Green Technology

The 15 megawatt PV plant will be located at Luke AFB in Glendale, Arizona.  Comprised of 52,000 SunPower PV panels it will be the " ... largest solar installation on U.S. government property."

"Arizona Public Service Co. will own and operate ... hired SunPower Corp. to design and construct the solar plant ..."

" ... will ... follow the sun ... 25 percent more energy than if the panels were stationary. ..."

Via:  Arizona Public Service LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "There’s a third category, and that’s where the most interesting stuff happens.

These are materials that have a narrower gap between the two bands, and they are called semiconductors. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 04:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I noticed the apples at my local Costco were packaged in plastic containers to keep the apples from bruising.  What really intrigued me was the information on the plastic containers.  Made by Peninsula Packaging of California ... they are:

- made from 70% recycled drink bottles
- made with 50% energy from the sun

" ... as much as 70 percent recycled ... are themselves recyclable ..."

" ... 10-acre photovoltaic "sun farm" generates 1.1 megawatts ... produces about one-percent of all of California's solar generated power."

Via:  PenPack  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Industry-academia collaboration results in investment in research through Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which will pursue solar performance under extreme conditions.  Remember, DARPA research investments usually translate into significant commercial improvements in technology.  Ascent Solar has the lead position on this research project, the Flexible High-performance Tandem-junction PV Array.  …

…   “The significance of the Low-Cost Lightweight Portable Photovoltaics (PoP) is that it will take thin-film, flexible copper-indium-deselenide based solar cells to the next level of performance in order to meet DARPA's requirements and will accelerate the implementation of thin-film flexible solar cells to commercial and residential markets, said Robert Birkmire, IEC director. “   …

Via University of Delaware: Extreme Solar.

Ascent Solar leads the Flexible High-performance Solar Array project, which will be managed through three gated phases, the first of which is 18 months and has an approximate contract value of $3.8M.  The research program is expected to be implemented over the next 54 months.  The research goal is to demonstrate low-cost, lightweight photovoltaic power generation that can stand up to extreme conditions and realize power conversion efficiency of 20% or greater by the completion of the program.  Ascent release.

Posted by Green Tech at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ever wonder how solar cells work?  Sun light hits a photovoltaic panel and somehow electrons start flowing. 

Check out this neat graphic that shows how suns rays are converted to power that flows from your home's outlets.

" ... Follow the path ... from the sun, through the pv panels, its conversion to AC electricity ... into the utility grid. ..."

ailed explanation of solar energy.

For a full size of the image CLICK

Via:  CoolerPlanet LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 06:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The map at the right - link to full size below - shows " LINK ... the current state of renewable energy in America ... a large portion of the country is still dragging their feet in adopting more environmentally friendly means of generating electricity. ..."

Pennsylvania ranks 15th
New Jersey ranks 43 rd.

Check out the stats for your state.

Click for full size map ... LINK

Via:  CoolerPlanet 

Posted by Green Dude at 06:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ProLogis expects to understand emerging solar panel technologies and the installation requirements by testing manufacturers’ solar modules at its site in Denver, Colorado.  This supports the company’s accelerated deployment of distributed rooftop solar power generation across its footprint.  …

…   “The Test Site totals 11 kWp DC of power generation capacity from 99 modules and eight different module manufacturers: Ascent Solar, First Solar, GS-Solar, MiaSole, Solyndra, Suniva, United Solar Ovonic and Xunlight.

Already generating power, the initial configuration provides side-by-side comparisons of several module technologies, including monocrystalline, glass-on-glass thin film and membrane-applied thin film modules.

In addition, the installation contains 16 individually monitored strings, each designed to test a certain system parameter. 

As a part of the Test Site, and in partnership with HatiCon Solar, ProLogis has designed a new racking system especially for utility-scale rooftop solar installations. ”   …

Via ProLogis: Test Site in Denver (Link).

Posted by Green Tech at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Course is scheduled for this June 23rd and 24th at Onondaga Community College through SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.  …

…   “The advanced course is geared toward PV installers and engineers who have experience with PV systems. It offers participants an overview of commercial PV systems in a two-day workshop. The course is recommended for those who have taken an introductory installer course or have previous installer experience.”   …

Via SUNY: PV Installer Course.

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Natcore Technology and Vanguard Solar combine to advance the efficiency of solar energy conversion.  Natcore Technology is the exclusive licensee, from Rice University, of a thin-film growth technology enabling room-temperature growth of various silicon oxides on silicon wafers in a liquid phase deposition (LPD) process.  Natcore’s acquisition of Vanguard Solar will close after appropriate due diligence.  …

…   “The first-generation products from Vanguard’s method could produce 15%-16% efficiencies at module costs of 60¢ to 70¢ per watt. It is anticipated that second-generation technology could achieve 20% efficiencies at even lower costs per watt.

The investment for production facilities is projected as low as $10 million to $15 million per 100-megawatt to 150-megawatt production capability, as compared with current costs of as much as $250 million for standard solar-cell production facilities.

