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"The German government has dubbed 2010 the "Energy Year" during which it will fund energy-related research projects with more than $600 million. It's one of the biggest challenges of our time: How should we shape our energy mix in times of a changing climate, dwindling natural resources and a growing demand for energy in quickly growing economies? Germany aims to tackle -- and maybe even answer -- this question this year with a multitude of events and funding efforts linked to the energy mix. "Financing energy research is among the top priorities of our science agenda," Germany's Science Minister Annette Schavan said Monday in Berlin. "The Energy Year is aimed at bringing into the middle of our society a debate about new solutions and concepts for the future energy mix." "

"Pike Research, who just released a report predicting that LEDs will account for almost half of the $4.4 billion commercial lighting business within the next decade."

Computing giant IBM and French electric utility EDF will together research ways to boost the efficiency of power plants and modernize electricity infrastructure, IBM announced today. The collaboration puts them in the thick of what's known as the smart grid industry,

"The UK wind industry is planning large offshore wind farms, some at considerable distance from shore and in deeper water. Round 3 sites are from 13 to 195 km from shore compared with 12 km for the most distant existing offshore wind farms. There is an urgent need to ensure that offshore wind turbine availability is underpinned by appropriate approaches to operations and maintenance supported by intelligent asset management. Glasgow is aiming to become a center of excellence in offshore wind through development of the ITREZ (International Technology and Renewable Energy Zone)."

University Park, Pa. -- A greener, less expensive method to produce hydrogen for fuel may eventually be possible with the help of water, solar energy and nanotube diodes that use the entire spectrum of the sun's energy, according to Penn State researchers. "Other researchers have developed ways to produce hydrogen with mind-boggling efficiency, but their approaches are very high cost," says Craig A. Grimes, professor of electrical engineering. "We are working toward something that is cost effective."

Storing solar energy in batteries remains costly and inefficient. But that may not be true for much longer. MIT researchers have discovered a way to store solar energy that could make solar power in homes a mainstream energy option and might even make power companies obsolete, at least for residential needs.

Last week, IBM announced a research breakthrough in photovoltaics (PV) technology that could significantly reduce the cost of harnessing the sun's power for electricity.

Researchers from SRI International recently completed the first ocean tests of a system that uses a so-called artificial muscle to generate power from the motion of a buoy riding up and down on the waves. The prototype produces very little electricity but the researchers say that wave farms based on the technology could eventually rival wind turbines in power output, providing a significant source of clean energy. The SRI system is not much more than a sheet of rubber attached to a weight. It has "the mechanical complexity of a rubber band," says SRI senior researcher Roy Kornbluh.

BOULDER, Colo. -- May 4 2009 - The wind energy industry has been battered by the global economic crisis, with market participants being dealt a severe blow by the credit crunch that began in 2008. However, the future prospects for wind energy remain bright, according to a new report from Pike Research. The cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that total installed wind generation capacity will reach 320 gigawatts (GW) in 2015, representing a 165% increase over 2008 levels.

Many modern manufacturing methods use an 'alarming' amount of energy, according to a study by researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The study reveals that new manufacturing methods consume, per pound of output, anywhere from 1000 to one million times more energy than traditional industrial processes. The research team looked at 20 different processes from heavy duty traditional industries such as cast iron to the high-tech manufacture of solar panels.