solar energy Archives – The Green Optimistic

New Solar Cells With 60% Efficiency Can Now Replace Coal

Arsenij Percov — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 18:00:20 +0000

A team of researchers from the University of Exeter developed a solar cell with a record 60% efficiency. The idea behind this breakthrough is similar to using a “funnel”: corralling an amorphous collection of electrical charges into a more precise area, where they can be transferred into use. Using this idea, the researchers increased the […]

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Mission SolarStratos – Electric Solar Airplane that Will Fly at 80,000 Feet

Arsenij Percov — Sat, 28 Jul 2018 12:50:09 +0000

The two-seat electric solar airplane Mission SolarStratos aims to break the 80,000 ft (24,400 km) electric flight record by 2020. This airplane has already shown itself when it flew around the globe. However, this goal is even more ambitious. It will have to fly two times higher than the highest commercial jetliner using only sun’s […]

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Solar Panel That You Can Make at Home For $30

Arsenij Percov — Sat, 21 Jul 2018 20:02:36 +0000

Solar panel and solar power are among the hottest topics in social media right now. However, the majority of people think that they are very expensive. Instructables’ user BrotherJames8765 doesn’t think so, he built a solar panel for less than $30. It doesn’t include all the downstream gizmos of the panel’s output such as regulators, […]

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Will Solar Energy Overtake Wind Sooner than Expected?

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 18:19:26 +0000

By 2028, the world will be mostly powered by solar energy. This is the bold prediction of Ray Kurzweil, the man who also predicted the mobile internet, cloud computing, and wearable technologies about two decades ago. The basis? Starting from 0.5 percent in 2012, the global market share of solar power doubles every two years […]

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Double-glazed Solar Panels: New Approach to Solar Energy Efficiency

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 18:46:50 +0000

Upon acknowledging that at present, the improvement of solar cell’s efficiency has already reached its maximum with only gradient increases if any, the two physicists from the University of Warwick, Coventry took the works of Einstein and Tesla as inspiration and came up with a new design of solar panels – double-glazing. The proposed solar […]

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Insolight Boldly Claim Record Solar Cell Efficiency

Courtney Lepping — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 18:37:14 +0000

Insolight, which became an official solar company in 2015, recently made the claim that its new solar panel designed for residential installations is ‘twice as efficient’ than the norm. How? It claims to have a solar energy conversion rate of 36.4 percent. 34.6 percent is pretty much double the conversion rates of popular solar cells. […]

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Mechanism Will Make Solar Cells Absorb More Visible Light

Courtney Lepping — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 20:35:55 +0000

Solar energy comprises different wavelengths of light. While 43 percent of solar energy is visible light, 5 percent is UV light. It’s important for materials to absorb visible light in order for solar cells to present better, more efficient energy sources. This concept generally encompasses light harvesting, or using the sun for energy. In a […]

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Tandem Silicon and Perovskites Solar Cell boost Energy Absorption

Guest Contributor — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 21:29:05 +0000

It has been a challenge for decades until the time being, to avid solar cell innovators and scientists, how to tweak the design and what material to use, just to completely absorbed the wide solar spectrum of about 300 to 2500 nanometer. Commercial Silicon (Si) based Photovoltaic (PV) cell’s performance, ranges 17 to 20 percent […]

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Google’s Project Sunroof Expands to Nine States

Samantha Joe — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 21:13:29 +0000

The mission of Google is to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” While the first instinct is to think about the search engine and its continuous efforts to catalog and rank websites in search, the company also has physical world projects like Google Maps and Google Flights. Project Sunroof is […]

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Researchers Find Alternative Way to Clean Oil Sands Wastewater

Annika Tostengard — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 07:44:08 +0000

Contaminants in wastewater left after drilling in Canadian oil sands can remain in the environment for years. It is an environmental pollutant and can also be harmful to human health. However, researchers at the University of Waterloo have come up with an alternative way to clean water left after drilling operations, and it is both […]

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A Solar Power Farm is Reviving Rwanda