Vanguard’s production equipment would be designed for insertion into an existing roll-to-roll film-coating line of the sort that has been displaced by the emergence of digital photography. All production materials are widely available and dramatically cheaper than silicon and other thin film systems.

If successfully developed, the process would enable a very cost-efficient production capability in large-scale facilities.”   …

Via Natcore: Solar Science Portfolio Expands.

Posted by Green Tech at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Amonix invests in solar manufacturing capacity in Nevada.  …

…   “Amonix announced that plans to use $5.9 million of a $9.5 million investment tax credit from the Recovery Act’s Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit awarded in 2010 to establish a new manufacturing facility in Southern Nevada are well underway, and that the facility will be open by the end of 2010.

When fully operational, the facility will have an annual production capacity of 150 MW of CPV solar systems and employ 278 people in management, technical and production jobs. ”   …

Via Amonix: CPV Nevada Plant.

Amonix designs and manufactures concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems that require less water, use land better, and produce more energy per acre than any other solar technology.  Amonix is headquartered in Seal Beach, California. with expanded manufacturing facilities planned for Nevada and Arizona.

Posted by Green Tech at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Photovoltaic and Concentrating Solar Power are seen as the key solar technologies to increase adoption over the long term.  …

…   “The combination of solar photovoltaics and concentrating solar power offers considerable prospects for enhancing energy security while reducing energy-related CO2 emissions by almost six billion tonnes per year by 2050. The roadmaps detail the technology milestones that would make this possible …”   …

Via IEA: Technology Roadmap.

Concentrated solar will require infrastructure investments to transport the electricity generated in remote, sunny regions.  …

…   “IEA expects CSP to become competitive for peak and mid-peak loads by 2020 in the sunniest places if appropriate policies are adopted. Its further expansion will depend on the development of dedicated transport lines that will bring CSP electricity to a greater number of large consumption centres. Some of them will have to be developed within large countries such as China, India and the USA. Others will cross border, and many will be needed to link the southern and northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. ”   …

IEA sees solar at quarter of world electricity by 2050.

Solar photovoltaic technology roadmap (PDF).  New technology is needed to support grid integration.  …

…   “The PV industry, grid operators and utilities will need to develop new technologies and strategies to integrate large amounts of PV into flexible, efficient and smart grids.”   …

Concentrating solar power technology roadmap (PDF).  CSP will require energy storage to meet 24 hour coverage of power needs.  …

…   “integrated thermal storage is an important feature of CSP plants, and virtually all of them have fuel-power backup capacity. Thus, CSP offers firm, flexible electrical production capacity to utilities and grid operators while also enabling effective management of a greater share of variable energy from other renewable sources … ”   …

Posted by Green Tech at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Check out this float-o-voltaic system at Far Niente Winery in Oakville, California.  Since land is so expensive / valuable they using an irrigation pond to "host" their solar system.  Via: Far Niente Winery  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dow Corning collaborates with Reis Robotics to deliver solar encapsulant technology to the market. ...

…   “Reis Robotics is now a preferred supplier of equipment used in a manufacturing process that significantly increases the production rate of solar panels, effectively lowering the cost per watt of solar power. The manufacturing process works in conjunction with Dow Corning PV-6100 Encapsulant Series, which provides protection to solar cells in a panel and can replace commonly used ethyl vinyl acetate resin. The liquid silicone-based material targets outperforming incumbent materials in durability, module efficiency, and manufacturing efficiencies providing an improved total cost for solar cell modules. “   …

Posted by Green Tech at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The new solar panels are mounted at a 50-degree angle on geomembranes, the kind that are usually utilized at landfills or mine tailings to prevent dust and water pollution. " ...

Continue reading "Solar photovoltatics mount on geo membranes" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Firstly, an understanding of how these complex processes work in Nature is crucial to future fundamental research in photosynthetic reaction centers, and this discovery may well be universal. Secondly, the use of two charge separation devices working cooperatively to maximize efficiency is a design theme that may well be applied in future efforts to create artificial photosynthetic devices. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The UTS Tower in Sydney, Australia is may get a proposed upgrade - a solar skin.  This PV "wrap" would turn the tower into a very green and energy efficient structure.

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Tower "upgrade" is " ... Fueled by the university’s sustainability drive ... turn the building into a “landmark environmental tower” by wrapping it in a photovoltaic skin."

"The sustainable energy system, devised by postgraduate students in 2008, has been funded to allow students to build and test the project."

 There are a number of propose upgrades including wind turbines and cogeneration ... the solar skin " ... stretches around walls and roof elements ... the building is covered in a lightweight composite mesh textile that can collect rain water, generate electricity and complement the plan’s passive ventilation system that uses natural convection."

