#solar cells

Professor Feng Gao, another paper co-author, emphasized the importance of considering recycling from the start: “If we don’t know how to recycle them, maybe we shouldn’t put them on the market at all.”

Instead of toxic chemicals, the researchers created a water-based solution containing three additives: sodium acetate, sodium iodide, and hypophosphorous acid.

Each ingredient serves a specific purpose in the recycling process. Sodium acetate helps separate the cell’s materials, while sodium iodide helps reform the perovskite crystals so they can be reused in new solar cells. Hypophosphorous acid keeps the solution stable.

The process involves heating water to 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes before submerging the solar cell. After the cell breaks down, the team separates the recycled perovskite crystals using a centrifuge spinning at 5,000 rotations per minute for three minutes.

The most impressive aspect of this breakthrough is that solar cells made from these recycled materials maintain the same efficiency as the original cells. This means manufacturers could potentially reuse the same materials multiple times without losing performance.

This development addresses a key sustainability concern in the solar manufacturing industry. While solar power itself produces clean energy, the production of solar panels requires the mining of critical minerals from around the world. These materials are often difficult to source and have their own environmental impact.

The ability to recycle these materials multiple times could reduce the need for new mining operations and lower the overall environmental footprint of solar energy.

The creation of fully recyclable solar cells could also help bring down solar energy prices in the long term. By reusing expensive materials instead of constantly mining new ones, manufacturers might reduce production costs, making solar power even more competitive with fossil fuels.

Currently, the solar industry faces significant recycling challenges. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, only about 10% of solar panels worldwide are recycled properly. The vast majority end up in landfills where their valuable and sometimes toxic materials can’t be recovered.

By 2050, experts predict that solar panel waste could reach 78 million tons globally. This makes the development of recyclable solar cells increasingly urgent from both environmental and economic perspectives.

The cost difference between traditional recycling methods and this new water-based approach is substantial. While conventional recycling of perovskite solar cells requires expensive chemical solvents and specialized disposal processes that can cost up to $25-30 per panel, early estimates suggest the water-based method could reduce these costs by 60-70%.

Solar panel prices have already dropped significantly in recent years, helping drive the industry’s growth despite political opposition from some quarters. The Trump administration had voiced opposition to solar development, but the industry continued to expand regardless.

Perovskite solar cells represent the next generation of solar technology due to their higher efficiency. They can convert a quarter of the sun’s energy that hits them into usable electricity, significantly better than most panels currently on rooftops around the world.

Their main drawback has been the end-of-life disposal issues. Unlike many other products, solar panels contain specialized materials that need proper handling when they’re no longer useful.

The water-based recycling method developed by the Swedish researchers represents a potential solution to this problem. By making the entire recycling process less toxic and more efficient, they’ve addressed one of the few remaining environmental concerns about solar energy.

The regulatory landscape for solar panel recycling varies widely across the globe. The European Union leads with its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which requires manufacturers to take back and recycle solar panels at the end of their life.

In the United States, most states lack specific regulations for solar panel disposal; however, California has classified them as universal waste, requiring special handling. China, the world’s largest solar producer, has recently begun developing national standards for recyclable solar cells and the disposal of solar panels.

If scaled up successfully, this technology could help ensure that the growing solar industry remains truly sustainable throughout the entire lifecycle of its products.

The findings come at a critical time for renewable energy. As more countries and companies commit to reducing carbon emissions, the demand for solar power continues to increase. Ensuring this growth occurs in an environmentally responsible manner is crucial for effectively addressing climate change.

A tech company is electrifying the world’s high-polluting scooters through networks of swappable batteries

Taiwan-based tech company Gogoro is helping electrify the hundreds of millions of high-polluting two-wheelers around the world through networks of swappable batteries.

And it's a good thing, too: you might be surprised to learn how many people drive them — and how polluting they are. China, India, and Indonesia alone have more than 500 million two-wheelers, and globally, "over 50% of all commute miles done every day is actually done on two wheels," Gogoro CEO Horace Luke told the Volts podcast.

