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A man installing a solar panel system in Morocco
Image: Ute Grabowsky/photothek/picture allianceImage: Ute Grabowsky/photothek/picture alliance

Solar power

The sun provides free energy for the taking in the form of photovoltaic or concentrated solar power. It's a big business that can help save our climate. But to what extent is this being used?

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All Content on this topic

DW Eco India (Sendungslogo)

Eco India - The Environment Magazine

The human-wildlife conflict in Mumbai, green lessons in Gujarat and shared solar power in Bangladesh
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 21, 201826:02 min
Players of the Forest Green Rovers in green jerseys seen from the side and the back

The vegan Rovers

How one English soccer club is trying to be the greenest in the world.
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 19, 2018
Light in a bottle for a village in Brazil

Light in a bottle for a village in Brazil

In Kalunga villages, light usually comes from diesel and kerosene lamps. Now bottled light could replace them.
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 18, 2018
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Brazil: Bringing light to the Kalunga

The NGO Litro de Luz is bringing solar power to Kalunga communities in Brazil.
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 17, 201802:10 min
Global Ideas Brasilien Solarlampen

Solar power for the Kalunga

The NGO Litro de Luz is bringing solar power to Kalunga communities in Brazil.
SocietyDecember 14, 201806:28 min
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Spain's going solar

Spain's socialist government is subsidizing solar again.
BusinessDecember 14, 201802:40 min
DW Sendung Made in Germany Mehr Licht

Made in Germany - Vegetable lamps, laser beams and solar engineers

MADE in Germany with stories on grow light gardening, laser beams and solar engineers.
BusinessDecember 11, 201826:03 min
DW Eco@Africa Teaser 2 mit Partnerlogo Kwesé

Eco@Africa - The Environment Magazine

This week, we discover innovations helping to combat climate change, from solar suitcases to plates made from wheat!
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 6, 201826:02 min
eco@africa Displaying the solar suitcase in a Kenyan classroom

Doing Your Bit: Solar suitcases

They look like ordinary suitcases, but can provide hours of power and light for rural schools and refugee camps.
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 6, 201801:59 min
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Solar panels made in Kenya

The company SOLINC in Naivasha is the first firm in Eastern Africa to produce photovoltaic devices.
BusinessNovember 29, 201801:16 min
Hard coal mine in Katowice, Poland

Poland's breakup with coal

Poland has long had a love affair with coal. Can it say goodbye and commit to renewables?
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 23, 2018
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Solar panels made in Kenya

The company SOLINC in Naivasha is the first firm in Eastern Africa to produce photovoltaic devices.
BusinessNovember 20, 201802:11 min
Woman in high-rise building looking out of window

Philippines: Solar power instead of coal

The coal sector has a powerful lobby in the Philippines. Time for green energy projects!
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 19, 201806:38 min
DW Global Ideas | Energy from the Heavens

Philippines: Energy from the Heavens

The Catholic church on the Philippines is fighting against coal power plants.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 19, 201800:15 min
Fruit and vegetable seller in Nigeria

Doing Your Bit: A solar-powered device to reduce waste

The start-up RenewDrive is using its innovation to help small scale farmers reduce agricultural waste across Nigeria.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 19, 201801:49 min
Solar panels in Kenya. Photo credit: DW.

How solar energy is lighting up Kenya's future

One new company is exploring the potential of solar power in Kenya and throughout East Africa.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 16, 201804:07 min
Ismael Abisai. Photo credit: DW.

Quote of the week

Nature and EnvironmentNovember 16, 2018
Wind turbines in Cape Verde. Photo credit: DW.

Renewable energy in the Cape Verde islands

The Cape Verde islands are looking to wind and solar power to bring down high energy bills.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 16, 201803:33 min
DW Eco@Africa Teaser 1 mit Partnerlogo Kwesé

Eco@africa — The Environment Magazine

On this week's eco@africa, biodiesel made from 'fatbergs', a tiny hydropower plant, and Kenya's solar future.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 16, 201826:00 min
Sonnensturm der auf dem Weg zur Erde

Solar Spectacle

The sun constantly sends eruptions of plasma and gas into space. Could they harm us on Earth?
ScienceNovember 11, 201803:36 min
Homes under construction

The surprising challenge of going solar in Florida

Building a solar-powered town is a challenge, even in sunny Florida. And not just for technical reasons.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 7, 2018
Bildergalerie Siemens Pannen

Morocco's bright future with solar

Using wind and solar power in the Sahara desert, Morocco is making headway with renewable energy.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 18, 201803:53 min
Walney Extension wind farm off Cumbria

Renewable energy sector not fast enough

Renewables are to account for more than 70 percent of growth in global electricity generation for the next five years.
BusinessOctober 9, 201801:27 min
Biogas plant in Germany

Bioenergy is 'overlooked renewables giant'

Bioenergy is forecast to lead the growth of all renewables in the next five years, a new IEA report shows.
BusinessOctober 8, 2018
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Solar power sprouts in shadow of Chernobyl

A new solar power plant has opened in Ukraine, a stone’s throw away from the site of Europe’s biggest nuclear calamity
BusinessOctober 8, 201802:00 min
Employees at SolarTech Universal in Riviera Beach, Florida, making solar panels