Via:  SmartPlanet  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 06:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Solar Distinction plans to initially operate a 25-megawatt solar panel manufacturing plant, then expand to 50-megawatts within two years. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 05:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Intel's new solar installations are planned to be completed over the next 7 months. Each project would currently rank as one of the 10 largest solar installations in its respective region if activated today. For example, the panels planned for Intel's Chandler and Ocotillo campuses in Arizona would each currently be the fifth largest in SRP service territory or the second largest when combined, according to the utility company. All of the solar panels will be installed on the roofs of Intel's facilities, with the major exception of the largest installation, an approximately 1-megawatt solar field in Folsom, Calif. The Folsom installation will span nearly six acres of land on campus, which would make it one of the largest non-utility ground-mounts in California at the time of this release. All of the installations will use the power generated at their respective site, making them an efficient source of electricity with savings on grid delivery losses. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Green buildings and designs are being found all across the country ... the Housing Authority Administration building in Newport, Tennessee is green.  Read about the many green features and technologies used.

" ... 8,585 square foot administration building ... Design included multiple "green" features: photovaltaic solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, premium insulation package, Energy Star windows and lighting, low flow faucets and toilets and low impact site design. Project cost was $1,000,000.00."

Via:  McGraw-Hill Construction Community   LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The facility will produce premium quality mono-crystal silicon ingots for photovoltaic solar power generation. The company’s HiCz brand products increase the efficiency of solar cells by 15% or more, helping manufacturers of solar panels generate electricity more efficiently at a cost equivalent to or better than can be done using multi-crystal silicon ingot. " ...

Continue reading "Tennessee Solar Manufacturing" »

Posted by Green Tech at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Semprius will focus efforts toward a massively parallel, microcell-based CPV receiver. This approach combines the benefits of unique-to-solar manufacturing techniques with the performance and operational benefits of microcell concentrating photovoltaics. " ...

Continue reading "Early Stage Solar Technology Investment" »

Posted by Green Tech at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The Boston company's approach would decrease the total installed cost of a solar power system by half. It would also decrease the amount of expensive silicon material needed to make solar cells by a factor of more than three ... " ...

Continue reading "Solar Photovoltaic Silicon Manufacturing Transformation" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The solar particles, fabricated of crystalline silicon, hold the potential for a variety of new applications. They are expected eventually to be less expensive and have greater efficiencies than current photovoltaic collectors that are pieced together with 6-inch- square solar wafers. The cells are fabricated using microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) techniques common to today’s electronic foundries. " ...

Continue reading "Sandia Solar Photovoltaic Glitter Particles" »

Posted by Green Tech at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "SANYO HIT Double PV modules generate power from both sides, resulting in up to 30% higher energy output than standard single-sided PV modules, making them ideal for carports, canopies and porch coverings. DuROCK Tio-Coat is a high-strength white elastomeric urethane roof coating that provides 89% solar radiation reflectivity and weather resistance, reducing the energy usage required for the building compared to traditional roof coverings. " ...

Continue reading "Two-Sided Solar Power Panels with Reflective Roof Coatings" »

Posted by Green Tech at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "As the aircraft gently took up speed, the huge wing of the Solar Impulse gradually rose into the air under intense admiration of the project promoters, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg. After some 350 metres of flight at an altitude of one meter, the prototype graciously landed on the centre of the runway, triggering a frenzied applause from the team. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Greek solar-panel manufacturing company intends to build a production facility at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, a development that local officials hailed yesterday as an important step in positioning the city to be a key player in the emerging clean-energy economy. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Allen Upward, a research engineer at the University of British Columbia (UBC) said the system is seven times more effective than traditional solar methods. " ...

Continue reading "Solar Tech Evolution Acceleration is Happening Now" »

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On November 12, 2009 Dow and Caltech " ... announced ... a multi-year research collaboration ... in solar energy ... aimed at aligning Dow’s capabilities in CIGS based materials with Caltech’s research in next generati aterials."

" ... research ... will initially focus on direct band gap materials that incorporate elements that are less expensive and more commonly available than those used in today’s thin film PV semiconductors.  ..."

"Photovoltaics provide carbon free electricity, however the cost and aesthetics of current PV systems has limited its adoption ... Dow recently announced its first building integrated photovoltaic product, the Dow^TM POWERHOUSE^TM Solar Shingle ..."

Via:  The Dow Chemical Company LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 06:39 PM | Permalink

... "The DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle integrates low-cost, thin-film CIGS photovoltaic cells into a proprietary roofing shingle design, which represents a multi-functional solar energy generating roofing product. The innovative product design reduces installation costs because conventional roofing shingles and solar generating shingles are installed simultaneously by roofing contractors - no specialized skills or knowledge of solar array installations are required. " ...

Continue reading "Solar Shingle Time Invention of Year" »

Posted by Green Tech at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The arrangement is aimed at aligning Dow’s capabilities in CIGS based materials with Caltech’s research in next generation photovoltaics. Together, they expect to develop new, ultra low cost, high efficiency photovoltaic materials. " ...