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 07:43:49 +0000

The Rwandan government is desperately searching for more energy – in 2013, they only had 1110 megawatts, according to Twaha Twagirimana, the supervisor at the new solar plant built just last year. At 8.5 megawatts, it resembles the shape of the African continent from above. In fact, the contract for the new solar field was signed […]

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Australian Company to Ship Hydrogen to Japan as Renewable Energy Source

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 21:44:00 +0000

Australian company Renewable Hydrogen plans to harness solar energy to make hydrogen and “bottle it and ship it to Japan on a true industrial scale”, as executive director Andrew Want told ABC. The process uses solar energy to electrolyze purified seawater, separating hydrogen from oxygen, that then gets converted to ammonia for shipping. The energy […]

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Solar Panels will Raise the Price of Your Home, Says Study

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 05:49:25 +0000

If your house has rooftop solar panels installed, it is now officially worth more money, according to research from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. They estimate that these homes are worth 3-6% depending on location, which ranges anywhere from $10,000 to $22,000. The Berkeley Lab collected data about the values of homes in certain regions over a […]

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Anyone can Build this DIY Cheap Solar Energy Concentrator

Annika Tostengard — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 04:42:00 +0000

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to get some DIY solar energy right now, we may have just the solution for you. Go.Sol, a company dedicated to spreading cheap, sustainable solar energy throughout the world, has released a design for a solar concentrator that can be built for just $79-$145. Called the Sol1, it […]

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Clean Energy Sources Will Provide 26% Electricity by 2020

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 04:47:12 +0000

Despite the push for clean energy sources over the past couple years, it is still easy to get discouraged by climate change. There is still so much we have to do and it still seems so far away. We all know that a couple of wind farms or solar panels aren’t going to do much good. However, […]

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How Solar Power Benefits Low-Income Communities

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 06:52:30 +0000

The obvious environmental benefits of solar power may soon improve community health as well. California will allocate $100 million dollars every year to install rooftop solar panels on low-income communities if the governor approves new legislation. Residential photovoltaics (PV) are still expensive to install, despite down-the-road savings on utility bills, but the new program will save money for […]

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Solar Refrigerators Use Salt to Store Energy During Off Hours

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 04:47:56 +0000

Solar-powered refrigerators will go completely off the grid if a certain team of Australian researchers has anything to do with it. They have recently won the Australian Museum’s Eureka Prizes for their breakthrough with a salt-based material that can store energy. Glaciem Cooling Technologies is working on commercializing the idea, so the system may be available […]

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Universities Receive Free Solar Power Generators from DC Solar

Annika Tostengard — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:30:39 +0000

Universities are often caught between the bottom line and their responsibility to the environment. Since electricity costs are still currently so low, monetary concerns often overshadow environmental ones. To combat this problem, Californian company DC Solar Freedom, in collaboration with DC Solar Distribution, will grant free solar power generators to many colleges and universities across […]

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Obama’s New Energy Plan Helps Homeowners Go Green

Annika Tostengard — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:27:58 +0000

The President has just announced a new plan to help homeowners get access to renewable energy. Barack Obama plans to use financial incentives to help develop and disperse solar energy, calling on the Department of Energy to provide $1 billion for research projects as well as tax breaks for those who choose to use alternative energy in […]

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Scientists Use Photosynthesis as Source of Solar Energy

Annika Tostengard — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 06:35:29 +0000

Australian researchers have found a new way to use a very old source of solar energy. Plants have been converting sunlight into energy for millions of years, and the team at Monash University in Melbourne have built a device that can do the same thing. The photosynthetic device is even more efficient than traditional solar […]

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The Immortus: A Sports Car Powered by Solar Energy

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 11:27:40 +0000

EVX Ventures, an Australian-based company, has created a sports car that runs entirely on solar energy. Called the Immortus, the car contains 7 sq m, or 75 sq ft, of solar voltaic paneling. On sunny days, the vehicle is capable of travelling an unlimited distance at a speed of greater than 37 mp/h. Being a sports car, […]

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Perovskite Solar Cells Give ROI in as Little as 3 Months

