New research from Stanford University-based The Solution Group shows how 139 countries, including the US, China and European Union countries could go 100 percent renewables by 2050 while creating more than 24 million long-term jobs. At the same time implementing the plan would reduce air pollution-related deaths by 4 million to 7 million a year. It also would stabilize energy prices and create over $20 trillion in annual health and climate costs.

The overwhelming majority of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels available on the market today use silicon-based solar cells that are between 17 percent and 24 percent efficient at converting sunlight into electricity. But new research shows that multijunction silicon solar cells have reached 35.9 percent efficiency levels in testing, coming close to efficiency levels of much more expensive multijunction solar cells.

Renewable energy is cheap. Maybe it could help with cellphone bills, at least that might be one thought behind the newly launched “Hang up on Fossil Fuels” campaign by Green America to push AT&T and Verizon to move to 100 percent renewable energy. 

Solar and wind power weren’t singled out for impacting grid reliability in the official version of the Department of Energy’s grid reliability report, which was finally released last night (Aug. 23). It was feared that the report could be an attempt by the Trump (R) Administration to go on a witch hunt against renewable energy in support of coal and fossil fuels.

Audi is the latest car manufacturer to look into solar power to extend the range of electric or hybrid vehicles with solar power. Alta devices announced a new partnership with the luxury vehicle maker to develop automobiles with integrated high-efficiency solar cells and plan to have their fist prototype by the end of 2017.

As students head back to college Sierra magazine, has issued its 11th annual “Cool Schools” rankings, with a record breaking 227 higher education institutions in the US, and for the first Canada, participating. College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, ME, topped the list for the second time in a row, largely because commitment to become a 100 percent sustainable school. 

Solar power has boomed over the past decade from relatively nothing in worldwide to reach potentially more than 81 gigawatts (GWs) of new solar electric generation installed worldwide by the end of 2017, according to GreenTech Media. Solar could reach 390 GWs of installed electric generating capacity across the world by the end 2017—rivaling the 391.5 GWs of installed nuclear capacity. 

California-based solar installer HelioPower, which filed for bankruptcy in April 2017, has now announced its successful restructuring and has emerged from bankruptcy. Today (Aug. 22), the company announced that it’s completed its corporate and financial reorganization and has de-leveraged the company’s ongoing business while stabilizing its financial health.

Mississippi is becoming a solar leader in the southern US. With the approval of the 52.5 megawatt SR Meridian III solar project, Mississippi Power will soon have more than 160 megawatts of solar power online in the state. 

The Suniva case being heard by the International Trade Commission (ITC) got underway last week. Meanwhile SunPower announced a new pilot line to test advanced manufacturing. In other solar news an Illinois microgrid successfully islander itself from the grid to run only on batteries, wind and solar for 24 hours.