The federal government has picked three venture capital firms to take promising energy technology ideas from national laboratories and try them in practice in companies.

An increasing number of private individuals supply their excess energy, from external energy sources (windmills and solar cells), to the electricity grid and only take energy from the grid when necessary. Dutch-sponsored researcher Haimin Tao examined how this externally generated energy can be better stored and transferred.

Solar cells have attracted global attention as one of the cornerstones of alternative energy. In theory, it seems to make abundant sense to tap into the energy of the sun to convert light to electricity with little or no emission of noxious pollutants.

According to a new IBM survey, the majority of consumers in developed nations are willing to pay more for eco-friendly energy. The study also reveals a paradox: consumers clearly want more choices about the type of energy they buy, but are unaware of the range of options available to them.

Scientists in Pennsylvania are reporting development of a fuel cell that uses pollution from coal and metal mines to generate electricity, solving a serious environmental problem while providing a new source of energy.

On Tuesday, Google announced a new strategic initiative aimed at producing electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal power that is cheaper than electricity produced from coal. Google plans to spend tens of millions of dollars on research and development in 2008, and to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to bring energy projects to market.

As the quest for alternative energy intensifies, space has become the new frontier for energy security. The US Defence Department is planning to put more of its resources into developing alternative energy sources, and its latest proposal involves outer space.

Engineers at Ohio State University have found a way to turn discarded chicken eggshells into an alternative energy resource.

The nuclear power industry is riding the green wave back into public favor with its promise of a low-carbon solution to our growing energy needs. But even as the industry struggles to dictate what role nuclear can realistically play, it is bound by a global energy landscape—from solar to carbon sequestration—that is still predominantly shaped by the marketplace.

Research projects by the University of Bath into cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels have been chosen to be showcased at a prestigious scientific festival.