Sun shines on US solar industry

Despite trade tensions, soaring demand for clean power has prompted solar panel makers in the US to ramp up production.
BusinessOctober 1, 2018
Bildergalerie Die Wüsten in der arabischen Welt

Saudi Arabia holds huge solar project

Saudi Arabia and its partner SoftBank have reportedly shelved plans to build the world's largest solar power project.
BusinessOctober 1, 2018
DW eco@africa

Eco-at-Africa — The Environment Magazine

On this week's eco@africa: a recycled 'Ghetto Wardrobe,' a sanctuary for injured birds and a green car wash in Cameroon.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 27, 201826:00 min
DW eco@africa - Solar car wash

Cameroon's eco-friendly carwash

Using minimal water and powered by solar energy, one company in Cameroon is changing the way drivers clean their cars.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 27, 201803:26 min
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Fighting against industrial pollution in Tunisia

New eco-projects including a solar power station and tree plantations aim to improve Tunisia's environment.
BusinessSeptember 10, 201802:27 min
DW eco@africa - E-bikes in Namibia

Sunny future for e-bikes

In Namibia, SunCycles is making e-bikes powered by solar power, which are mobilizing more and more small businesses.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 24, 201804:24 min
DW eco@africa

Eco-at-Africa — The Environment Magazine

This time on eco@africa: Kenya's Colobus monkeys, e-bikes in Namibia's capital and wildlife city dwellers.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 23, 201826:04 min
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Solar chargers in Nigeria

The "Bright Hands" initiative helps to improve the power situation for the poor in Nigeria's largest slum.
August 21, 201801:56 min
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Bright future for Munich solar-car start-up

The Sion is being touted as the first mass-production electric car that can charge its batteries directly from the sun.
BusinessAugust 13, 201801:48 min
NASA Parker Solar Probe lifts off

NASA launches Parker Solar Probe to the sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe has embarked on a seven-year mission to examine the sun's atmosphere.
ScienceAugust 12, 2018
Parker Solar Probe visual

NASA delays launch of Parker Solar Probe

A last-minute technical glitch prompted the launch to be postponed less than two minutes before blast off.
ScienceAugust 11, 2018
09.2016 DW eco@africa Teaser mit Partner 2

Eco-at-Africa — The Environment Magazine

A Kenyan car park that produces solar energy and some spicy news from Zanzibar. This and more on the latest eco@africa.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 19, 201826:00 min
DW eco@africa - Solar car park in Kenya

Kenya's solar car park

In Kenya's capital Nairobi, cars and solar power make for an unusual combination.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 19, 201804:23 min
Deutschland Petersberg Windkraftanlagen

Wind energy's big disposal problem

Many of Germany's wind turbines must be decommissioned by 2023 — a big eco problem. But Jan Tessmer says he's hopeful.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 13, 2018
DW eco@africa - Milk transportation in Kenya

Kenya: a fresh idea to keep milk cool

Solar powered milk coolers, designed to fit onto donkeys and motorcycles, are helping Kenyan farmers sell more milk.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 28, 201803:42 min
DW eco@africa - RenewDrive and the power of solar energy

RenewDrive and the power of solar energy

In Nigeria, Babajide Oluwase has created a solar-powered machine that helps farmers cut agricultural waste.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 16, 201801:51 min
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Kickstarting Africa’s solar lamp production

One of the first companies to industrialize solar light production in Africa is Lagazel – but there are.
BusinessJune 12, 201802:21 min
Nigeria Präsident Muhamadu Buhari

Africa Link on Air - 05 June 2018

Cracks within Nigerian ruling party APC ahead of 2019 elections+++Zimbabwe opposition rallies to demand election reform
PoliticsJune 5, 201829:59 min
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Solar street furniture

Need a place to sit and charge your phone for free? Inventors in the Hungarian capital Budapest have designed just that!
Nature and EnvironmentMay 25, 201801:30 min
Elder georgian women

Sunny prospects in Georgia

Can local energy cooperatives help fight air pollution and deforestation in Georgia with a solar-powered fix?
Nature and EnvironmentMay 22, 2018
Fishermen in Kenya

Cooling with the sun

A startup in Kenya wants to revive Lake Victoria's ailing fishing businesses with an environmentally friendly fish farm.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 17, 2018
A worker on a ladder repairs a power line

Move to renewables won't leave Germans in the dark

Friends of the Earth Germany says climate goals can be met with renewable energy and without power blackouts.
PoliticsMay 4, 2018
DW eco@africa - Nneota Egbe

Welcome to eco@africa

On eco@africa this week, solar power for Somaliland, oyster harvesting in Gambia and caring for animals in Egypt.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 27, 2018
DW eco@africa - SomLite in Somaliland

Solar power for Somaliland

Abdishakur Mohamoud has started a company to bring electricity to Somaliland's poor rural population.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 26, 201804:27 min
DW eco@africa

Eco-at-Africa — The Environment Magazine

On eco@africa this week, solar power for Somaliland, oyster harvesting in Gambia and caring for animals in Egypt.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 26, 201826:00 min