The award-winning WE CARE Solar Suitcase is an economical, easy-to-use portable power unit that provides health workers with highly efficient medical lighting and power for mobile communication, computers and medical devices.  The WE CARE Solar Suitcase was originally designed to support timely and efficient emergency obstetric care, but can be used in a range...

We certainly hear a lot about solar cells that are able to convert larger and larger percentages of the sun’s energy into electricity. That’s all very well and good, but if those more-efficient solar cells are too expensive, they will still ultimately prove impractical for everyday use. Researchers from North Carolina State University, however, have found...

Geothermal power is power extracted from heat stored in the earth. This geothermal energy originates from the original formation of the planet, from radioactive decay of minerals, and from solar energy absorbed at the surface. It has been used for bathing since Paleolithic times and for space heating since ancient Roman times, but is now better known for generating...

The terms “wind energy” or “wind power” describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. Wind turbines can be sited both on land and offshore. The advantages of offshore is that winds tend to flow at higher speeds than...

The Earth receives 174 petawatts (PW) of incoming solar radiation (insolation) at the upper atmosphere. Approx. 30% is reflected back to space while the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land masses. The spectrum of solar light at the Earth’s surface is mostly spread across the visible and near-infrared ranges with a small part in the near-ultraviolet. The...

Wave Energy Winds generated by the differential heating of the earth pass over open bodies of water, transferring some of their energy to the water in the form of waves. Wave energy converters extract and convert this energy into a useful form. The mechanical energy is then converted to electrical power using a generator. Direct drive generators, in which the...

The current energy crisis is very obvious. Nearly everything you see in the global news is a direct result of the real, or perceived, “scarcity” of energy. There has been an enormous increase in the global demand for energy in recent years, which are a direct result of industrial development and population growth. Currently, the supply of energy is far less...