The trend of using solar power and wind power for base load electricity supply purposes is slowly increasing. This can be perceived as a result of the increase in the use of molten salt batteries, and the rapid development of gravel batteries. Several other types of technologies are also being developed and a number of other technologies have been proposed alongside more traditional ones such as solar pumping combined with hydro-storage.

Although natural gas is commonly converted into electricity, the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology have developed some means of renewable electricity. Solar energy can now be used as a substitute for natural gas, which is a source of power for electricity generation.

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Wind and sun are the most familiar forms of renewable energy. While biomass (plant material and animal waste) provides 15 times more energy in United States than wind and solar power combined and still have potential to supply more.

There is a vast range of biomass energy resources, that includes tree, grass, crops, forestry, agricultural, and urban wastes. Biomass is the oldest source of renewable energy used by humans when they known how to burn fire.

Ancient way of converting biomass into energy is just to burn it for producing heat, as humans practiced it for thousands of years. Still this is the most common way for conversion of biomass into energy in United States and elsewhere also.

The heat generated from biomass can be used for heating, cooking, and industrial processes, or for producing electricity.

Using biomass for burning haves some problems regarding some energy waste and also some air pollution if it is not carefully controlled.

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A scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has declared that new discoveries are underway to move the society toward the era of “personalized solar energy.”

According to Professor Daniel Nocera, such an era would shift the focus of electricity production, from huge central generating stations to individuals in their own homes and communities.

Moreover, Nocera also predicted that the global energy needs will double by mid-century and triple by 2100, resulting from higher standards of living and world population growth.

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Biogas is basically a combination of different gases, mostly carbon dioxide and methane, produced by certain kind of microorganisms, usually in the absence of air or oxygen.

This absence of oxygen is called anaerobic condition. Animals that eat more of plant material, especially grazing animals such as cattle, produce large amounts of biogas.

However, it is important to note that the cows themselves do not produce this biogas. In fact, this gas is produced by millions of microorganisms that live in their digestive systems. Biogas can also develop in bogs and at the bottom of lakes, where there is a lot of decaying organic matter, built up under wet and anaerobic conditions.

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It does sound like a dream, but the Scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have finally made it come true! They have been successful to create an eco-friendly, silicon-air battery that can provide power to devices for literally thousands of hours before replacement.

Created from silicon and oxygen, the batteries are light in weight, and can work well in extremely dry conditions as well as in areas having high humidity levels. The new battery would become very useful for medical applications like hearing aids or diabetic pumps. It can also be used for several other purposes such as for microelectronics and sensors.

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According to recent reports, scientists are working together progressively to develop an “artificial leaf” that imitates the working of a real leaf, i.e. the chemical magic done through photosynthesis.

However, instead of food for the plant, the new leaf converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks.

The report came from top authorities on solar energy, who met at the 1st Annual Chemical Sciences and Society Symposium. The authorities stressed on initiating international cooperation and novel thinking on the global energy challenge.

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According to recent research, a little quantity of Hydrogen has resulted in an enhancement of fuel efficiency and effectiveness and lessens toxic emissions.

Hydrogen/Oxygen or Hydroxy Gas or electrolysis gas generated acts like a catalysts to the fuel. Consuming oxy-hydrogen gas to increase a fossil fuel with a complete burn of all the hydrocarbons, make a mean to cleaner emission. Hydro-boosters will operate with any ICE engine and diesel as well.

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Latest and innovative scientific inventions are moving people and the world towards the period of "personalized solar energy", in which consideration is being given to generating electricity through solar energy instead of huge central generating stations.

The subject on solar energy was discussed in a report presented by an international expert. It discusses an economical process for saving solar energy that in turn could power homes and plug-in cars in the upcoming years.

Moreover, this will not only benefit an individual but the entire environment by keeping it fresh and clean.

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Since the usage of solar energy is dependent on regular provision of energy, storage systems are the important part that needs to be look upon to move towards the era of personalized solar energy.

The emphasis of this article is more on production of energy in people homes rather than big central generating stations.

How Solar Energy Can Be Saved?

According to the new paper by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Professor Daniel Nocera explains the expansion and improvement of the less costly storage system of inexpensive storage method for achieving tailored solar energy. It uses a catalyst that separates water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen.

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In a few years time homeowners would be able to power their homes in daylight with solar photovoltaic cells, while using excess solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water to power a household fuel cell. If the new process developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finds acceptance in the marketplace, electricity-by-wire from a central source could be a thing of the past.

Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited. Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is expensive and inefficient. But Nocera and his team of researchers have hit upon an elegant solution.

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