Posts Tagged solar energy
47% Efficiency for Solar Cells With Microscopic Folds and Wrinkles
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on April 30, 2012
Researchers have so far bent over backwards to find the best way to make solar cells as efficient as possible and just when you thought this is it – this one’s the best, here comes another one, claiming the exact same thing. So let’s hear the “microscopic folds” formula out, which reclaims an efficiency of [...]
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German Institute Integrates Highly-Efficient Solar Cells on Ski Helmets
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Green Electronics, Solar Power on March 7, 2012
Look at the picture. What do you see? A helmet, you’ll say. However, for the more experienced, this is not just any kind of helmet, but one that integrates solar cells as well. This application is one of the many solar cells are expected to endorse by the end of this year. The progress has [...]
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Bankrupt Kodak to Produce Thin-Film Solar Cells In Near Future
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on January 23, 2012
Every end is a beginning. We all heard that before. I guess it’s not Kodak’s turn to test it for itself, as the company filed for bankruptcy just at the end of last week. The announcement is still fresh, but Kodak already has a back-up plan: going into the solar business by manufacturing flexible solar [...]
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13 Year-Old Aidan Dwyer Uses Fibonacci Sequence to Improve Solar Power Collection
Posted by Mihai Sandru in New Inventions, Solar Power on January 19, 2012
Inspiration comes in a many forms, or rather at many ages – you just have to recognize it. For example, you can feel inspired by 13-year-old Aidan Dwyer, who applied a very frequent mathematical principle found in nature to boost the solar panels’ performance. And quite successfully, we might add: by using the Fibonacci sequence [...]
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Spanish Consortium Equips Greenhouses With Photovoltaic Panels
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on January 17, 2012
When we hear about solar panels, most of us think about them being perched up high on a roof to generate electricity for people. This time, Spain’s ULMA Agrícola consortium and Tecnalia research center attached the photovoltaic solar panels to greenhouses to grow perfectly healthy tomatoes and peppers. According to Basque Research, the worry was [...]
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Wagan Tech Launches Two Affordable Portable Solar Generators
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on January 9, 2012
The Solar e Power Series includes 2 generators, which have been designed to help isolated communities. The best part about them is that they produce energy without the fumes and noises that traditionally accompany the process. The “bigger brother” of the two – the Solar e Power (TM) Cube 1500 – can be wheeled in [...]
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Record-Breaking Voltage for Organic Solar Cells Obtained by Molecular Solar Ltd
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on October 21, 2011
Molecular Solar Ltd, a spinoff from the University of Warwick has made great progress in the solar energy field by managing to achieve the record-breaking 4 volts per cell in organic solar cells. That means that these photovoltaic cells now have the possibility of being produced for commercial uses in a wide range of consumer [...]
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The New Solar-Powered AirCon System for Cars Helps Drivers Save Fuel
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on October 12, 2011
PolyU’s Department of Electrical Engineering in collaboration with Green Power Industrial Ltd have developed a solar-powered air-conditioning system for vehicles that allows drivers to turn it on without consuming any drop of gasoline. “Drivers of minibuses or taxis can now switch off the engine but continue to stay cool while waiting for passengers at the [...]
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Latin America's First Solar Auto Competition Won By a Chilean Car
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on October 3, 2011
Atacama Solar Challenge, Latin America’s first big solar auto competition has a winner: Alejandra Oyarzo, pilot of the Universidad de La Serena’s Intikalpa team arrives in Antofagasta, 1300 Km north to Santiago, Chile. The Intikalpa (which means solar energy) team managed to travel 1,060 kilometers, beating 30 entries from seven countries across the Americas. The [...]
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Diamond-Power Skylight Panels Harvest Solar Energy And Reduce Building Overheating
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on August 25, 2011
Skylights are used in building designs, often being the key for a great view and also help reduce the amount of electricity during daytime. Now, thanks to California-based EnFocus, skylights are about to provide energy to actually run that artificial lighting and other electrical equipment. As the company said, the new Diamond-Power panels are able [...]
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Australian Soldiers To Power Their Devices Using Bendable Solar Panels
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on August 17, 2011
The Australian National University (ANU) has recently developed wearable lightweight solar panels that will be used by Australian soldiers in order to power their devices in the field. The panels are able to convert light directly into energy using the SILVER solar cell technology. Designed specifically for the Department of Defense, the SILVER bendable solar [...]
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New Technologies To Improve The World's Next Largest Photovoltaic Plant
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on August 8, 2011
The United States is one step closer to building a giant solar power project that will bring 400 new green jobs to Arizona. Dubbed Agua Caliente, the new 290-megawatt solar facility will be based on two new technologies that are expected to improve the predictability and reliability of the energy produced by solar power plants [...]
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U.S. Photovoltaic Market to Double, Says SolarBuzz Forecast
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on August 8, 2011
According to a study made by Solarbuzz, the United States’ solar photovoltaic (PV) market is to double in 2011. Due to the latest 17 gigawatt solar project, the Port Washington, NY-based research firm is convinced that the US solar PV market will reach 6.4 GW by the end of 2015.
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Copper Mountain Solar 2: 150 MW Solar Power Plant To Be Built in South Nevada
Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on August 5, 2011
California-based Sempra Generation has succeeded completing the construction of the United States’ largest photovoltaic power plant in Boulder City, CO. Now the same company wants to build the second solar energy plant in South Nevada, much bigger than the first one.
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