electricity

Visitors to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum wait for it to reopen after widespread power outages caused many of the buildings along the National Mall in Washington to shut down temporarily on Tuesday.

National

Power Outages Hit Parts Of Washington, D.C., Including The White House

3:19pm April 07, 2015

by Jackie Northam

Several government buildings, including the Capitol and the State Department were affected. The problem was traced back to a transmission line in southern Maryland.

Without horsepower, they rely on human power: Mother and daughter-in-law Sheela and Sunita Devi shred sugarcane into feed.

World News

What's It Like To Live Without Electricity? Ask An Indian Villager

8:19am February 18, 2015

by Julie McCarthy

Some 77 million Indian households depend on kerosene lamps and candles when the sun goes down. Green entrepreneurs are looking to spread the light with affordable solar panels.

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Elizabeth Ebinger in Maplewood, N.J., bought her solar panels, while neighbor Tim Roebuck signed a 20-year lease. Both are happy with the approach they took, and both are saving money on energy bills.

The Great Solar Panel Debate: To Lease Or To Buy?

12:12pm February 10, 2015

by Jeff Brady

More homeowners are cutting energy costs by installing solar panels, due in part to leasing programs that require no up-front investment. Leasing means less hassle, but may also save you less money.

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Normal outlets are always live at 120 volts, but the Brio Safe uses embedded sensors to accurately identify a plug before delivering a current.

Weekly Innovation: A Smart Power Outlet That Can't Shock You

2:21pm December 12, 2014

by Samantha Raphelson

Kids often hurt themselves when they put their fingers into electrical outlets, but the Brio Smart outlet prevents injury by using sensors to differentiate between human touch and an electric plug.

Politics & Government

Should Homeowners With Solar Panels Pay To Maintain Electrical Grid?

12:14pm December 11, 2014

by Peter Overby

Utilities say consumers who put solar panels on their roofs should help pay to maintain the lines that carry the power they sell back into the system. Panel leasing firms say that's anti-competitive.

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These button cell batteries can prove too tempting for toddlers looking for something to put in their mouth

Health & Safety

Armor For Batteries Could Protect Hungry Kids From Harm

12:42pm November 05, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

Thousands of children swallow tiny batteries used in watches, calculators and toys each year. A team from MIT and Harvard is working on a pressure-sensitive insulating shield to prevent damage.

A man sells products by candlelight at a grocery during a blackout in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Saturday.

World News

Lights Back On In Bangladesh After Nationwide Blackout

3:36pm November 02, 2014

by Scott Neuman

The failure of a link that supplies electricity from neighboring India is suspected to have caused the massive outage on Saturday.

A customer walks past a sales counter in a shopping mall during a blackout in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday. Bangladesh was hit by a nationwide blackout on Saturday after a transmission line bringing electricity from neighboring India failed.

World News

National Blackout: Bangladesh Hit By Massive Power Outage

4:41am November 02, 2014

by Bill Chappell

The blackout struck around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, after a connection that brings power in from India tripped. Most of the country's more than 160 million people were without power for hours.

In Del Norte, Colo., Public Works Supervisor Kevin Larimore shows off solar panels that provide electricity for the town's water supply. Despite generating its own solar energy, the town is still at risk of a blackout if its main power line goes down.

When The Power's Out, Solar Panels May Not Keep The Lights On

7:50pm September 17, 2014

by Dan Boyce

With the price of solar panels falling, more municipalities and homeowners are installing them. But having solar panels doesn't mean you won't lose power in a blackout — at least not yet.

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