Researchers and energy experts for years have toted the obvious environmental benefits of transitioning from fossil-fuel based energy to renewable technologies, such as wind and solar; but a new study out of Michigan Technology University has calculated the tremendous health benefits of this renewable energy transition, and the results are overwhelming.

Richard Lunt, the Johansen Crosby Endowed Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University, and his team have recently pioneered a new technology that could change the face of the the solar industry. This new technology is a transparent luminescent solar concentrator that can be placed on building surfaces to collect solar energy without impeding views.

In the wake of Hurricane Maria, many Puerto Ricans have been left in the dark. The massive storm left the island’s electrical grid in ruins, and three weeks later, the vast majority of its population remains without electricity. It can be difficult to rebuild in the aftermath of such a large natural disaster, but solar energy has the potential to bring new light to the territory.

New England states have been recognized as innovators in the clean energy space for the last decade. This week, Rhode Island proved that this title is still well-deserved. This Wednesday, Governor Gina Raimondo signed legislation supporting the growth of clean energy in Rhode Island.

The opening of this year’s Climate Week NYC was punctuated by the arrival of the latest wave of participants in a growing trend: Bank of America, General Motors, Wells Fargo & Co, VF Corp, and Apple joined The Climate Group’s RE100, an international coalition of corporations committed to adopting 100% renewable electricity. 

Each year, the proportion of renewable energy used to power U.S. homes and businesses has increased. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) releases a monthly electric power report to keep up with this evolving energy infrastructure. This February’s report includes milestones for solar development across the nation — growing over 40% in 2017 over 2016­ — solar energy is now the fastest growing segment of energy generation in the U.S.

On Monday, August 21, 2017, North America will bear witness to an eclipse of the sun. The path of totality- where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun's tenuous atmosphere- is a diagonal line which spans across fourteen states from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. Observers outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse.

In a continuation of what is now a growing trend of private sector-involvement, IKEA will soon become the largest non-utility owner of solar power in the state of Ohio. Boasting a potential of 1.21 MW potential from 3,546 PV panels, the Columbus, OH project is the second in the state for the house-ware giant; its Cincinnati store was topped with a 1.026 MW array in 2012.

When electrical contractors Todd Hickman and Steve Sgroi first installed solar panels on the roof of Todd’s own home back in 2011, they did it as a kind-of test, to determine whether the technology would be suitable for their residential and commercial customers. Upon seeing the immediate positive impact the system had on lowering not only Todd’s personal electric bill, but also on the environment, they were certain solar made sense.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) met for the 23rd time at the Bonn Climate Summit in Germany earlier last month. COP has met once a year since 1995 as an international forum to discuss and measure goals related to climate change. COP23 got very little international news coverage amidst recent national news stories in the United States, but it took place from November 6th- 17th to discuss the implementation of the COP21 Paris Agreement of 2015.

Apple has been a longtime advocate for green energy, especially solar. This spring, the company stated that all of its facilities, including offices, retail stores, and data servers, run on 100% renewable energy sources. Now, the latest news from their headquarters shows Apple's attempt to take responsibility for the company's global emissions. Executives recently announced their commitment to addressing climate change by investing in the China Clean Energy Fund.

In a letter published earlier this month, a coalition of 19 states and municipalities have appealed to President-elect Donald Trump to protect the Clean Power Plan, a rule that "reasonably limits emissions from fossil-fueled power plants". The Plan is a signature accomplishment of the Obama administration and is projected to eliminate 870 million tons of harmful gases by 2030-- equal to the yearly emissions of about 160 million cars, and 30% of carbon pollution.

Recent statistics have shown a promising future for global solar development. The most recent BP Statistical Review of World Energy has shown that renewable energy was the fastest growing energy source in 2017, with solar being a major contributor.

Global energy demand continues to rise with economic growth, but the growth of fossil fuel use is being hindered by that of renewable energy. New findings show that renewables accounted for 30% of all energy growth, a sizable chunk of the 2.1% increase in overall demand.

Solar power technology is spreading rapidly throughout the United States, having grown 95% in the last year, topping out at 14,626 megawatts of solar PV installed in 2016. But everyday people aren’t the only one’s realizing the benefits of solar power—a handful of environmentally conscious and trendsetting celebrities have recently demonstrated their passion for renewable energy by installed solar panels on their houses and speaking out in favor of renewable energy.