Continue reading "Dow Caltech Solar Photovoltaic Research Collaboration" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Continue reading "Mars NJ Solar Energy Garden Powers Facility" »

Posted by Green Tech at 01:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Number two for solar electric power, and number one in total solar installations on a per capita basis, is small and not-so-sunny New Jersey, more known environment-wise for its abundance of Superfund sites. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The electricity produced by the 130 solar panels will be approximately equivalent to the power needed to run the Campus Center Café for a year. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "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. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "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. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Swanson is one of the world's most recognized leaders in the advancement of photovoltaics (PV) and a pioneer in commercializing cost-effective PV power systems. In 2006, he was honored with the prestigious Becquerel Prize for Outstanding Merits in Photovoltaics, and in 2002 he was presented with the William R. Cherry Award by the IEEE for outstanding contributions to the PV field. In 1991, Swanson resigned from his faculty position to focus his attention to SunPower Corporation, a company he founded in 1985 to develop and commercialize cost-effective, high-efficiency photovoltaic power systems. SunPower's all-back contact solar cells powered Honda to victory in the 1993 World Solar Challenge, and were also used to power Helios, NASA's high-altitude solar powered airplane to a world-record altitude of 96,500 feet. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The award recognizes Block’s role in developing the first national standards for testing and certifying solar equipment, for serving as a founding father of the organization and for building UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center into the largest and most active state-supported solar energy institute in the nation. Block served as FSEC director for 25 years before departing in 2002. " ...

Continue reading "Solar Pioneer Recognized" »

Posted by Green Tech at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Data is presented that shows solar photovoltaic costs decreasing.  Over the past decade, photovoltaic module and non-module elements have contributed to the cost decline.  ...

 ...   "From 1998 to 2008, installed costs declined by about 3.6% (or $0.3/W) per year, on average, starting from $10.8/W in 1998.  Preliminary cost data indicates that the average cost of projects installed through the California Solar Initiative program during the first 8½ months of 2009 rose by $0.4/W relative to 2008, while average costs in New Jersey declined by $0.2/W over the same period. "   ...

 Via Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Tracking the Sun : The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the U.S. from 1998-2008 (PDF)

Posted by Green Tech at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Rutgers University’s 1.4-megawatt solar farm will generate approximately 11 percent of the electrical demand of the university’s Livingston Campus and reduce the university’s carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,350 tons per year (the equivalent of removing 230 automobiles from the road). It will save Rutgers more than $200,000 thousand in its first year of operation. " ...

Continue reading "Rutgers Solar Energy Farm" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The grant, from New York based corporation, Prime Source Initiative, Inc., will be awarded in $1.5 million allotments per year for five years. The research will be led by Winston Schoenfeld, a professor in CREOL, College of Optics and Photonics at UCF. He will work on methods to increase the efficiency between the organic material that harvests the sun’s energy and the inorganic semiconductor nanostructures within a hybrid photovoltaic solar cell. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Rankings are based on percentage of fiscal year revenue growth during the five year period from 2004–2008. Voltaix grew 465% during this 5-year period, representing an average annual revenue growth rate of 54%. Voltaix CEO John P. de Neufville credits the company’s success to its ability to conceive, develop and commercialize innovative materials that help enable high performance semiconductor and solar applications. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The thin film panels, while less efficient than conventional silicon, were projected to perform better in cloudy weather than silicon. Team Germany got its proof on the competition's fifth day when skies turned slate gray and a cold rain splattered the solar village. " ...

Continue reading "Thin Film Solar Cloudy Power" »

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Continue reading "Solar Decathlon University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Gable Home Leads into the Competition HomeStretch" »

Posted by Green Tech at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Continue reading "Solar Decathlon Team California Refract House Leads with Architecture and Communications" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Dow Chemical company is active in the green energy space with several innovative products.  They recently announced their entry into the solar cell market with the " ... POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle, ... panels in the form of solar shingles that can be integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingle materials. ... expected to be available in limited quantities by mid-2010 and ... more widely available in 2011, ..."

"... integrates low-cost, thin-film CIGS photovoltaic cells into a proprietary roofing shingle design, ... design reduces installation costs because the conventional roofing shingles and solar generating shingles are installed simultaneously by roofing contractors ..."

"... addresses two of the biggest challenges associated with solar power – cost and acceptance. "

Posted by Green Dude at 03:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Fluor will provide design optimization to rapidly scale eSolar’s 46 megawatt power plants. The undisclosed contract value was booked in the company’s third quarter of 2009. ... Bill Gross, CEO, eSolar: We believe that Fluor’s superior engineering strength will lead to faster and broader deployment to meet the rising global demand for renewable energy. " ...

Continue reading "Fluor Design Optimization Accelerates Solar Power Plant Deployment" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Natural Fusion is the first residential project to utilize the Solyndra cylindrical photovoltaics, which captures more sunlight throughout the entire day than traditional flat panels, which can only capture the most intense sunlight in the middle of the day. It's a system called Green Roof Integrated Photovoltaics (GRIP V) where the properties of the green roof beneath the panels create greater efficiency in powering the house. " ...

