As research ramps up on how to maximize the benefits of colocating agriculture and solar panels, researchers are also beginning to investigate other potential ecosystem benefits.
solar energy
Posted inEditors' Vox
Challenges in Measuring Aerosol Cloud-Mediated Radiative Forcing
Satellites are required for the global measurement of aerosol cloud-mediated radiative forcing, but satellite retrievals of aerosols and cloud properties still have challenges to overcome.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Danger in the Dust! The Hazards of Windblown Dust
Airborne dust not only causes disease, it also menaces transportation on land, sea, and air; disrupts renewable energy systems; transports pathogens and toxic substances; and poses many other hazards.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
A Symbiosis Between Agriculture and Solar Power
A growing population requires more food and energy, which compete for limited space…unless they don’t.
Posted inNews
Solar Panels Nurse Desert Soil Back to Life
Cultivating delicate soil crust in the shade of solar panels might boost the recovery of arid land.
Posted inNews
Potentially Good News for Solar Energy During Wildfires
A preliminary analysis suggests that the impact of smoke blocking the Sun during 2020’s megafires was minimal for the nation’s solar panels.
Posted inENGAGE, News
Could Floating Solar Panels Help Mitigate Climate Change?
“Floatovoltaics” are an emerging technology, but their environmental impacts are still unknown.
Posted inNews
Better Together: Perovskites Boost Silicon Solar Cell Efficiency
Scientists engineer a way to layer materials to boost efficiency without interrupting manufacturing processes.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Accurate Are Our Measurements of the Sun’s Energy?
As instruments collecting solar data degrade, researchers must correct for errors. A new study compares several methods to correct solar spectral irradiance measurements.