In the arid regions of the American Southwest, an unseen world lies beneath our feet. 

Tandem solar cells are made of stacked materials — such as silicon paired with perovskites — that together absorb more of the solar spectrum than single materials, resulting in a dramatic increase in efficiency.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis College of Engineering are using machine learning to identify new materials for high-efficiency solar cells. Using high-throughput experiments and machine learning-based algorithms, they have found it is possible to forecast the materials’ dynamic behavior with very high accuracy, without the need to perform as many experiments.

h-PdMo, a recently discovered catalyst, can convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful methanol at room temperature and low-pressure conditions, as demonstrated by researchers at Tokyo Tech. 

Scientists at four leading Illinois research institutions, three in the Chicago region, are forming a new collaboration to study the effects of drought on urban trees and develop more effective drought response strategies nationwide through a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Algae grown in transparent tanks or tubes supplied with carbon dioxide can convert the greenhouse gas into other compounds, such as food supplements or fuels. But the process leads to a buildup of algae on the surfaces that clouds them and reduces efficiency, requiring laborious cleanout procedures every couple of weeks.

By using a new method, precious metals can be efficiently recovered from thin-film solar cells.

New computer science study offers a radical new way to think about agriculture and its potential benefits for farming.

Wind and solar accounted for a record 12 percent of global power generation last year, according to a new analysis which finds that the rapid buildout of clean energy heralds “a new era of falling fossil generation.”

Dense urban areas amplify the effects of higher temperatures, due to the phenomenon of heat islands in cities.