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 08:00:54 +0000

Perovskite solar cells are considered to have great potential in producing energy, but researchers at Northwestern University and the US Department of Energy claim that these solar cells can provide a return on investment after only three months. This is ten times faster than current cells, which are made of silicon. Solar panels do leave […]

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Solar Power Plants Replace Abandoned Japanese Golf Courses

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 06:13:38 +0000

Japan has come up with an innovative way to use several abandoned golf courses. The courses were initially built during the ’80s when golf was extremely popular in the country. In 2015, the sport is losing fans, so much so that 40% less golf is being played in Japan than in the 1990’s. Kyocera has instead […]

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Tiny Solar-Powered Modular Home Can Travel Anywhere

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 19:19:13 +0000

This home may be tiny, but it can go anywhere – it’s basically a luxury tent. The POD-Idladla, as it is called, is entirely solar-powered and can be customized to meet personal preferences. The homes are also designed to stand alone or can be connected to other modular pods. While the POD-Idladla is built to house two […]

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DIY: How to Make a Flower Pot that Harvests Solar Energy

Annika Tostengard — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 20:48:43 +0000

Some people find solar panels to be less than pleasing to the eye. Some people just like to tinker. If you belong to one of these groups, consider this cute flower pot that secretly generates solar energy. Check out how to make one below: 1. What You’ll Need 7805 Voltage Regulator Heat sink for […]

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China Adds 7.7 GW of Solar Power, Says Internal Report

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 07:16:31 +0000

When encouraging new solar projects, it’s important to promote quality over quantity. This distinction may become relevant to the debate soon, as China’s National Energy Administration released a report stating that the country has added 7.7 GW of solar power to their grid in the first six months of 2015. 6.69 GW comprised of utility-scale, […]

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SunPort: The Outlet Extender that Offsets its Carbon Footprint

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 06:17:41 +0000

A crowdfunding campaign from a company called SunPort is seeking funding for an outlet extender that offsets the carbon footprint of whatever device is being powered. It looks like a typical converter for electrical outlets, but instead of making a two-prong outlet into a three-prong one, it records the amount of electricity that was used and […]

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How Much Renewable Power Americans Actually Use

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 05:31:38 +0000

A new FERC estimate says 18% of the electricity used by the United States in June came from renewable sources, and 98% of new electricity sources built in the same month were sources of renewable power, Zach from CleanTechnica reports. While the change is indeed slow, the country is becoming less and less reliant on oil […]

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5 Reasons the Price of Utility Solar is Higher than Reported

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 11:20:02 +0000

Last week, a report concluded that utility solar was more cost-effective than residential solar. It implied that everyone would be better off letting utility companies produce or buy solar, with residential solar falling to the wayside. John Farrell, of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, published an article refuting the report’s findings. Here are five reasons […]

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Massive Israeli Solar Energy Project Announced

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 07:11:28 +0000

Israel made a deal on Sunday to build a 121-megawatt solar energy plant that can power over 69,000 homes and mitigate 463,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The new project, along with two nearby plants, will also provide 2% of the country’s electricity. The $1 billion deal will help Israel reach their goal of generating 10% of […]

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Solar Powered iPhone May Be Available Soon

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 07:11:02 +0000

A patent has been given to Apple after they filed their design for an iPhone that uses solar power to charge throughout the day. The solar panels would be hidden behind the touchscreen. The patent does not explicitly explain how the technology works, but that means it could also be used for other Apple products […]

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Obama’s Solar Plan: 7 Things You Need to Know

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 04:37:53 +0000

Solar energy created jobs 10 times faster than any other industry last year, so it is no wonder the Obama administration puts solar at the forefront of their alternative energy plans. Their new initiative will help low-and-median-income families afford solar systems in their houses, and also will provide new jobs in the solar sector. To help solar become an […]

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Solar Impulse News: Grounded for Now

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 19:57:46 +0000

After breaking the record for longest flight without refueling, Solar Impulse is grounded in Hawaii. The solar-powered plane’s batteries were damaged during the trek from Japan to Hawaii, and it is expected that it will not be able to fly again until next year. While this is bad news for the Solar Impulse team as well as […]