Continue reading "Cylindrical Solar Photovoltaics to Power Penn State Natural Fusion Home at the Solar Decathlon" »

Posted by Green Tech at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Photovoltaic metallization pastes are screen printed onto the surface of solar cells in a pattern of grid lines which serve to collect electricity produced by the cell and transport it out. To maximize efficiency in the solar cell, the multiple printing technology will reduce the shadowing effect of wide grid lines on solar cells and improve electrical conductivity. Applied Baccini Esatto Technology together with DuPont Solamet photovoltaic metallization pastes enables narrower and taller grid lines to be precisely printed in two or more layers. In addition to demanding precise alignment of the patterning system, multiple printing requires the paste to be finely tuned to perform consistently during all printing passes. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The EPA has recognized Applied Materials with a 2009 Green Power Leadership Award for its dedication to green power from on-premise generation and renewable energy procurement.  Applied has responded to the EPA Fortune 500 challenge with solar energy generation and the purchasing of green power.  ...

 ...   "Applied Materials was one of only three organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for the on-site generation of green power. The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves using on-site renewable energy applications, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) or wind energy projects. Applied Materials is currently generating 3.2 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually in the U.S. using on-site solar power generation at the company’s California and Texas facilities. In addition, Applied Materials purchases more than 31 million kWh of green power annually. In total, the company uses enough green power to meet more than 15 percent of its electricity use. "   ...

Via Applied Materials: EPA Green Power Leadership Award

Continue reading "On-Site Green Power Generation Leadership at Applied Materials" »

Posted by Green Tech at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Located in Luckenwalde near Berlin, the fully-automated factory processes Nanosolar cells into finished Nanosolar panels using innovative high-throughput manufacturing techniques and tooling developed by Nanosolar and its partners. The panel factory is automated to sustain a production rate of one panel every ten seconds, or an annual capacity of 640MW when operated 24x7. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Continue reading "Next Gen Photovoltaic Cells from Parker Hannifin Solar Scriber" »

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The small German town of Dardesheim (fewer than 1,000) and neighbors in Halberstadt in what was East Germany "... want to become 100% renewable using solar, wind, and biomass."

" ... Four pioneering wind turbines were installed in the mid-1990s, collectively producing one million kWh per year ..."

"In 2006 they developed a 62 MW wind project comprising 28 Enercon E70s and one E112, a giant 6 MW turbine ... wind turbines will generate from 120 to 130 million kWh annually, enough to meet the needs of nearly all the 80,000 residents of the county."

" ... also installed nine different solar PV plants ... During their first year of operation the combined 380 kW of solar PV generated nearly 250,000 kWh, about one-third of the Dardesheim's domestic electricity consumption."

Via: Wind-Works LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 06:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "A set of ten Plextronics test solar modules – which were created using the company’s Plexcore PV ready-to-use ink system – were installed on the roof of the Outdoor Test Facility at NREL. The performance of the test modules will be continuously monitored, and the performance in Colorado will be compared with testing Plextronics is already doing in Pittsburgh on identical modules. The performance of the modules will also be compared with the performance of other solar modules that are being tested at the NREL facility. The data over the next few months will be used to improve outdoor stability of the company’s OPV technology and pave the way for testing more modules and refinement of the method. " ...

Continue reading "Organic Photovoltaic Tests at NREL Golden Colorado" »

Posted by Green Tech at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Site selections for this phase of the Tedlar capacity expansion are complete, and construction has begun for new monomer and resin facilities at the DuPont Louisville, Ky., and Fayetteville, N.C., sites, respectively. The facilities are scheduled to start up in mid-2010. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 02:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Imaging a ZERO energy home.  Sound realistic? GE thinks so !

GE's “Net Zero Energy Home” ..." ... combines GE’s most efficient appliances and lighting, GE’s new energy management systems, and GE power generating and storing technologies. ... together, the system will enable a homeowner to achieve net zero energy costs by 2015."

" ... the Home Energy Manager, the central nervous system for the Net Zero Energy Home. ... smart thermostats will also be introduced ... to work in tandem with the energy manager. ... plans to develop residential power generation products like solar PV and residential wind products that will also contribute to the net zero concept."

" ... respondents in the U.S. and ... in the U.K. say they are willing to pay an increased monthly rate for smart grid technology if there is a corresponding reduction in overall energy costs by 15 percent."

Via:  GE  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "In addition to the credit toward their master's degrees, the teachers left MSU with the working solar cells they created, as well as the resources to teach students at their schools about how the cells work, Kaiser said. Giving teachers the laboratory experience lets them pass on lessons in applied science to their students, which is important to building interest in engineering, Kaiser said. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The solar power project is the third between a FedEx operating company and BP Solar and the fifth solar power project for FedEx. The 2.42 megawatt solar power system will cover approximately 3.3 acres of rooftop space with approximately 12,400 solar panels. When completed, the system will be capable of producing approximately 2.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year and could provide up to 30 percent of the hub’s annual energy needs. " ...

