RE: mastodon.social/@TinJar/116971…

A pathway for mass #migration as one way to address #climatechange -

1/

#Canada, #Russia, #Norway, and #China have a bit of a problem. But there is a potential solution, too!
Canada, Russia, and Norway depend a LOT on exporting #oil
China #exports a lot of everything, especially, #solar #batteries #EV
Chinese #population is shrinking and they seem to be frugal folks - which means domestic part of the #economy is going nowhere including #construction

In Illinois, 7,000 #solar panels are doubling as habitat for bees, birds, and foxes

thecooldown.com/green-tech/sol…

In Illinois, 7,000 solar panels are doubling as habitat for bees, birds, and foxes

A solar farm in northern Illinois is drawing attention for more than the electricity it generates.

^{Shannon Germaine (The Cool Down)}

#solarpunk #solarpunksunday #cleanenergy #solar

MIT scientist created a new type of solar panel that is transparent. It picks up only infrared and ultraviolet light. These can be used on windows or any clear pane (like cell phone screens) as well as flexible surfaces.

“They estimate that using coated windows in a skyscraper could provide more than a quarter of the building’s energy needs without changing its look.”

energy.mit.edu/news/transparen…

Transparent solar cells

Overview MIT researchers are making transparent solar cells that could turn everyday products such as windows and electronic devices into power generators—without altering how they look or function today.

^{MIT Energy Initiative}

☀️ We don't need to pave over forests or farmland to scale solar. Some of the best real estate is surfaces we've already built.

Parking lot canopies: shade cars, cut urban heat, power EV chargers. One study found Walmart could fit 11 GW of solar just over its Supercenter lots.
e360.yale.edu/features/putting…

Canal-top solar, pioneered in Gujarat, India: panels shade irrigation channels, saving ~90 million liters of water from evaporation per year at one 10 MW plant. The water also cools the panels, boosting efficiency ~7%.
scientificamerican.com/article…

Swiss startup Sun-Ways lays panels between train tracks. 11,000+ trains have rolled over them with zero safety issues.
electrek.co/2026/06/30/solar-g…

The common thread: dual-use. Share the surfaces we already use instead of fighting over new land.

#solar #renewableenergy #energytransition

Solar gets railed: clever Swiss pilot proves PV panels and trains can coexist

Finding places to deploy new solar panels is often just as challenging as the construction project itself – with productive farmland,...

^{Jo Borrás (Electrek)}

Australia is introducing free daytime power in July. They’ve installed so much #solar that the challenge is to use it effectively. People who can shift their electricity usage to the day (think retirees or people that work from home) can save a lot even if they don’t have solar. Anyone with a battery or two installed could see their power bill for many months go to almost zero.

Batteries are the key to having an economy that can run on solar and wind all the time.

lenergy.com.au/free-daytime-el…

☀️ The SmartFlower is a solar panel that unfolds like a flower and tracks the sun all day. TikTok says it generates 40% more power than fixed panels.

The physics is real. The marketing is doing heavy lifting.

It costs 2-3x more per watt than traditional solar, covers only 37-60% of a home's energy needs, and has a 2-year warranty on the moving parts. Traditional rooftop solar with 25-year warranties is still the better bet for most people.

Full breakdown:

hermez.prose.sh/the-smartflowe…

#solar #renewableenergy #cleanenergy #smartflower #solarpower #factcheck

The SmartFlower Tracks the Sun Like a Sunflower. Is That Actually Worth It?

^prose.sh