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Solar Power Company Offers Cheapest Electricity Ever

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 13:38:45 +0000

The record for the cheapest electricity has been broken yet again, this time by two Nevada solar companies, who have made a deal with a subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The deal has yet to be approved by Nevada regulators, but it is expected that they will make a decision by the end […]

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Largest Solar Plant Ever Built Under Construction This Year

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 10:59:13 +0000

The largest solar plant ever built is under construction in Oman. Interestingly, the solar panels are being used by an oil rig in order to extract hard-to-extract fossil fuels. The CEO of GreenPoint, which is the company behind this giant undertaking has stated that he expects the new solar panels to reduce natural gas consumption by […]

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Solar Energy Production Made Easier with New Chip

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:03:25 +0000

A step forward for solar energy production was announced today when researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced that they have developed a new converter chip that can collect even tiny amounts of solar energy with 80% efficiency. This new green technology will be useful in environments where solar is not always practical […]

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Solar Powered Noise Barriers Installed on Dutch Highway

Annika Tostengard — Sun, 05 Jul 2015 04:44:13 +0000

In the Netherlands, new solar powered noise reduction barriers have been installed along the side of the A2 highway. These new solar energy innovations are particularly interesting because the barriers, which are brightly colored and pleasant to look at, will also collect solar energy. The barriers are known as Solar Noise Barriers (SONOB) and their […]

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Solar Impulse 2 Finally Reaches Hawaii

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 19:16:36 +0000

The world’s first solar energy plane landed in Kalaeloa Airport around six AM this morning after flying all the way from Japan across the Pacific. Andre Borschberg, the pilot, reportedly made the landing very gently. He has gotten almost no sleep this week, but he has just broken the record for the longest manned, solar-powered flight. Borschberg spent […]

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Hydrogen Production and Solar Energy Storage Boosted by New Catalyst

Mila Luleva — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 11:46:11 +0000

A catalyst that increases both hydrogen production and solar energy storage has been developed in a unique experiment conducted in a famous Stanford chemical lab. The substance can be used to solve the two most highly discussed issues in the field of renewable energy- hydrogen production and solar energy storage. Production of pure hydrogen is a […]

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Cooking Comes Alive in the Dead of Winter with New Solar Cookers

Ari Luis — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 16:02:26 +0000

Fall is upon us and it’ll be winter in no time. Wouldn’t it be great to enjoy a hot cup of coffee or cocoa up the snowy peaks as temperatures start to drop? And wouldn’t you want a hot muffin or even a hot beef steak to go with that? Imagine enjoying a hot meal […]

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Most Solar Panels Facing the Wrong Way, Experts Say

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:12:43 +0000

According to a new study by the Pecan Street Research Institute, solar panels should point west instead of south, as previously believed. It’s long been thought that pointing solar panels south (for locations in the Northern Hemisphere) will lead to best performance and energy output, but it turns out that pointing them west is more […]

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Novel Crystalline Silicon Process May Lead to Cheaper Solar Energy

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 07:35:58 +0000

A recent study published in the Journal of American Chemical Society entitled “Direct Electrodeposition of Crystalline Silicon at Low Temperatures” details how researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered a new method for producing crystalline silicon. Crystalline silicon is used widely in the solar and tech industries and is often priced exorbitantly. While silicon […]

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Is Quantum Engineering the Key for Taking Solar Energy to the Next Level?

