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Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009

UC awarded grant to research solar energy

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As the world's hunger for energy grows and fossil fuel supplies become less certain, scientists are looking for ways to develop alternative renewable energy sources.

The most abundant source of renewable energy is the sun, but current technology used to convert sunlight into electricity still is relatively costly for wide-scale use. That's why researchers at the University of California at Merced are looking for ways to make solar energy more efficient and cheaper.

The university, along with UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz, was awarded a five-year $2.25 million grant that will fund a solar energy research program. Some of the categories researchers will cover include development of novel photovoltaic devices, which convert sunlight into electricity, and thermal energy for cooling buildings and other applications.

For more information, visit www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/21649.