Continue reading "Fedex Solar Rooftop" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "PG&E awarded the SOLON Corporation a contract to produce photovoltaic modules and build a 2 MW power plant, which is planned to be completed in December 2009, in a multi-stage bidding process involving several top North American solar companies. The power plant is a pilot project for PG&E aimed at enabling the utility to develop more photovoltaic power plants in the future. As part of its solar energy initiative, PG&E plans to use photovoltaic power to deliver more than 1,000 gigawatt hours of electricity each year by 2015. " ...

Continue reading "Solon Solar Power Plant in California" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The project will be the first utility-scale solar power project located on local government property in the state. This is the fifth and largest solar array project announced by Progress Energy Carolinas, bringing the total amount of solar-generated electricity scheduled to be purchased by the company to more than 5 megawatts. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "When completed next month, the three and one half acre solar array, containing more than 2,700 photovoltaic panels, will generate 500 KW of power, more than enough to serve power needs of the UNM-Taos campus. Any additional power will go into the grid. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 Zwahlen's is a local (Audubon PA) ice cream and chocolate establishment that just so happens to have the first commercial use of SRS Energy's Sole Power Tile Roof.

I was driving past the store last evening when my son told me about the sign on the front that  said --- something along the lines "the best ice cream under the sun is now powered by the sun".  I needed to check this out ...

" SRS Energy, ...installed ... the first building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) roofing product designed for curved roofing systems, ... the first commercial installation of the Sole Power Tile(TM) system  ..."

"T...a great example of how time-tested traditions and cutting-edge technology can meet to create something beautiful," said Marty Low, CEO of SRS Energy and owner of Zwahlen's. "

" ... designed to blend seamlessly with several styles of US Tile's clay tiles, providing energy without the use of traditional solar panels that can compromise a building's roofline and curb appeal. ... preserves Zwahlen's charming Swiss chalet look."

"SRS Energy recently introduced the Sole Power Tile(TM) system to the greater Philadelphia region at the PV America show, held at the Pennsylvania Convention center during the week of June 7, 2009."

SRS Energy's Sole Power Tile can generate 500 Watts per sq ft.

Via:  EarthTimes  LINK

Via:  SRS Energy  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "During the fall of 2008, SCE completed the first of what eventually will be about 150 sites making up this program, a 600,000-square-foot Fontana, Calif. distribution warehouse roof. The rooftop now holds 33,700 advanced thin-film solar panels with a generating capacity of 2.4 megawatts of direct current power, known as DC power – the largest single rooftop solar photovoltaic array in California. SCE already has begun construction of its second installation atop a 458,000-square-foot industrial building in Chino, Calif. First Solar of Tempe, Ariz. was the winning bidder to supply panels for these first two installations. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The Concept Tent’s solar shell uses this technology to full effect with three directional glides which can be moved throughout the day to maximise its solar efficiency, capturing the optimum amount of energy which can to be used throughout the tent in a variety of new and exciting ways. To avoid festival-goers ever losing their tent, the Concept Tent would be fitted with innovative glo-cation technology. Glo-cation works by enabling campers’ mobile phones to identify their tent using either an SMS message or automatic active RFID technology (a longer range version of that used in London Underground Oyster cards); both would trigger a distinctive glow in the tent helping identify it from a distance. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "* Europe needs to dramatically increase the share of PV to meet its 20/20/20 energy goals; * A 12% market share for PV in Europe is a demanding, but achievable and desirable objective; ... " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The plane, covered in almost 12,000 photovoltaic cells, has a wingspan of 63.4 meters, or roughly that of Airbus A340, and only weighs 1,600 kg, equivalent to that of a motor car. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Continue reading "Vashon Island Washington Solar Initiative Time Lapse" »

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... "This one-day workshop will provide a thorough overview of PV technology by one of the leading manufacturers of PV modules in the world. Sharp is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photovoltaic modules. The company has a manufacturing facility in Tennessee. " ...

Continue reading "Photovoltaic Overview Workshop" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Taiwan has built a solar powered stadium that can generate 100% of it's powder needs and can send power to the grid when the stadium is not hosting an event.

" ... solar-powered stadium that can generate 100% of its electricity from the sun. ... can hold 50,000 spectators and is made with over 8,000 solar panels."

"...will officially open in July for the 2009 World Games. ... ntegrates many other sustainable features such as permeable paving and maximum use of domestic materials and local labor." 

" .... [when] not being used, the government plans to feed surplus energy into the local grid, where it will meet approximately 80% of the neighboring area's demand. This equates to approximately 660 tons of carbon dioxide per year! "

Via:  WholeTravel blog LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "This achievement by SANYO represents the first time that a photovoltaic manufacturer has broken through the 23% mark in conversion efficiency at the research-level for practical-sized solar cells, and further cements the leadership of SANYO’s HIT solar cell which is renowned for its high conversion efficiency. For now on SANYO will continue to advance its efforts into applying this research-level achievement into mass production, and promote further research into energy efficiency, as well as reductions in cost and materials. " ...

