The Palo Alto Research Center has recently announced a collaboration with SolFocus, Inc. to produce a low-cost solar energy systems, which will employ PARC technology to cut the cost of solar power by as much as half.

The new technology found in PARC's solar cells feature a reliance on mirrors and lenses to better direct or "focus" the sun's light on to the area of active semiconductor PV cell material. This new research helps to eliminate one of the most expensive aspects of PV energy, that of the silicon or other simiconductor material. More information can be found on www.parc.com.

Amory Lovins, co-founder of the environemental think tank Rocky Mountain Institute, provides some ideas and proffers his thoughts on several energy topics such as hydrogen, wind, life without oil and a host of other topics.

Lovins has co-authored a fascinating book on similar ideas called Natural Capitalism. This book explores how leading-edge companies are practicing "a new type of industrialism" that is more efficient and profitable while saving the environment and creating jobs.

You can read the complete article at Discover Magazine.

The USDA has announced renewable energy grants and loans.

Loan for $176.5 million and also $11.4 million in grants will be available for investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements said the U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.

"The availability of these funds will further the Bush administration's goal to increase renewable energy from domestic sources," Johanns stated. "These loans and grants advance USDA's comprehensive energy strategy announced last December to help farmers, ranchers and rural business mitigate the impact of high energy costs and develop long-term solutions."

Under this renewable energy program, the maximum amount of a loan guarantee made to a borrower is $10 million. For renewable energy systems, the minimum grant request is $2,500 and the maximum is $500,000. For energy efficiency improvements, the minimum grant request is $1,500 and the maximum is $250,000. Rural development grants under the program will not exceed 25 percent of the eligible program costs and a combination of grants and guaranteed loans will not exceed 50 percent.

On recent stops across the US, President Bush has been pushing ideas broached in his most recent State of the Union speech touting the need to slake the United State's thirst for foreign oil.

Ideas he has been promoting include:

Lithium-ion batteries, like those currently used in cell phones and laptops, could be used to make hybrid vehicles more efficient.

Ethanol fuel derived from corn and other crops, could make it possible to provide a cheap replacement for gasoline. "We're coming up with a way to make something out of nothing," Bush said. Critics contend his funding for such projects fall short of the needed levels to sustain such research.

Bush has targetted 2020 as a deadline for widespread production of efficient and commercially viable hydrogen powered vehicles.

Bush proposed solar and wind resources for the energy used in buildings.