Posts Tagged solar panels

International Solar Manufacturers Against EU’s Tariffs For Chinese Imports

Posted by Mila Luleva in Solar Power on April 12, 2013

Over 1000 international solar manufacturing companies have submitted a joint complaint to the European Commission urging them not to continue with their plan to impose tariffs on solar panels imported from China. It is hugely speculated that after launching an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation against unfair subsidies for Chinese solar makers, EU will now follow [...]

Roads Covered by Solar Panels Could Boost Energy Production in India

Posted by Mila Luleva in Solar Power on April 2, 2013

An initiative to cover main roads and highways with solar power module platforms was proposed by scientists at the Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI) in India. The technology will not only generate large amounts of electricity, but will also help governmental officials save money on buying expensive land for solar farms. The team of [...]

10 Ways Solar Power Can Benefit Your Farm and Garden

Posted by Mila Luleva in Solar Power on March 23, 2013

We all love to read how green technology can be used in our day-to-day activities and help us preserve the environment and save all that important money at the same time. Threehugger published a great piece by Derek Markham showing useful ways to use solar-powered devices on your farm or in your garden, and we could [...]

2012 Best Year for US Solar Power, Linked to Inexpensive Panels

Posted by Benji Jerew in Solar Power on March 14, 2013

Last year was an all-time high for US solar power, placing highest globally for the first time. In the last few years, the US market for photovoltaic panels has been around 5% to 7%, but 2012 saw an increase of 76% over 2011, bumping the US solar power market share over 10% globally. Solar Energy [...]

Huge Solar Parking Structure Planned in North Carolina

Posted by Leigh Kim in Solar Power on February 22, 2013

Envision Solar plans to use some of the 160 billion square feet of paved land in the world used as parking lots for cars to accommodate a solar parking structure the company calls “solar tree.” In addition to their usefulness, the solar panels act as shade for the cars in the parking lot. This allows [...]

Residential Solar Installations Getting Cheaper

Posted by Benji Jerew in Solar Power on November 29, 2012

Thousands of homes in the US have already benefited from localized solar installations, and with the help of tax incentives, perhaps millions more could do the same. But, some may balk, even with incentives, solar installations are expensive up front. However, according to a report released by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, “Tracking the Sun,” [...]

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

Posted by Leigh Kim in Solar Power on November 22, 2012

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 [...]

Novartis New Jersey Now Has Transparent Solar Roof

Posted by Mila Luleva in Green Buildings, Solar Power on October 24, 2012

The new headquarters of the pharmaceutical company Novartis in New Jersey is reaching new heights by installing the largest transparent solar roof in the US. The transparent solar cells that will cover the roof will be provided by the German company Sunways, who specialize in building-integrated photovoltaic applications. This is going to be the biggest [...]

UK Entrepreneur Retrofits His Home to Save Electricity and Become Greener

Posted by Guest Contributor in Green Buildings on May 4, 2012

59 year-old visionary Nick Sandy has ambitiously developed his 1960s house into a stylish environmentally-friendly home fit for a superstar like James Bond. It took Sandy at least 18 months to bring about the transformation of his pad into a £1 million property of what many would label an environmentalist’s fantasy. But this is not [...]

SolarCity Receives $280 Million Investment From Google For Solar Panel Leasing Program

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Solar Power on June 16, 2011

SolarCity, the company founded by Elon Musk (who also created Tesla Motors, Paypal) has just received $280 million from Google. The investment is one of the largest in solar power worldwide, and aims to help 7,000 to 9,000 homeowners in the 10 states where SolarCity operates install solar panels onto their rooftops.

Three-Dimensional Solar Cells to Be Mass Manufactured by Solar3d

Posted by Mike Sandru in Solar Power on April 15, 2011

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.

Toothpaste-Inspired Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Gets Born at Oxford

Posted by Mike Sandru in Solar Power on February 3, 2011

According to the researchers, the glass can be produced in a range of different transparent colors for use in cladding buildings and windows. “It opens up a lot of versatility and a lot of possibilities for building design,” said Dr Snaith.

World's First Fully Solar Powered Motorway To Be Open In Italy, Between Catania and Siracusa

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Solar Power on November 16, 2010

Italy, the country with the world’s first highway ever built (in 1926), is now preparing the addition of another motorway segment between Catania and Siracusa (the A18). But this is not just another motorway: it is the first fully solar-powered in the world, with 20 hectares-worth of solar panels.

Thailand To Be Supplied With 9.43MW Worth Of Solar Panels From Suntech

Posted by Mike Sandru in Solar Power on November 10, 2010

Thailand will be supplied with some more solar panels for a new power plant, as a result of the signed agreement between the authorities and Suntech Power Holding Co. The latter will provide approximately 9.43MW worth of panels to the installation.

Oerlikon Solar to Produce Silicon Thin Film Modules at $0.70 Cents Per Watt

Posted by Mike Sandru in Solar Power on October 18, 2010

According to Oerlikon Solar, the new equipment will help in mass-producing low cost thin film silicon solar modules. This will be possible because of the thinner silicon layer requirements, reducing material costs.