Continue reading "Sanyo Solar HITs High Conversion Efficiency" »

Posted by Green Tech at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Arizona State University and Advent Solar will collaborate to develop next-generation solar technology based upon the architectural framework provided by Advent Solar Ventura Technology. This technology provides the blueprint for delivering the industry’s best value for silicon PV modules. Ventura Solar Technology combines the Emitter-Wrap Through (EWT) back-contact cell with Monolithic Module Assembly (MMA). It is an integrated cell-to-module architecture that delivers higher energy efficiency at lower production costs. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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... "The fully automated facility will create more than 300 new jobs and, at capacity, produce 200 MW of solar modules annually. Its manufacturing process employs Abound Solar's proprietary continuous in-line semiconductor equipment to convert sheets of glass into solar panels in less than two hours. " ...

Continue reading "Colorado Solar Production Facility Opens" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Babcock Ranch is the first city planned to be powered by the sun, with the majority of its electric needs generated from the largest on-site solar photovoltaic energy facility powering any city on earth. " ...

Continue reading "Babcock Ranch Florida Solar City" »

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... "Specifically, SDSU’s involvement in this project centers on the development of a suite of maximum power point tracking algorithms that could improve the way photovoltaic devices transfer the energy they generate from sunlight into electrical networks. PV Powered is developing a new maximum power point tracking algorithm that can be fed into a microcomputer inside the power converter on a solar array. That can better enable the solar array to operate at that maximum power point. SDSU’s role is first to define the mathematics that describe the behavior of the solar array. " ...

Continue reading "Solar Array Power Point Algorithm" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "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. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The recipient of the award is chosen by a panel of commissioners composed of scientists and presidents of several solar energy-related professional societies, a representative of the U.S. Secretary of Energy, the past recipient and a member of the B?er family. Scheer, who has been a member of the German Parliament since 1980, was named president of EUROSOLAR in 1988 and was made chairperson of the World Council for Renewable Energy in 2001. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "By making thinner wafers, PV cell manufacturers can reduce the amount of silicon per wafer and lower the cost-per-watt of solar electricity. To produce thinner wafers, traditional wire saws must reduce the ingot length (load) and the cutting speed. The uniquely designed MaxEdge system delivers ultra-thin wafers without sacrificing throughput by enabling larger loads and using thinner wires at higher cutting speeds. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 05:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The pilot program at the university will demonstrate new production techniques that allow traditional panels to catch more light from the blue end of the spectrum, the short wavelengths. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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... "The 20um solar-cell foil combines the advantages of the low poly utilization of thin-film PV with the high efficiency potential of mono c-Si PV. This sets the stage for dramatic reductions in overall production costs, leading to reduced $/W. It is anticipated that the 20um foil will extend the reach of conventional silicon PV absorber technology well into the future. This mono c-Si foil is the result of continuous development of recently demonstrated pilot line production of full size wafers with thicknesses of 150um and 50um. These pilot capabilities are now being used for development of high volume manufacturing equipment. The availability of 20um mono c-Si foils will allow PV cell manufacturers to explore new applications and formats with cost effective production. The kerf-free nature of the PolyMax system enables savings of material and the development of a new category using thinner mono c-Si wafers and foils. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Materialab, based out of Rensselaer, is working on integrated concentrated solar modules that are expected to convert 30 percent of the sun’s light into electricity and another 50 percent into heat. " ...

Continue reading "Concentrated Solar Research" »

Posted by Green Tech at 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The type of solar-panel roof Westphal is using -- known as integrated because the panels are built into the roof rather than superimposed -- is booming in France thanks to legislation creating 20-year contracts with strong incentives to sell electricity to the grid. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Due to the characteristics of solar arrays, small amounts of shade (for example, shading of less than 10 percent of the surface area of a PV system) can lead to disproportionate power losses of more than 50 percent. National will introduce a technology later this spring which will allow installers and homeowners to embrace shade and recoup up to 50 percent of power losses associated with partial shading. Causes of shade include structural objects such as trees, chimneys and dormers, and intermittent debris including falling leaves, bird droppings and dust. In the case of structural shade, even correctly installed solar systems can be partially blocked from the sun at certain times of the day or during certain days of the year. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "They showed that iron pyrite is several orders of magnitude better than any alternative on important metrics of both cost and abundance. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

" ... SolFocus ... has signed an agreement in Greece to produce electricity from its concentrated solar arrays ... will produce 1.6 megawatts, enough to power about a town of about 2,500 residents at any given moment. ..."

" ... SolFocus, ... one of the leading companies in a race to validate concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology for utility use. ... the most common design uses mirrors to focus sunlight onto expensive, high-performance solar cells. Typically, they have mounting systems that track the sun over the course of the day.

" ... these arrays squeeze more electricity out of solar cells. SolFocus' 1100S ... concentrates the light 500 times, allowing it to convert 25 percent of sunlight into electricity."