May

Google is now letting users limit ads about topics like pregnancy, dating, weight loss, and more

In December 2020, Google allowed users to limit ads related to alcohol and gambling — and now, users can also limit the ads they see about other sensitive topics like parenting, pregnancy, dating, and weight loss.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​To opt out of ad categories, go to myaccount.google.com. Select “Data & Privacy” from the menu on the left, then go to “Ad settings” and look for “Sensitive ad categories.”​​​​​​​​

For the first time ever, renewable sources met 100% of its electricity demand in California

For the first time ever, renewable electricity sources met 100% of California's energy demands. As the Desert Sun reports, on Saturday, April 30 at 2:45 p.m., energy demand statewide hit 18,672 megawatts.

Of that demand, 101% of the power provided came from renewables, according to a continuous tracker provided by California Independent System Operator (CAISO) a nonprofit that oversees the state's bulk electric power system and transmission lines.

Two-thirds of the 18,000 megawatts were provided by solar power, and the rest came from wind, geothermal, and other renewable sources. The renewable electricity lasted almost 15 minutes before decreasing to about 97% renewables.

While it only lasted 15 minutes, it's an incredibly encouraging and exciting milestone as we work to decarbonize our electric grid — and proof of what we already knew: a carbon-free future is a realistic, viable goal.

In a medical breakthrough, scientists identified a blood marker in babies at higher risk of SIDS

​​​​​​​​According to the CDC, 1,248 infants died in 2019 due to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). While this number has steadily declined over the past two decades — from 130.27 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 33.3 in 2019 — as preventative measures have been recommended by doctors and implemented by parents, any risk indicators or exact causes of SIDS have been unknown.​​​​​​​​

In a historic agreement, the U.S. men’s and women’s soccer teams will now be paid equally

It's a landmark victory for equality! US Soccer and the unions for both the US Soccer MNT and US Soccer WNT announced they reached a new agreement that will achieve "equal pay and set the global standard moving forward in international soccer."​​​​​​​​

June

A new report found sales of gas-powered cars are in ‘permanent decline’ and likely peaked in 2017

Good progress for the clean energy transition: A report by industry analysts at BloombergNEF found that sales of non-plug-in, internal combustion-powered vehicles peaked in 2017 and are now in "permanent decline."

While the report found that in 2025, traditional gas-powered vehicles will still make up the majority of car sales — that same year, 20.6 million plug-in vehicles will be sold globally. That's about triple the projected 6.6 million that will be sold in 2022.

Home to a bison range, the U.S. government returned 18,000 acres of undeveloped land in Montana to Native tribes

In the 1900s, 18,000 acres of undeveloped land in northwest Montana was taken by the U.S. Government without the consent of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. ​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​In 2020, Congress passed a law that would transition management of the land from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service back to the tribes, and in 2021, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland signed off on the law.​​​​​​​​

A ‘game-changer’ for disaster relief settings, solar microgrids are helping keep Ukraine’s hospitals running

In a conflict where power sources may be targeted, a solar microgrid has the additional advantage of being less detectable than a diesel generator, both because it's quieter and because it gives off less heat. It also negates the need to store large amounts of highly flammable fuel.

Creating thousands of jobs, the U.S. is plugging abandoned oil and gas wells leaking climate-warming methane

According to the U.S. Interior Department, there are tens of thousands of old oil and gas wells on federal lands nationwide, and at least another 130,000 on state and private lands.

And now, as reported by Thomson Reuters Foundation, for the first time, the government is giving the abandoned wells major attention in an effort to curb environmental pollution, reduce climate-heating emissions of methane, and create green jobs.

President Biden officially signed the first major gun safety legislation in nearly 3 decades into law. ​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​As The New York Times reports, the bill enhances background checks for gun buyers between 18 and 21 years old, incentivizes states to implement “red flag” laws that enable firearms to be temporarily confiscated from people deemed dangerous, provides hundreds of millions of dollars for mental health and school safety, extends a federal law that prohibits domestic abusers from purchasing guns to dating partners (instead of just married partners), and more.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​Are these measures enough to eliminate the threat of gun violence from all the places it need to be? Absolutely not. And yet, while we certainly wish there was a lot more included — without a doubt, these measures *will* save lives from gun violence. And that’s important progress worth celebrating. ​​​​​​​​

July

The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline ‘988’ officially launched across the U.S.

