decreases held back by significant upfront installation costs. Our World in DataSolar power is converting the sun's energy into thermal or electrical energySolar energy is the most abundant renewable energy resource. It can be captured in photovoltaic cells to generate electricity, solar heating and cooling technologies for temperature control, and concentrated solar power to drive steam turbines. Solar Energy Industries AssociationCheck out this interactive 3D animation of a virtual renewable energy-powered islandThe US Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Discovery (REDi) Island invite explorers to discover clean, renewable energy options by navigating a virtual island filled with energy efficient power generation and desalinization technologies. Open Energy InformationUnderstanding the power grid and how renewable sources fit inThe power grid is evolving to include ever-higher levels of solar and wind, which don’t provide inertia. Should system planners and operators panic? YouTube
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