SOLAR POWER YOUR CAR

Running on Empty: Cars that Never Need Gas

There are hybrids. There are electric cars that plug into a wall and get their juice from whatever mix the electric company is offering. And then there are electic cars that are charged by solar panels on the roof of one's house. They never need gas, and the power is free after the set-up cost.

We wondered: How tough is it to do this? Are electric cars hard to find? Is it difficult to get a rooftop solar collector set up? Here are the stories of two guys whose vehicles run on empty.  Read more.

'MAJOR DISCOVER' FROM MIT PRIMED TO UNLEASH SOLAR REVOLUTION

Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage system

Anne Trafton, MIT News Office
July 31, 2008

In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine.
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