Articles about Solar power

The rooftop solar reset: Seattle startup launches platform to streamline financing and installation

Solar power is appealing, but the economics are tricky. Enter loanTERRA, a startup offering transparent financing and vetted installers. Read More

Water, power, and transparency: Amazon’s $12B data center deal signals a new era of accountability

Amazon announced a $12 billion data center project in Louisiana in which the company vowed to pay its own way for energy and other infrastructure. Read More

Jeff Thornburg at Portal Space Systems with vacuum chamber

Uncommon Thinkers: How Portal’s Jeff Thornburg plans to harness the heat of the sun in the cold of space

Before he became the CEO of Portal Space Systems, Jeff Thornburg worked for two of the world’s most innovative space-minded billionaires. Now he’s working on an idea those billionaires never pursued: building a spacecraft powered by the heat of focused sunlight. Read More

Radical's solar drone prototype flying over Oregon test range, as seen from above

Radical’s full-size prototype for a stratospheric drone makes first flight

Aerial test marks progress in quest to send solar-powered planes to high altitude for long-duration missions Read More

Jeff Bezos says orbital data centers will be the ‘next step’ for space ventures that make Earth better

What’s the next killer app for the final frontier? According to Jeff Bezos, it’s a future fleet of orbital data centers. Read More

Thruster glows during test in a vacuum chamber

Portal Space Systems brings its solar thermal propulsion system up to full power during test

Bothell, Wash.-based Portal Space Systems says it has successfully tested its solar thermal propulsion system at operational temperatures inside a… Read More

Seattle solar servicing company Omnidian to pay $7M for a slice of bankrupt Sunnova’s business

Seattle-based Omnidian, which manages solar power performance and services panels for commercial and residential installations, announced it aims to acquire… Read More

Seattle solar startup Omnidian names former Impinj leader as CFO after raising $87M

Omnidian, a startup specializing in solar power performance management, has hired Evan Fein as its new chief financial officer as… Read More

Illustration: Portal Space System's Supernova space vehicle in orbit

Portal Space Systems raises $17.5M for orbital spacecraft powered by solar heating

Bothell, Wash.-based Portal Space Systems says it has raised $17.5 million in seed funding to accelerate the development of its… Read More

Ribbon-cutting ceremony at Portal Space Systems

Portal Space Systems opens its doors for a sneak preview of solar propulsion system

BOTHELL, Wash. — From the outside, Portal Space Systems’ headquarters looks like a standard-issue office space in a Bothell business… Read More

Illustration: Portal Space Systems' Supernova satellite bus in orbit

Portal Space Systems comes out of stealth with satellites that’ll be fired up by the sun

A Seattle-area startup called Portal Space Systems is emerging from stealth to share its vision for a type of satellite… Read More

Seattle startup Omnidian, which helps maintain solar panels, raises $25M

Omnidian, a Seattle company that manages solar power performance and services the panels for commercial and residential installations, announced $25… Read More

NASA gives Blue Origin $34.7M to work on technology for making solar cells on moon

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture has won $34.7 million in funding from NASA to support the development of a… Read More

Solar cell made from simulated moon dirt

Blue Origin talks up technology that could eventually turn moon dirt into solar cells

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture isn’t just working on rockets and space stations: The Kent, Wash.-based company is also… Read More

How climate concerns and incentives are driving solar installations on Washington roofs

When Erin Bryn Fetridge and Ron Darling decided to put 20 solar panels on their roof this fall, one key… Read More

Tracking clean energy performance: Omnidian lands $33M to help companies manage solar assets

New funding: Seattle-based Omnidian announced a $33 million investment round today, bringing the climate tech company’s total funding to $53.4… Read More

Solar power nonprofit goes digital to bring installation instruction to underserved communities

When COVID-19 grounded travelers in early 2020, Chris Brooks and his team had to cancel more than a dozen teaching… Read More

Space Force will test solar power transmission during X-37B space plane’s next mystery flight

When a Boeing-built X-37B space plane is sent into orbit this month for the test program’s sixth flight, it will… Read More

‘Impossible Flight’ reveals the turmoil and technology of a solar plane’s global trek

From the outside, it looked as if the Swiss-led Solar Impulse project smoothly soldiered through adversity as its solar-powered plane… Read More

Tech Moves: Heyou Media appoints Mary Jesse as CEO; TraceMe adds to leadership team; and more

Heyou Media, the Seattle-based mobile media platform founded by actor and filmmaker Tom Skerritt, unveiled its new CEO Wednesday: Former… Read More

Elon Musk’s tweets about a solar rescue plan spark interest from Puerto Rico

A Twitter conversation about beefing up Puerto Rico’s hurricane-hit power grid with solar power and heavy-duty batteries is turning into… Read More

Jeff Bezos touts Amazon’s solar power campaign for fulfillment centers

Tesla CEO Elon Musk isn’t the only tech billionaire who’s high on solar power: Today, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos tweeted… Read More

Tesla CEO Elon Musk touts Semi truck and solar power during freewheeling Q&A

Billionaire Elon Musk’s Q&A sessions are traditionally the most entertaining part of Tesla’s annual shareholders meeting, and this year’s appearance… Read More

Elon Musk’s Tesla starts taking orders for solar glass roof tiles; delivery due this year

Tesla has started taking orders for traditional-looking glass roof tiles that soak up solar power to generate electricity. Installations are… Read More

Starbucks continues renewable energy push with deals to use wind and solar energy to power stores

About a month from now, a solar plant on a 260-acre site in North Carolina will open, and that will… Read More