Posts Tagged solar panels

UK Entrepreneur Retrofits His Home to Save Electricity and Become Greener

Posted by Boniface Ndirangu 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 Mihai 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 Mihai 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 Mihai 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 Mihai 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.

Barack Obama Refuses New Solar Panels On The White House

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Solar Power on September 14, 2010

U.S. president Barack Obama has recently refused a proposal to reinstall solar panels on the White House rooftops. The proposal came from Bill McKibben, the founder of a group of environmental activists, who went to Obama in a biodiesel-powered van. Ex-president Jimmy Carter had installed the proposed solar panels on the White House back in 1979. They used to provide heat and were a logo of America’s will to free itself from foreign oil.

World's First Commercial Solar-Powered EV Charging Station Unveiled by SunPods

Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on July 23, 2010

California-based company SunPods Inc. has recently unveiled at the Cleantech Open event in San Jose this Thursday, world’s first factory-built, solar-powered electric-vehicle charging station. Dubbed ÃƒÂ¢€Ã…â€œSP-300 Plug-N-Go,ÃƒÂ¢€ this solar-powered EV charging station is able to charge two cars at the same time. The energy surplus can also be sold back to utility companies.

Morocco Planning to Harvest 2 GW of Solar Power by 2020

Posted by Cristi in Solar Power on April 6, 2010

More and more governments show high interest in investing in clean energy sources. With 3,000 hours of sun per year, Morocco is now planning to invest in the harvesting of solar power.

NREL Building PDIL: Six Automated Robots Helping Solar Industry's R&D

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Solar Power on March 25, 2010

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has built a robot that will help the R&D of thin film solar cells, analyzing possible defects faster and more accurate than any other existing system. It is called the PDIL (Process Development and Integration Laboratory).

First Solar Signs Agreements With Major Energy Utilities to Provide Solar Power

Posted by Cristi in Green Economics, Solar Power on March 23, 2010

First Solar Inc. has recently announced that it will start working on a huge photovoltaic project called Desert Sunlight in Southern California. The facility will produce 550 MW from solar power, of which 300 MW will be sold to California’s Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and 250 MW to Southern California Edison (SCE).

Hot Electrons Could Increase the Solar Cell's Power Output

Posted by Mihai Sandru in Solar Power on December 20, 2009

Researchers at Boston College have developed new solar cells that successfully use hot electrons to increase the cells’ power output. According to the scientists, the concept could lead to solar cells that break conventional efficiency limits.

America's First High School Powered Entirely by Renewable Energy

Posted by Mihai Sandru in Green Buildings on November 17, 2009

The greenest high school ever built will conserve energy by using 36 wind turbines and solar panels in conjunction with a green roof and systems that maximize the use of ventilation and natural light.

EarthSure's Wind & Solar Powered Electric Car: Would It Work?

Posted by Mihai Sandru in Electric Vehicles, Solar Power, Wind Power on November 6, 2009

EarthSure, an innovator in alternative energy sources and renewable energy company is planning to develop a zero-emission electric vehicle powered by solar and wind energy. Called AirRay, the new car will be equipped with four wind turbines and a solar roof. All of these to generate necessary electricity to keep the batteries charged up.

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