A new design for solar cells that uses inexpensive, commonly available materials could rival and even outperform conventional cells made of silicon.Writing in the Oct. 21 edition of Science, researchers from Stanford and Oxford describe using tin and other abundant elements to create novel forms of perovskite – a photovoltaic crystalline material that’s thinner, more…

A new high-performance 'aluminum-ion' battery could be the technical breakthrough needed to boost the renewable energy takeover. It's safe, uses abundant low-cost materials, recharges in one minute and withstands many thousands of recharge cycles.If this new battery lives up to expectations, it could propel a whole new chapter in the renewable takeover of the world's…