PhotoVoltaics

Since we can’t avail the benefits and drawbacks of conventional fuels indefinitely scientists are working constantly to improve on the non conventional resources of the energy. Researchers at South Dakota State University are trying to minimize the drawbacks of solar energy. They are working on new materials which can turn solar energy into an efficient and cheaper source of electricity. This new technology uses carbon based polymers and molecules as semiconductors so it is rightly referred as “molecular electronics” or “organic electronics.” Generally inorganic material silicon is used in semiconductors. No Comments

Efforts are continuously on to make solar panels more efficient so that in future sunlight can be used as an alternative to fossil fuels. Researchers are putting tremendous effort to minimize the inadequacies of current solar panels. Both, Michael Jensen, Ph.D., a mechanical engineer and Anna Dyson, an architectural scientist from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, along with their team are trying to make solar systems in terms of power and heat nearly eighty percent efficient. No Comments

"Plastic sheets containing billions of nanoantennas that collect heat energy generated by the sun and other sources could dramatically improve the use of a type of energy we are all aware of, but have no use for so far," believe Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory. They further predict that under the right conditions, the simulated nanoantennas could harvest up to 92% of energy at infrared wavelengths. 1 Comment

We are conversant with the fact that solar cells absorb the visible light of the sun, though half of the sun’s output is made up of infrared light that too strikes the earth and it remains completely un-utilized. That is why only about 30% of the total sunlight can be converted to electricity thus lowering photovoltaic cells’ efficiency. But Spanish scientists have developed a new material that can absorb this invisible infrared light too. It will possibly give a boost to the solar cells producing energy and help in combating the current energy crisis. These special solar cells are developed by the scientists from Institute for Solar Energy at the Polytechnic University and the Institute of Catalysis of the Spanish Higher Scientific Research Council in Madrid, Spain. No Comments

The fossil fuel scenario is pressing us to look for alternative sources of energy and that too, soon. We all are tightening our purse strings when fuel prices are rising irrespective of whether we own a vehicle or not. We need some dependable alternative source of energy to power our industries, offices and homes. Though we have abundance of air water, sunlight and tidal forces on this earth to produce power but one limitation or another always crops up before us which won’t allow these power sources to replace the fossil fuels completely. 3 Comments

Now the extinction of conventional energy sources are not oh so distant future happenings, scientists are working overtime to generate alternative clean energy sources. Researchers all over the world are trying to improve upon the shortcomings of non conventional energy sources. We know that sunlight energy is captured by solar panels and then this energy gets transformed into electricity for our use. Efforts are continuously on to improve the existing solar panels and trap as much solar energy as is possible and minimize the loss. 2 Comments

HP and Xtreme Energetics (XE), a solar energy system developer based in Livermore, Calif., have announced that they have entered into an agreement for the development of a solar energy system. This solar system will have an edge over existing solar technologies. Their solar energy system will generate electricity at twice the efficiency and not twice but half the cost of traditional solar panels. According to the agreement, HP will license its transparent transistor technology to XE in exchange of royalty payments. 2 Comments

Solar panels are a collection of solar or photovoltaic cells. These photovoltaic cells harvest sunlight and convert the solar energy into electrical energy. Solar cells are positioned into grid-like pattern on the face of solar panel. Photovoltaic cells collect sunlight during day and this light energy can be stored and used as electrical energy. Photovoltaics are made up of semiconductors which have the property to transform sunlight into electricity. Many materials have semiconductor property but the most widely used material is silicon. Though silicon in itself resists electric current but this property can be altered by combining small amounts of other materials that make it receptive to positive or negative electrical charge. 1 Comment

Mother Earth News recently featured an extensive article covering instructions on building your own small-scale solar heating system for as low as $30. The 9 page tutorial includes step by step instructions from Don R. and George Waterman of Springfield, Missouri, and is based on their experience installing the system on their 30x40 insulated workshop. According to Don, the system successfully supplies enough power to keep the building's interior comfortable in near-zero degree weather. 6 Comments

Pacific Gas and Electric has announced plans to work with BrightSource Energy to three four or more huge solar thermal electric generators in the Mojave desert. The first plant will be operational by 2011 and will produce almost 250 megawatt hours of renewable electricity per year. Brightsource Energy’s president John Woolard claims it is “the biggest commitment ever in the history of solar”. PG&E is motivated by a California law which requires them to produce 20% of its power via renewable sources by 2010. 3 Comments

Google Inc. plans to build a massive solar-electricity system to help power parts of its Mountain View, Calif., campus that it says will benefit both the environment and its bottom line. The system, to be built by EI Solutions, a unit of Energy Innovations Inc., of Pasadena, Calif., will use 9,212 solar panels and have a total capacity of 1.6 megawatts, or enough electricity to supply 1,000 average California homes. That will satisfy 30% of the campus' peak electricity needs. The installation at Google's headquarters, known as the Googleplex, will begin next month and will be completed in the spring. It will be the largest solar-power system ever constructed at a U.S. corporate campus and one of the largest on any corporate site in the world, EI Solutions said. 2 Comments

Homeowners who purchase and install home solar power systems in the province of Ontario will now earn some extra income to help pay for their systems, thanks to the Ontario Power Authority. Ontario is learning by example from the success of similar European programs. This new program is encouraging a flurry of solar industry construction activity aimed at taking advantage of the new electricity buy-back program. Paul Gipe, a wind power expert, from California calls the result revolutionary: "the most progressive renewable energy program in 20 years in North America." 5 Comments

APS Energy Services has begun construction on a large-scale renewable energy facility as part of the Northern Nevada Correctional Center's plan to generate heat and electricity using forest waste products. A 30-kW solar photovoltaic system will be combined with a wood-fired biomass boiler. Wood chips from surrounding forest-thinning industries will be processed in a heat and power plant, which will generate electricity, steam and hot water for the facilities. The power plant will produce 8 million kW of electricity per year, allowing excess energy to be sold to Sierra Pacific Power Co. No Comments

Astrolab, the world's first commercial solar car, will be available in January 2008 thanks to automobile designer Sacha Lakic. The car was developed by the French manufacturer, Venturi. The vehicle is powered by energy from the sun - the 16kW electric motor requires very little energy for propulsion. The solar hybrid can travel a minimum distance of 110 kilometres and has a top speed of 120kph. The chassis is molded out of a high-tech lightweight carbon monocoque material in order to maintain an efficient form. 3.6 metres of photo-voltaic cells are integrated into the chassis. 6 Comments