New Rigid Sails Harvesting Solar and Wind Power to Propel Future Ships
The Japan-based company Eco Marine Power, is planning to develop a solar power system for ocean-going vessels and ships. Currently, the company is designing rigid sail panels fitted with solar modules, dubbed The Aquarius, that are able to collect solar and wind energy on board ships.
Startup Company Makes Cheap Solar Panels With a Third The Silicon Needed Normally
High performance single-crystalline solar cells have historically been expensive, mostly due to the materials used in the manufacturing process. A Santa Clara, CA, startup company, Crystal Solar, has developed an innovative process of manufacturing solar cells that have the same efficiency but cost a lot less.
Sharp Develops Vehicle-to-Grid-Like System That Uses EVs to Store Cheap/Green Electricity
Researchers have used a battery pack from an EV to provide 8 kilowatts of energy, enough for many kinds of appliances found in an average household. The Intelligent Power Conditioner is also capable of delivering 4 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity for the recharging of the electric vehicle's battery pack. This process took about 30 minutes.
Stanford Researchers Get Threefold Efficiency Gains by Binding Organic Layer to Solar Cells
While studying quantum dot solar cells, chemical engineering Professor Stacey Bent and associate Professor Michael McGehee of the department of Materials Science and Engineering coated a titanium dioxide semiconductor in their quantum dot solar cell with a very thin single layer of self-assembling organic molecules.
13kW Solar Concentrators for Heating Water at Home Produced by Canadian Firm
Do you remember Eric Jacqmain, who built his "Death Ray," a solar concentrator that was able to melt everything that stood in its path? Well, Solar Beam, a Canadian company now produces solar concentrators, based on the same principle Eric used, but aimed at heating your home and providing hot water... for free.
Wind Powered Car Completes 5,000 km Journey Across Australia
An engineer from Germany and a television host have traveled almost 2,106 mile (5,000 km) in a lightweight electric vehicle powered by the wind. Dubbed Wind Explorer, the car does not only use electricity from wind turbines, but rather kites.
New Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System Provides Cheap Grid Energy From CNG and Biogas
VTT, the Technical Research Centre of Finland began testing a large-scale prototype of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that, according to the organization, will provide cheap and efficient grid power from biogas and natural gas. Using a single 10 kW planar SOFC stack, the system is capable of generating clean energy for a typical apartment block throughout an entire year.
Efficiency-Boosting Solar Concentrators from HyperSolar a Step Closer to Commercialization
Tuning existing solar cells so they run at their best is the hardest thing to do next to creating new ones, with the most advanced technology to date. HyperSolar, a company specialized in building solar concentrators, has reached that point where they can say they'll be able to develop a commercial product in the following period.
World's Longest Wind Turbine Blades to Be Built by Alstom & LM Wind Power...
The first prototype made out of polyester and glass fiber will be created in the company's Danish factory in Lunderskov. According to company officials, Alstom prototype sites from Europe will have such blades by the end of 2012. The new blades will be designed to fit Alstom's 6MW wind turbine.
NTU Scientists Use Artificial Leaves Technology to Split Water and Generate Hydrogen
A team of researchers at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have recently set up a new laboratory (the first in Asia) that will be used to convert water into hydrogen fuel. As the scientists said, the development of this technology may reduce the cost of using solar power to the same price as using conventional energy sources.