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 06:54:33 +0000

It is quite possible that understanding biological systems that have evolved from quantum scale photosynthesis may lead to better designs for solar energy and nanoscale devices. Scientists have determined that biological systems that live in low light conditions develop unique protein structures for photosynthesis that use quantum dynamics to convert 100% of absorbed light into […]

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China Ups its Solar Target From 5 to 40 GW by 2015

Mike Sandru — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 21:15:01 +0000

It’s been quite a bit of a surprise watching China practically double its solar target for 2015 at least three times in the past eighteen months. The obvious trend, in that time, is the realization that solar power is becoming more and more affordable at an alarming rate! The last 2015 solar target increase for […]

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Alternative Energy Sources May Reduce the Gulf States’ Reliability on Fossil Fuels

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 06:41:31 +0000

The Gulf desert states are some of the largest greenhouse gas polluters in the world. Fossil fuels are consumed at record speed thanks to desalination, large-scale construction projects, and widespread air conditioner use. Projects fueled by the gas and oil industry also contribute to large scale fossil fuel consumption. To add insult to injury, Saudi […]

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Is the Downfall of SolFocus a Harbinger of Doom for CPV Modules?

Leigh Hutchens — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 07:30:59 +0000

San Jose-based SolFocus may serve as a harbinger of things to come for the solar panel industry. Admitting financial difficulty, SolFocus has announced that the latest rounds of venture capital investment have fallen through, and in order to survive, the company needs a buyout. SolFocus manufactures concentrating photovoltaic modules (CPV) which uses lenses or mirrors […]

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Loss of Backing Threatens Future of Africa-to-Europe Solar Supergrid

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 06:13:33 +0000

Proponents of solar energy have long dreamed of an intercontinental supergrid that would transport solar power from sun-drenched North Africa to Europe. The Desertec Foundation has been working diligently to foster support for the supergrid, but the ambitious organization may have run into serious obstacles. Estimated costs for this project top out at 400 billion […]

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Amorphous Silicon Integrated PVT: The More Efficient Solar Energy Solution

Maria Reyes — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 20:07:17 +0000

Dealing with the dilemma of wanting to install power-generating solar panels, but these are too bulky and will leave no space for your solar heating system? Worry no more. Researchers have developed an integrated PVT using amorphous silicon that optimizes the efficiency of both solar electricity generation and solar heat generation in one convenient package. […]

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47% Efficiency for Solar Cells With Microscopic Folds and Wrinkles

Mike Sandru — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:17:46 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:59:02 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:40:26 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:54:26 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:39:21 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:49:36 +0000

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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Sun-Believable: Solar Cell Paint Developed by University of Notre Dame Researchers

Mike Sandru — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:34:59 +0000

You think you’ve seen it all, but you haven’t – at least regarding solar energy production! Nowadays, you can produce your own heat by just painting your house with the right kind of paint! An innovative paint of this kind would do a lot more than just free up space on your roof by displacing […]

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Record-Breaking Voltage for Organic Solar Cells Obtained by Molecular Solar Ltd

Mike Sandru — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:14:43 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:54:09 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:41:13 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:21:13 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:40:23 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:53:43 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:50:31 +0000

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

Mike Sandru — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:52:09 +0000

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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Italian Solar Power Capacity Expected To Reach 30 GW By 2020

Mike Sandru — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:33:46 +0000

Italy's solar market is expected to see an unprecedented boom. According to Fulvio Conti, CEO of Enel, the country will generate 30GW of solar power by 2020, in an attempt to reach its goal of fighting against climate change.

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Gemasolar Finishes Building Molten Salt – Backed Solar Power Plant in Spain

Mike Sandru — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:01:41 +0000

The construction of world's first solar power plant capable of producing clean energy all day and night has finally been finished. According to Gemasolar, the company behind the project, the solar power plant is able to generate electricity during the day and also the night because it has 15 hours of energy storage to back it up.

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UK's Biggest Solar Energy Park Goes Online at Howberry Business Park

Mike Sandru — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:55:47 +0000

The UK has officially opened their largest solar energy farm at the Howberry business park in Oxfordshire. Being the first large ground system connected to the national grid, this solar park is capable of generating about 683 MWh of solar energy annually.

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Project Amp to Become United States' Largest Rooftop Solar Project

Mike Sandru — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:56:23 +0000

Since 2009, Prologis, a leading global provider of industrial real estate, has been installing solar photovoltaic cells on the roofs of their own properties. Now they come up with a project, named Project Amp, that aims to install solar panels on the rooftops of 750 buildings across the US to produce 733MW of clean power.

