solar

In 2008, Larry Page demolished two neighbouring Palo Alto homes, expanding his compound to nearly 2 acres; a year later he planned a 6,000-sq-ft eco-house with solar panels and a roof garden

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In 2008, Larry Page demolished two neighbouring Palo Alto homes, expanding his compound to nearly 2 acres; a year later he planned a 6,000-sq-ft eco-house with solar panels and a roof garden

Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page speak to reporters during a 2008 news conference at Google headquarters (Image Credit: AP Photo/ Paul Sakuma) Google co-founder Larry Page’s Palo Alto property plans drew attention in the late 2000s as he began acquiring neighbouring homes and expanding the land around his residence. In 2008, two houses … Read more

A 27-year-old Tennessee diesel mechanic wanted to farm full-time; solar sites gave his sheep 400+ acres to graze, letting him quit his job and build a 300-ewe flock

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A 27-year-old Tennessee diesel mechanic wanted to farm full-time; solar sites gave his sheep 400+ acres to graze, letting him quit his job and build a 300-ewe flock

A 27-year-old Tennessee diesel mechanic has left his job to become a full-time livestock farmer after gaining grazing access to more than 400 acres of utility-scale solar farms. The arrangement, made through vegetation management contracts at solar sites, allowed the young farmer to expand his flock to more than 300 breeding ewes without having to … Read more

In 1981, Australia built its first solar power station at remote White Cliffs; 14 dishes powered a hospital, school, post office and 12 homes, and 45 years later the site is heritage listed

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In 1981, Australia built its first solar power station at remote White Cliffs; 14 dishes powered a hospital, school, post office and 12 homes, and 45 years later the site is heritage listed

On the edge of the outback in far western New South Wales, a cluster of silver dishes once turned toward the sun, capturing light in a place where the grid had never reached. In 1981, Australia’s first solar power station began operating at remote White Cliffs, using 14 parabolic dishes to generate electricity for a … Read more

Singapore covered a reservoir with 122,000 floating solar panels; it now powers 5 water-treatment plants and cuts 32,000 tonnes of CO₂ every year

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Singapore covered a reservoir with 122,000 floating solar panels; it now powers 5 water-treatment plants and cuts 32,000 tonnes of CO₂ every year

Singapore has turned part of a reservoir into a giant renewable-energy installation, covering about one-third of Tengeh Reservoir with more than 122,000 floating solar panels spread across 10 floating islands. The 45-hectare Sembcorp Tengeh Floating Solar Farm has a capacity of 60 MWp and generates electricity used to support five local water-treatment plants. The project … Read more

Colorado farmer Marc Arnusch turned down solar leases on 2,700 acres; instead he chose a conservation easement to protect the family farm, then faced an IRS audit

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Colorado farmer Marc Arnusch turned down solar leases on 2,700 acres; instead he chose a conservation easement to protect the family farm, then faced an IRS audit

Colorado farmer Marc Arnusch had a straightforward choice: accept millions of dollars from solar companies seeking to lease 2,700 acres of his family’s farmland, or keep the property in agriculture for the next generation. He chose the farm. Now, after spending nearly $1 million documenting a conservation easement, he is facing an IRS audit over … Read more

In 2021, Amazon shut down its US rooftop solar systems after six critical incidents across 47 North American solar sites; a later global audit found 259 major issues

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In 2021, Amazon shut down its US rooftop solar systems after six critical incidents across 47 North American solar sites; a later global audit found 259 major issues

Rooftop fire at an Amazon warehouse in Perryville, Maryland on June 10, 2021 (Fox news photo) Rooftop solar systems are designed to produce electricity for years, but problems in their wiring and connections can create serious safety risks. Amazon faced this issue at several of its facilities in North America between April 2020 and June … Read more

From today, households across Great Britain can plug solar panels into a standard socket; 800W kits could supply up to 20% of home electricity use and save £110 a year

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From today, households across Great Britain can plug solar panels into a standard socket; 800W kits could supply up to 20% of home electricity use and save £110 a year

Households across Great Britain can now generate their own solar power using a standard three-pin wall socket, under new rules designed to cut energy bills and make clean electricity more accessible. The legal change, which came into force on 27 August 2026, allows people in England, Scotland and Wales to buy portable solar panel kits … Read more

Authorities to distribute solar power banks in Nepal’s flood-hit regions

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Authorities to distribute solar power banks in Nepal's flood-hit regions

Kathmandu, Nepalese authorities on Thursday arranged alternative power sources for flood-hit areas of the Himalayan nation, where supply has been disrupted following extensive damage to power projects. Authorities to distribute solar power banks in Nepal’s flood-hit regions Flash floods on the Bhotekoshi River along Nepal’s border with the Tibet region wreaked havoc across three districts … Read more

Texas turned 68,000 acres of solar farms into grazing ground for sheep; revealing how solar land could become a new resource for American farmers

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Texas turned 68,000 acres of solar farms into grazing ground for sheep; revealing how solar land could become a new resource for American farmers

Across Texas, solar panels are appearing on land that has long been associated with farming and ranching, creating an unexpected overlap between energy production and agriculture. Instead of treating solar development as the end of a property’s agricultural use, some projects are finding ways to keep livestock and other activities on the same ground. Sheep … Read more

A forgotten American photographer captured one of the earliest clear images of a total solar eclipse 175 years ago; the photograph changed eclipse science

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A forgotten American photographer captured one of the earliest clear images of a total solar eclipse 175 years ago; the photograph changed eclipse science

Berkowski made this first solar eclipse photograph at the Royal Observatory in Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia). Image Credit: Johann Julius Friedrich Berkowski/Wikipedia A total solar eclipse is one of nature’s most dramatic sights, but 175 years ago it was also a difficult scientific problem to record. On July 28, 1851, a little-known photographer named … Read more