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November 04, 2009

Solar Energy Harvest Research




Pitt receives funding from Faculty Early Career Development awards by the National Science Foundation that will support a number of research initiatives. One research project will look at improving the harvest of electricity from solar cells using composite nanomaterials. ...
... "Jung-Kun Lee intends to produce advanced versions of the technology used in solar panels and flat-panel displays, aiming for more efficient solar-power cells and optoelectronic devices. His $400,000 project will focus on the next generation of transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) - the essential technology in solar panels and flat panel displays - that would allow for increased control and energy harvesting of light. Lee will look at molding metallic nanoparticles into novel nanocomposites-materials with multiple nanoscale dimensions that would increase the concentration of electron carriers without sacrificing their mobility. This will lead to more efficient transport of electricity. " ...
Via University of Pittsburgh: Emerging Research in Sustainable Technology

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November 03, 2009

3D Solar Photovoltaics




Georgia Tech researchers use nanowires integrated with optical fibers to convert sunlight in electricity. While the materials have a lower solar conversion efficiency, the quantity and quality of nanowires could serve to boost energy harvesting results. The optical fibers support remote location of the photoactive part of the structure, allowing light to be transported to the nanostructures for electrical generation. ...
... "Using zinc oxide nanostructures grown on optical fibers and coated with dye-sensitized solar cell materials, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new type of three-dimensional photovoltaic system. The approach could allow PV systems to be hidden from view and located away from traditional locations such as rooftops. " ...
Via Georgia Tech: Nanostructures on Optical Fiber

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October 02, 2009

Nanotech Research with Solar Efficiency Potential




University of Louisville, Purdue University and Honda Research Institute have collaborated to better understand the formulation, or recipe, for manufacturing carbon nanotubes and their results will be presented in the October 2 edition of Science. This research program was started and sustained with funding by Honda. The researchers have found that the yield of nanotubes with metallic conductivity property was increased significantly through precise control of gas levels in the presence of catalyst. ...
... "Honda researchers discovered they could control whether the carbon nanotubes become metallic or semiconducting by using either argon or helium as carrier gases during the process. Researchers at UofL used the technique to make large quantities of nanotubes and precisely measure whether they were metallic or semiconducting. Purdue researchers took high-resolution images with a transmission electron microscope to help determine why the process worked. Lead UofL researcher Gamini Sumanasekera, an associate professor of physics, said he hoped the findings will renew interest in the field. " ...
Via University of Louisville: Solar cell efficiency potential through nanotech research

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August 25, 2009

Solar Photovoltaic Nanoparticle Ink




University of Texas at Austin researchers focus on nanotech strategies to develop solar photovoltaic materials that work like inks. ...
... "Rather than silicon, the inks developed by Korgel's team are made up of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) — sunlight-absorbing nanoparticles that are 10,000 times thinner than a strand of hair. " ...
Via Live Science: Spray-On Solar Cells

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March 18, 2009

Solar Nanowire Research




Stanford and Samsung researchers collaborate to study organic nanowires in solar energy applications which show promise as an inexpensive alternative to silicon photovoltaics. ...
... "Demonstrating patterning over larger areas is a key goal for future work, Bao said. The team also hopes to study whether the technique could allow for more cost-effective fabrication of devices such as solar cell panels that use inorganic and organic micro- or nanowires. " ...
Via Stanford University: Stanford, Samsung engineers make flexible electronics

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February 03, 2009

Voice Powered Mobile Phones ?




Pizeo electric

Cell phones that can convert the sound of your voice into energy to run the phone may be coming ... Research at Texas A&M by Tahir Cagin is getting closer to self powered devices like cell phones "... converts sound waves ... into the energy it needs to keep running. ...Utilizing ..."piezoelectrics," ...  a certain type of piezoelectric material can covert energy at a 100 percent increase when manufactured at a very small size – in this case, around 21 nanometers in thickness.
photo of Tahir Cagin - Texas A&M Ehem E
" ...  piezoelectrics are materials (usually crystals or ceramics) that generate voltage when a form of mechanical stress is applied. "


Via:  Texas A&M Chemical Engineering  LINK

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November 24, 2008

Solar Photovoltaic Conversion Efficiency Increases through Reflective Coating




Nanotechnology-derived antireflective coating is used to increase the absorption of sunlight by solar panels. ...
... "An untreated silicon solar cell only absorbs 67.4 percent of sunlight shone upon it - meaning that nearly one-third of that sunlight is reflected away and thus unharvestable. From an economic and efficiency perspective, this unharvested light is wasted potential and a major barrier hampering the proliferation and widespread adoption of solar power. After a silicon surface was treated with Lin’s new nanoengineered reflective coating, however, the material absorbed 96.21 percent of sunlight shone upon it - meaning that only 3.79 percent of the sunlight was reflected and unharvested. " ...
Via RPI: Solar Power Near Perfect Absorption

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February 20, 2008

Nanosolar




Nanosolar Logo

 Solar panels are becoming more common; almost mainstream.

  What is now needed is a way to boost the efficiency or redue the manufacturing cost.

"Nanosolar is a global leader in solar power innovation. ...  setting the standard for affordable green power with solar cell technology of distinctly superior cost efficiency, versatility, and availability."nanosolar flexible solar panels

"Leveraging ... nanostructured materials, we have developed a critical mass of engineering advances that profoundly change the cost efficiency and production scalability of solar electricity cells and panels."

" ... on track to make solar electricity: ... cost-efficient ... mass produced on a global scale ... availabler in many forms ..." 
 


Via:  Nanosolar.com   Link

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