Technology Review: Briefings: Electricity

September/October 2009

The great electrification projects of the 19th and 20th centuries created a world where (at least in developed countries) electricity is as common as clean water. They also created a world addicted to fossil fuels. Globally, over 40 percent of electricity is generated from coal and another 20 percent from natural gas, releasing billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.

Read the full introduction »

» Intelligent Electricity

» Solar Power Will Make a Difference--Eventually

» Coping with CO₂

» Clean-Energy Bill Will Have Little Impact

» Giving Up on Grids

» Companies to Watch Private, and Public

» Research to Watch

» The Energy Belts

» Venture Capitalists Struggle with Renewables

» Q&A: Mark Little, Head of GE Global Research

Latest Electricity News

: A Boost for Battery Life and Capacity; By Kevin Bullis; Wednesday, July 28, 2010; Electric cars could benefit from a new manufacturing method.

: Fuel from the Sun; By Nidhi Subbaraman; Tuesday, July 27, 2010; The DOE funds a research center aimed at making artificial photosynthesis practical.

: Bumpy Coatings for Better Solar Cells; By Katherine Bourzac; Thursday, July 22, 2010; A simple method applies nanoscale texturing over large areas.

: Nanopillars that Trap More Light; By Prachi Patel; Friday, July 16, 2010; The new design could lead to cheaper solar cells.

Latest Electricity Video

Q&A: Mark Little, Head of GE Global Research: The head of research at GE discusses the stimulus package and new technologies for addressing climate change.

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