Renewable and Alternative Energy

People have developed systems to harvest and store energy from sources such as wind, sunlight, and tidal action. Many of these installations are visible from orbit.
One of the Largest Batteries in the World
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One of the Largest Batteries in the World

Michigan’s Ludington Pumped Storage Plant uses excess electricity to pump water uphill, which generates power when it flows back down.

Published May 10, 2024

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Solar and Batteries Go Big in the Desert
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Solar and Batteries Go Big in the Desert

A chart-topping solar-plus-storage project in the Mojave became fully operational in January 2024.

Published Feb 7, 2024

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Peralta Wind Farm, Uruguay
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Peralta Wind Farm, Uruguay

The array of turbines is an example of Uruguay’s rapid adoption of wind power.

Published Dec 18, 2023

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The World’s Largest Freshwater Wind Farm
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The World’s Largest Freshwater Wind Farm

Windpark Fryslân can produce enough electricity to power about half a million homes in the Netherlands.

Published Jul 31, 2023

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The Geysers of California
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The Geysers of California

Hot springs and fumaroles dot this misnamed geothermal field that hosts the world’s largest complex of power plants capturing subterranean heat.

Published Sep 5, 2022

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Solar Takes a Swim
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Solar Takes a Swim

As countries look to decarbonize their economies, floating solar farms have become an option.

Published Aug 22, 2022

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Spring in the Tennessee Valley
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Spring in the Tennessee Valley

Greening valleys and sinuous reservoirs near Knoxville stand out in this April satellite image.

Published Apr 21, 2022

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Keeping a Satellite Eye on GERD
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Keeping a Satellite Eye on GERD

Remote sensing could help experts monitor Nile hydrology as a new reservoir is filled.

Published Apr 20, 2022

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A Grand New Dam on the Nile
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A Grand New Dam on the Nile

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will boost electricity production and development in Ethiopia, but could have less desirable consequences for other users of Nile River water.  

Published Apr 19, 2022

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A Renewable Future for Fukushima
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A Renewable Future for Fukushima

Solar and wind farms now cover fields that were abandoned after the nuclear accident in 2011.

Published Apr 14, 2022

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Soaking Up Sun in the Thar Desert
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Soaking Up Sun in the Thar Desert

The Thar desert’s abundance of open space and sunshine make it an ideal place for solar power.

Published Feb 19, 2022

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The Braided Paraná
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The Braided Paraná

South America’s second-longest river forms part of the border between Argentina and Paraguay.

Published Dec 19, 2021

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Capturing Wind on Maui
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Capturing Wind on Maui

Kaheawa Wind Power facilities provide 10 to 15 percent of this Hawaiian island’s electric power.

Published Nov 14, 2020

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Yangtze Dams Spill Water
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Yangtze Dams Spill Water

As water levels rise from excessive monsoon rainfall, dam operators discharge water through spillway gates.

Published Jul 24, 2020

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A Sea of Color and Wind
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A Sea of Color and Wind

Phytoplankton and sediment produced a vivid display in this relatively shallow sea between Great Britain and northern Europe.

Published Apr 9, 2020

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Slowly Flooding History
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Slowly Flooding History

The 12,000-year old town of Hasankeyf could soon be underwater due to the construction of a new dam.

Published Mar 17, 2020

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The Largest Solar Power Plant in Europe (For Now)
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The Largest Solar Power Plant in Europe (For Now)

The 500-megawatt Núñez de Balboa photovoltaic plant in Spain will supply energy to 250,000 people per year.

Published Mar 7, 2020

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Sediment Sloshes in Solway Firth
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Sediment Sloshes in Solway Firth

Fjords and funnel-shaped bays and inlets are often the scene of dramatic tidal changes and sediment loads.

Published Dec 7, 2019

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Lake Oahe, South Dakota
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Lake Oahe, South Dakota

The fourth largest man-made reservoir in North America extends from Pierre, South Dakota, to Bismarck, North Dakota.

Published Dec 8, 2019

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Catching Rays in the Desert
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Catching Rays in the Desert

Egypt is near completion of one of the world’s largest solar energy installations.

Published Oct 19, 2019

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Solar-Powered China
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Solar-Powered China

China has more capacity to generate solar power than any other country, but getting the power to where it is most needed can be a challenge.

Published Jun 17, 2019

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The Smoking Terror
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The Smoking Terror

Momotombo in western Nicaragua is an active stratovolcano and a source of renewable energy.

Published Dec 3, 2018

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Smog Smothers Solar Energy in China
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Smog Smothers Solar Energy in China

Reducing air pollution could increase the country's solar power potential.

Published Apr 26, 2018

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A New Reservoir in Cambodia
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A New Reservoir in Cambodia

People from several villages had to relocate to make way for a new dam that will give the country’s supply of electricity a boost.

Published Feb 24, 2018

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Reshaping the Xingu River
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Reshaping the Xingu River

Construction of the Belo Monte Dam has transformed a major tributary of the Amazon River in northern Brazil.

Published Oct 6, 2017

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Longyangxia Dam Solar Park
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Longyangxia Dam Solar Park

For now, this solar park in China’s western province of Qinghai is the largest in the world.

Published Feb 16, 2017

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Offshore Wind Farms Make Wakes
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Offshore Wind Farms Make Wakes

Wind farms in the North Sea give rise to sediment plumes below the water’s surface.

Published Nov 8, 2016

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Texas: An Energy Powerhouse
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Texas: An Energy Powerhouse

The Lone Star State leads the nation in energy production from both wind and oil.

Published May 28, 2016

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Solar in the Sahara
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Solar in the Sahara

In Morocco, an expansive solar power complex begins to take shape at the “door of the desert.”

Published Jan 10, 2016

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Growth of Solar in the Gobi Desert
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Growth of Solar in the Gobi Desert

An increasing number of solar panels take advantage of the desert’s copious sunshine.

Published Jun 17, 2015

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