The national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline "988" is now officially launched in the U.S. Starting today, July 16, anyone experiencing a mental health emergency can call or text the 3-digit number, 24/7, and be connected to a network of 200 local crisis centers and trained counselors.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​Previously, those experiencing a mental health crisis had to dial a 1-800 number which could be difficult to remember or track down in the midst of an emergency — or 911, which was not set up to respond to mental health needs.​​​​​​​​

After nearly going extinct in the region, as many as 150 fin whales were seen feeding off the coast of Antarctica

In more whale good news: A new study published in Scientific Reports details the first scientifically documented observation of a large group of fin whales feeding off Elephant Island in Antarctica.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​The incredible success story is credited to a 1982 decision by the International Whaling Commission to ban the practice of commercial whaling that had driven several species to the brink of extinction.​​​​​​​​

The number of independent bookstores is at its highest in years – with more diverse owners than ever

The American Booksellers Association (ABA), the trade group for independent bookstore owners, says it now has 2,010 members at 2,547 locations — 300 more than it had in Spring 2021, and the most members its had in years. That’s doubly significant because in 2020 the ABA also tightened its rules to only allow stores which “primarily sell books” (over 50 percent of inventory), as opposed to any stores offering books.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​While the ABA credits the spike in members to owners that delayed their memberships during the pandemic, over 100 of them are stores that opened in the last year — dozens of them by non-white owners.​​​​​​​​

August

The Biden Administration announced it will plant 1 billion trees in the western U.S.

Good climate news! 🌳 A large-scale win for reforestation efforts, the Biden Administration announced its plans to plant over 1 billion new trees across millions of acres of burned and dead woodlands in the Western part of the U.S.

Ecologists and foresters are battling the increasing brunt of wildfires and insect infestations, leaving the government overwhelmed by the need to plant new trees, as forests struggle to naturally regenerate.

Hawaii got it’s last-ever shipment of coal – its last coal plant is closing in September

Good climate news! The Governor of Hawaii announced that the state received its last-ever shipment of coal — Hawaii's last remaining coal plant is shutting down in September.

This historic milestone is a part of Hawaii's 2014 pledge to get to 100% renewable energy by 2045 — becoming the first state to make a net zero pledge.

A new Lyme disease vaccine is now in the final phase of its clinical trial

Created by Pfizer and French drugmaker Valneva, a new vaccine for Lyme disease called VLA15 is now officially in its third and final phase of a human clinical study. If it's successful, the companies say they'll seek authorization for use in 2025 — while that's still a few years off, this is incredible progress to celebrate.​​​​​​​​

[Lyme disease is] estimated to impact around 476,000 people in the U.S. and 130,000 people in Europe every year — and the parts of the world where it spreads is growing, making the need for a vaccine even more important.​​​​​​​​

Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act – it includes the largest federal investment ever in fighting climate change

It includes: extending incentives and tax credits for building clean energy capacity, providing financial incentives to consumers for purchasing electric vehicles and making efficiency and electrification upgrades at home, investments in environmental justice, and more.

It's the largest-ever investment in fighting climate change in the U.S. — around $370 billion total. And energy experts say the bill will cut emissions by about 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, both getting the Biden administration on track to meet its goal of cutting emissions in half by that year *and* getting the U.S. two-thirds of the way to its Paris Agreement goal.

In Burundi, former rival combatants are now working to rebuild forests destroyed by civil war

Burundi, one of the smallest countries in Africa, has just 6.6% of its original forests remaining, the legacy of a brutal civil war in which forests weren’t spared the violence inflicted by either side.

As Mongabay reports, the formerly warring factions are working together on a reforestation project launched by the country in 2018. It's been hailed as a fantastic initiative, with over 150 million trees planted already.

September

France became the first country in the world to ban fossil fuel advertisements

First proposed in 2019, France just implemented a ban on all advertisements promoting coal and oil, becoming the first country in the world to do so. Beginning in June 2023, the ban will include advertisements for natural gas, too. Companies who violate the ban will be fined $100,000 for each instance and could pay double for repeated violations.

Organizations around the world are rebuilding mangrove forests in coastal areas where they’ve been destroyed

For coastal communities like those in the Bahamas, mangroves mean stability and protection. They’re a safe harbor for hundreds of creatures. And they help protect communities from threats associated with climate change, including worsening storms, rising sea levels, and erosion.

