Solar power

Solar power barely existed in Puerto Rico before Hurricane Maria, but with the island suffering from a post-hurricane power crisis, solar companies see an opportunity to help — and get a foothold.

Prior to the signing of the Paris climate agreement, few nations saw India as a leader in climate policy. But in 2015, the world’s third-biggest CO2 emitter began a breathtaking transformation, embracing renewable energy and slashing growth in carbon emissions. Now, the country of 1.3 billion people is a leader in clean energy in the developing world.

Belgian researchers using solar-powered nanomaterials have decontaminated small amounts of polluted air with a process that simultaneously generates hydrogen, which can then be used for power.

Solar power accounts for just under 1.5 percent of electricity in the US, but there are now twice as many jobs in solar as there are in the coal industry. Can this trend help laid-off coal miners?

Times, they are a-changin’.