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Voltaic Spark: 8-Watt Solar Powered Carrying Case for iPads and Other Gadgets

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:12:33 +0000

I've been writing about Nokia testing a solar powered version of one of their cellphones just the other day, and thought it's a pretty stupid idea to apply solar cells on phones since they're kept mostly inside pockets, and they aren't transparent. Today I found out that a company called Voltaic is releasing a solar powered carrying case for tablets - the Spark.

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Tata Steel Develops World's Largest Solar Cell-Coated Girder

Mike Sandru — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:02:26 +0000

Tata Steel, India's leading supplier of stainless steel, in partnership with the Australian solar technology company Dyesol, has recently developed the world's largest girder coated with solar panels.

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Over One Million Bangladesh Homes Powered By Solar Energy

Mike Sandru — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:54:54 +0000

According to a recent report made by tue World Bank, over one million homes from Bangladesh are powered by solar energy, being the fastest expansion of solar use in the world.

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China To Double Its Solar Energy Output From 5 to 10 GW by 2015

Mike Sandru — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:18:50 +0000

China is currently an important leader in the solar energy production market, but it plans to double its solar energy output from 5GW to 10GW. According to a report made by Ernst & Young a few days ago, China is the most attractive country in the world for renewable energy investors. This could be the reason why it is preparing to double its solar capacity.

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Europe's First Solar Powered Railway Tunnel Built In Antwerp, Belgium

Mike Sandru — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:12:32 +0000

The city of Antwerp is going to open Europe's first solar-powered railway tunnel built on the line between Paris and Amsterdam. The 2.1 miles-long tunnel will get its clean energy from 50,000 solar panels installed on top of it. The electricity will be used to power the 186 mph trains as they pass underneath, as well as the additional infrastructure.

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United States' Largest Zero-Net Energy Community To Be Built By UC Davis

Mike Sandru — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:36:09 +0000

The University of California-Davis wants to start the construction of United States' largest zero-net energy community. According to the officials, the UC Davis West Village will be equipped with a 4-megawatt, high efficiency SunPower solar power system and with a great number of innovative energy-efficient technologies.

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Gases Much More Potent Than CO2 Monitored By QUT Master Student’s Project

Mike Sandru — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:20:55 +0000

When you think about air pollution, the first thing popping into your head is probably carbon dioxide, and that is because i’s the most common pollutant. CO2 is actually less powerful than the trio formed by nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3). Coming from engines, various combustions, manure and fertilizers, these three […]

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HERIC Topology: How a Brilliant Idea Brought 99% Efficiency For Solar Panel Inverters

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 26 May 2011 15:12:43 +0000

Brilliant ideas usually don't need years of hard labor, or at least so it happens most of the time. For example, by implementing a switching trick to a DC to AC current converter used in solar panels, Heribert Schmidt, an electrical engineer (with a doctorate), from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems has managed to halve inverter losses, bringing the efficiency to 98 percent.

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SolarReserve Receives Funding for CSP & Molten Salt Energy Storage in Nevada

Mike Sandru — Mon, 23 May 2011 18:02:59 +0000

Besides being very pricey, solar power plants simply discourage by the fact that the sun is not always there when you need it: what happens if you need to switch on the light in your kitchen to drink water at 2 A.M. in the morning? Or on a cloudy day, for that matter?... Thanks to SolarReserve and the Obama administration funding it you may never have to go through that.

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Researchers On Their Way to Set Solar Panel Efficiency Record at 95%

Mike Sandru — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:54:36 +0000

The breakthrough comes from the chemical engineer Patrick Pinhero at the University of Missouri, who claims his solar panels are way better than those on the market now: up to 90% more efficiency.

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Tibet Enlarges Solar Power Capacity, Aiming to Become China's Top Producer

Mike Sandru — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:02:04 +0000

Tibet may be the home of a world spiritual leader, but it isn't all about spirituality: the Chinese autonomous region has been using solar energy since the 80's and has a solar potential of about 3,000 hours of solar radiation per year. Its annual input of 9 MW of energy secures 13% of China's total production.