They’re important for those living far from a coastline, too: Mangrove forests are an important tool in combatting climate change.

The world’s largest offshore wind farm is now fully operational – it will help power 1.4 million U.K. homes

A beautiful sight to see: The Hornsea 2, the largest offshore wind farm in the world is now operating at full capacity. Located off the east coast of England, it’s 165 turbines cover an area equal to more than half the size of New York City, and it help power more than 1.4 million homes in the U.K.

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard just donated the entire $3 billion company to fight climate change

"Earth is now our only shareholder." Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard just announced he would be donating the entire company, worth about $3 billion, to a trust and a nonprofit organization fighting climate change. Any profits that they don’t reinvest in the company will go to fight climate change — which will be about $100 million per year.

October

North America’s first utility-scale renewable energy plant combining wind, solar, and storage opened in Oregon

We've seen clean energy with onsite storage before — but we’ve never seen it like this! A small town in Oregon just opened North America's first utility-scale "hybrid" wind-solar-battery renewable energy plant.

It has the capacity to power 100,000 homes and when operating at maximum capacity, can produce over half the power that was generated by Oregon’s last coal plant, which was demolished in August.

Since the facility can store energy onsite, it’s addressing a key challenge in the clean energy transition — not relying on fossil fuels to fill the energy demand when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining.

The FDA approved a new drug to treat ALS that was funded by money raised in the Ice Bucket Challenge

Back in 2014, your social media feed was likely filled with people doing the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money to fight ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​17 million people participated in the challenge, including celebrities, athletes, and politicians, and it raised over $115 million. A large portion of that money went to researching treatments for ALS — the first of which was just approved by the FDA.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​While it's not a cure for the fatal neurodegenerative disease, it does slow down the progression of ALS and extends the life of those living with ALS. ​​​​​​​​

President Biden pardoned thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession

​​​​​​​​Additionally, Biden said his administration would begin the process to review how marijuana is classified, because it "makes no sense" that it is currently classified at the same level as heroin, and more seriously than fentanyl.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​The pardons will clear about 6,500 people who were convicted [under federal law, not state law] between 1992 and 2021 and thousands more who were convicted of possession in the District of Columbia.​​​​​​​​

The Gates Foundation just pledged $1.2 billion to eradicate polio globally

​​​​​​​​The money will go to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative's work specifically in Afghanistan and Pakistan — the last two countries where polio is endemic — through 2026. It will also be used to help stop new outbreaks of the virus.​​​​​​​​

November

After two years of deadly conflict, Ethiopia’s civil war agreed to stop fighting

After two years of conflict that has killed thousands, displaced millions, and resulted in famine for hundreds of thousands, the Ethiopian government and Tigray regional forces announced this week they've agreed to end hostilities “permanently.”​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​While analysts say the road to a comprehensive peace deal will be long, experts are celebrating the announcement for the significant diplomatic breakthrough that it is. And we are too!​​​​​​​​

John and Hank Green’s fundraising campaigns are helping build a maternal health hospital in Sierra Leone

Since 2019, Hank and John Green, along with their fanbase, have been committed to raising at least $25,000,000 to support the construction, staffing, and supplying of a new maternal health hospital in the Kono District of Sierra Leone. ​​​​​​​​

Farmers started an ‘open source’ seed initiative to combat monopolies and improve biodiversity

Most farmers don’t own the seeds they sow on their fields — they rent them. A few companies have a monopoly on the global seed trade, and breed “cash crops” like corn and soy — with profits as the priority, not biodiversity, world hunger, or small farmers.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​To combat that destructive model, in 2012 a handful of agriculture experts founded the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) as an alternative to the monopolies. The model is similar to open source software — someone develops the seeds, and offers the resource for everybody to share.​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​About 50 seed breeders have already signed on with OSSI in the US to offer nearly 500 seed varieties, and other open source seed organizations are popping up in Europe, Argentina, India and more.

Using transparent solar cells, Swiss scientists developed windows that can generate electricity

Get lots of natural light while generating electricity? Scientists in Switzerland are making it possible with transparent solar cells that can be used to make electricity-gener ating windows — and they just reached a new efficiency record, too.

The low-cost dye-sensitized solar cells use photosensitized dye on a semiconductor surface that converts visible light into energy.