Innovations in Solar Power
Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies use mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect the solar energy and convert it to heat. This thermal energy can then be used to produce electricity via a steam turbine or heat engine driving a generator.

Solar Absorption Cooling
Solar heat can be used to displace electricity used for cooling. Absorption chillers use a heat source, such as natural gas or hot water from solar collectors, to evaporate the already-pressurized refrigerant from an absorbent/refrigerant mixture. Condensation of vapors provides the same cooling effect as that provided by mechanical cooling systems. Although absorption chillers require electricity for pumping the refrigerant, the amount is very small compared to that consumed by a compressor in a conventional electric air conditioner or refrigerator. Solar Absorption Cooling systems are typically sized to carry the full air conditioning load during sunny periods.

Energy Storage
Delivery of energy to the market in response to demand is an ongoing challenge for renewables. Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have discovered a solution to the problem of reliable storage for alternative energy: a bacteria that can convert electricity to methane when combined with CO2. Any surplus power from wind, solar, or tidal sources is fed into the bacteria and combined with CO2 from the atmosphere to create methane for storage. Methane is a clean-burning gas and 80% of energy fed into the process was retained at the end. The removal of carbon from the atmosphere is an added bonus; and one which could pay additional dividends in the form of Carbon Credits once those markets are established.

Algae-based Biofuels
Algae is poised to become the prime feedstock for the production of biofuels for a number of reasons: it grows much faster than corn, soybeans or jatropha, multiplying its weight several-fold in the course of a day. Theoretically, one acre of algae can produce 40 times the energy produced by an acre of corn. And it doesn't need prime farmland... a brackish pool of water in a sunny area suits it just fine. But one advantage may eventually tip the scales: Algae needs lots of carbon dioxide to grow fast opening up the possibility to use power-plant emissions to boost the production of algae potentially cutting carbon-dioxide emissions from a gas or coal plant by 80%. Turning food into fuel doesn't make much sense, but turning waste and even pollution into fuel does.