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Italy Adds 7 GW of Solar Power To The Grid, Incentives Helping

Mike Sandru — Fri, 06 May 2011 18:34:34 +0000

2010 saw the surge of Italy's interest for investing in the solar market, so much so that it drove the country to rank second on the new installations scale. Worries that government incentives were about to stop this year led consumers into frenzy. A prolongation of the program until June 2011 will make Italy own an impressive 7 GW of solar power attached to the grid.

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Lubi – World's Most Efficient Solar Air Heater Available Commercially

Mike Sandru — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:37:45 +0000

Whether we are talking about a commercial, institutional or industrial facility, what is required from a solar air heater is, of course, to produce heat and also a quick return on its investment. Lubi, created by Enerconcept Technologies, is the most efficient solar air heater on the market.

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TenKsolar's New Technology Makes Rooftop Solar Panels Shadow-Proof

Mike Sandru — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:11:31 +0000

As you may already know, solar panels are great, but they have one big drawback: if as little as one shadow covers one of the cells, the entire power output slumps. Not to mention that if one of the cells themselves brakes down, the whole system crashes. To hear of such sensitivity in a technology of the future is rather disappointing, but TenKsolar can take up the challenge and solve these issues.

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U.S. Data Centers Set Example of Solar Powered Office Spaces

Mike Sandru — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:10:48 +0000

Several large data centers have opted for solar roofs this April, in an attempt to reduce their internal electricity consumption. It seems logical that they should do so, given the kind of roofs that they have. What so far didn't really make economic sense, right now seems to be the right thing to do.

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Wake Forest Researchers Develop Polymer-Based Solar PV & Thermal Device

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:49:30 +0000

Infrared light makes up the most part of the light spectrum, but the glitch in today's solar panels is that they can't really harvest it for direct electricity generation, because of the long wavelengths involved. Thus, a standard solar panel misses about 75% of the incoming energy, and some of them, concentrated solar cells, need cooling to prevent damage to the silicon substrate that favors the energy conversion.

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India to Develop Solar-Powered UAVs That Can Fly For Longer

Mike Sandru — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:56:53 +0000

What if, instead of waiting for the sun to come to you, you would meet it half way? I’m not talking about any spiritual practices, but about a new way of grasping the energy, other than by conventional solar panels: solar-powered UAVs. To picture it in your mind, think of if as a “pseudo-satellite”. Researchers […]

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Bloomberg's PlaNYC: Landfill Solar Power and No More Dirty Heating Oil

Mike Sandru — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:45:03 +0000

I’s difficult for a city like New York, with a population of more than 8 million people, to go green. But Mayor Michael Bloomberg shows difficult doesn’t mean impossible – he proves persistent in his PlaNYC project to reduce 30% carbon-gas emissions in the next 20 years. What he plans to do exactly is embellish […]

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Solar Junction Sets New Efficiency Record for Concentrated Photovoltaics: 43.5%

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 07:24:26 +0000

A new record for concentrated photovoltaics efficiency has been broken by Solar Junction, the same company that announced a 41.4% efficiency in February. The new score is 43.5% and their multi-junction solar cells can be produced right away.

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Australia's Biggest Coal and Solar Power Project

Mike Sandru — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:47:30 +0000

One by one, states across the globe become conscious of their solar energy potential and act accordingly ÃƒÂ¢€Ã¢â‚¬Å“ those that can, of course. Australia is one of them. With a growing demand for electricity and the challenge of polluting less, they try to move the weight from a coal-based industry to one that uses mostly solar power.

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Three-Dimensional Solar Cells to Be Mass Manufactured by Solar3d

Mike Sandru — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:19:23 +0000

Solar energy as we know it today has a great potential, but could need some help with the efficiency part. Apparently, solar cells are not very economical: almost one third of the light is reflected from the surface and the panel's materials only reabsorb some of the energy.

