Gasoline inefficiency statistic of the day

Solar prices have been dropping consistently for a decade in the U.S.

It is becoming easier for individuals and businesses to tap into renewable energy and reduce dependence on coal-fired plants as national average prices for solar systems drop in the U.S.

Solar system costs have been declining thanks to cheaper installation rates and lower module prices, according to a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study.

The study shows solar system prices dropping more than 30 percent in the U.S. between 1998 and 2008. The most significant drop has been in the prices of small, residential photovoltaic (PV) solar systems.

Buses can now keep passengers cool without endless idling and belching of diesel fuel into the air thanks to a new solar power-assist system developed by SunPods Inc.

A graphic artist's rendition of the CAR+.

Electric vehicles, even those at the more affordable end of the spectrum, are too pricey for most citizens of developing countries, countries whose emissions are increasing every day.

A new low-cost solar-powered electric vehicle has the potential to allow growth and consumerism in the developing world, at the same time cutting carbon outputs.

The electric vehicle, called the CAR +, was announced at the Greener Gadgets Conference in New York on Feb. 25. The vehicle has a solar panel on the roof, and is configured with identically-molded sections on the front and back to be manufactured easily.

An artist's rendition of the PlanetSolar catamaran. (PlanetSolar Photo)

What its builders say is the world's largest solar-powered boat, PlanetSolar, was unveiled in Germany today (Feb. 25) in anticipation of a planned trip around the world in 2011. The trip will be the first by a boat using exclusively solar power.

"(We have) an opportunity for our civilisation," notes the PlanetSolar team on its web site. "Using technology and our knowledge to improve our energy efficiency and promote renewable energies is the path towards a lasting world."

PlanetSolar will first hit the water in late March 2010 for testing. For the planned 2011 trip, the two-person crew will straddle the Equator as much as possible in order to maximize the amount of sunlight to power the vessel. The 40,000-kilometer trip is expected to last around 140 days