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Ivanpah, a Huge Concentrated Solar Power Plans Funded by Google

Mike Sandru — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:52:08 +0000

Google has recently announced the construction of a new solar power plant in the Mojave Desert, California. BrightSource Energy is the local developing company in charge of the project and the power plant itself is known under the name of Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS).

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Gazelle 2: Iran's Third 100% Solar Powered Electric Car

Mike Sandru — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:39:56 +0000

Even if this is the country's third solar-powered car, it is called "Iranian Gazelle 2" and it is a completely national product both in its conception and construction. Presented on Sunday, the car's project manager, Karen Abarnia assures us that it excels on a number of features, as sequels usually do.

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Tigo Energy Finding Solution for Those Shaded, Inefficient Solar Panel Arrays

Mike Sandru — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:11:55 +0000

If one goes down, they all go down: I'm talking about solar panels and the way they work ÃƒÂ¢€Ã¢â‚¬Å“ or don't anymore - when lined up. There are various reasons they could stop functioning: an apparently harmless thing as a cloud shading just one of them is enough to affect the performance of the rest. Yes, they are that sensitive!

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Pakistan to Build Its First On-Grid Solar Electricity System

Mike Sandru — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:43:16 +0000

Pakistan is catching up on its enormous solar energy potential pretty soon: in less than a year, the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) will build the country's first on-grid solar electricity system. It will be put in place because of the energy crisis and will be a big stimulus for the local economy.

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GE's Double Strike: PrimeStar Solar and a Future Thin Film Solar Plant

Mike Sandru — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 18:30:21 +0000

General Electric (GE), the American conglomerate that has reinvented itself as a green energy giant, has two pieces of news for us: 1) it wants to build a thin-film solar factory in the U.S. and 2) it has bought the PrimeStar Solar Company.

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New Solar-Powered Car Wash in Stamford, Connecticut

Mike Sandru — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 18:22:27 +0000

Now here's something truly optimistic for our blog's visitors: a solar powered car-wash has recently opened in the US city of Stamford, Connecticut. Its owner, Mr. Gregg Mercede admits that he wanted to invest his money in something durable and eco-friendly, while still ensuring a great quality of his services.

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New Polymer That Harvests Both Heat and Light Invented at Wake Forest University

Mike Sandru — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:01:15 +0000

One day we will get as far as taking a shower and turning on the heat in our room with the energy our roof has collected over the day. And when I say this I feel encouraged by the new solar-thermal device based on polymer material that Wake Forest University researchers invented.

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China Continues to Pursue Its Nuclear Dream

Mike Sandru — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:04:05 +0000

When China announced recently that it plans to change its 2020 target for nuclear power the world dared to hope. But don't hold your breath: it hasn't announced how much they will change and whether it's for the long run!

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Sikar II – 100% Solar Powered Vehicle Attends The 2011 World Solar Challenge

Mike Sandru — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:14:45 +0000

Seven faculty members of De La Salle University, Manila and 22 engineering students have conceived a solar powered vehicle that will compete in the 2011 World Solar Challenge on October 16-23. The 3,000-km race is set to take place from Darwin to Adelaide in Australia.

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The Tibetan Plateau Will Benefit From a 10 MW Solar Power Plant Starting This Year

Mike Sandru — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:46:59 +0000

According to the company, the solar power plant will produce clean energy for thousands of residents of the Tibetan Plateau (Chek Kang village in the Sangri County, Shannan Prefecture). Measuring around 4,000 meters above sea level, this project is considered to become one of the highest altitude solar power plants on Earth.

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U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton to Have the Army's Largest Solar Installation

Mike Sandru — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:21:19 +0000

The U.S. Marines are one step closer to a clean energy future. Camp Pendleton, a major West Coast base in the United States has recently installed a new 1.4 megawatt solar array.

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Florida Unveiled World's First Plant That Combines Solar Power With Natural Gas

Mike Sandru — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:47:21 +0000

Florida, one of the states with the greatest solar energy potential has recently started the world's first hybrid solar energy plant. Called Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center, the Martin County-based plant, is equipped with about 190,000 solar thermal mirrors which track and harness the sun's power via hydraulic motors.

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