Via:  CNet News  LINK

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... "For high-power solar cells the issue boils down to a single element used in their manufacture: indium. While PV cells are manufactured a little like any other semiconductor device on a silicon frame, the power efficiency of silicon-only cells is pretty limited. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "After targeting solar and renewable energy over the past few years, the state clinched several projects in this niche, including Solar World in Hillsboro ... " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 02:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The researchers at Fraunhofer ISE have succeeded in overcoming this obstacle. They have managed to localize the defects in a region of the solar cell that is not electrically active. As a result, the active regions of the solar cell remain relatively free of defects – a prerequisite for achieving the highest efficiencies. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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... "Toshiba will secure orders for large solar power generation systems by drawing on its competitive advantages. In components, the company's expertise includes high-efficiency power conditioning systems and the SCiB - the Super Charge ion Battery - Toshiba's breakthrough rechargeable battery that offers excellent safety, long life and rapid charging. In system integration, Toshiba can point to world-class capabilities in system integration, particularly in connecting generation systems to distribution systems; in microgrids that connect and manage dispersed small-scale power generation sources, including renewable energy sources; and in large plant system engineering capabilities. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... using innovative optics ... SolFocus systems dramatically reduce the amount of expensive and often supply-constrained solar material used in the system."

"SolFocus CPV solar panels are the only CPV technology listed by the California Energy Commission as qualified for California Solar Initiative (CSI) incentives. ... panels are constructed primarily of readily available and cost-effective materials such as aluminum and glass resulting in systems which are over 95-percent recyclable. ...has a very low carbon footprint in manufacturing and short energy payback period. "

Via:  SolFocus  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The 3MW building integrated rooftop solar systems will be designed, developed and installed by Suntech's in-house system integration team. World Expo Shanghai 2010 will be held from May 1 - October 31, 2010 in Shanghai, China. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Tech at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport has installed solar energy cells that will feed energy back to the state power grid. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Tech at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The plant will generate an estimated electrical power of 4.35 million kilowatt hours per year, which corresponds to an annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of more than 3,800 tons. Based on the current feed-in-tariff of 43,99 cent/kWh the installation will generate revenues of more than EUR 1.9 million per year. Next to the extremely quick installation of the power plant, another highlight during construction was the airlift of modules. Due to costs and efficiency, 10,000 of the total 64,000 First Solar solar modules to be installed were lifted to the roof by helicopter. With a roof area of approx. 224,000 sqm, this special way of module transport enabled enormous time savings. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Solar panels have been installed on the roofs of the Science Center and 3 Sacramento St., and at the Harvard Forest in Petersham, Mass. The forest’s extensive photovoltaic array actually feeds electricity back into the local grid when its output exceeds the forest’s energy needs. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 04:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "OPEL’s Mk-I HCPV panels concentrate the light from the sun more than 500 times and have conversion efficiencies up to twice that of conventional silicon solar panels and more than three times that of thin film solar panels. OPEL’s solar trackers can be used in conjunction with both concentrating panels, as well as with conventional silicon ones. When these trackers are used in conjunction with conventional silicon panels, the resulting electricity generation can be increased by as much as 40% with respect to conventional fixed panel installations. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Yang Yang, a professor of materials science and engineering, and colleagues describe the design and synthesis of a new polymer, or plastic, for use in solar cells that has significantly greater sunlight absorption and conversion capabilities than previous polymers. The research team found that substituting a silicon atom for carbon atom in the backbone of the polymer markedly improved the material's photovoltaic properties. This silole-containing polymer can also be crystalline, giving it great potential as an ingredient for high-efficiency solar cells. " ...

Continue reading "Polymer Solar Cells Increase Sunlight Absorption" »

Posted by Green Tech at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "In the next five years, solar energy will be an affordable option for you and your neighbors. Until now, the materials and the process of producing solar cells to convert into solar energy have been too costly for widespread adoption. But now this is changing with the creation of thin-film solar cells, a new type of cost-efficient solar cell that can be 100 times thinner than silicon-wafer cells and produced at a lower cost. These new thin-film solar cells can be printed and arranged on a flexible backing, suitable for not only the tops, but also the sides of buildings, tinted windows, cell phones, notebook computers, cars, and even clothing. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "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. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 11:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Continue reading "Printing Solar Photovoltaics" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Tech at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Suntech continues to invest in cost reduction technologies, the company is also increasing its efforts to seek out those balance-of-system components that best meet customer demand for a truly integrated offering. This vertical integration will enable Suntech to optimize solar system composition and performance, and drive down costs throughout the solar value chain. As a result of these initiatives, Suntech plans to triple sales to the U.S. in 2009. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Tech at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "In partnership with the University of Oxford and Wafer Technology, and with partial funding from the UK Technology Strategy Board and EPSRC, a successful three year collaborative research project has delivered first generation single-junction cells with energy conversion efficiencies up to 12%. This compares to 9% from existing, commercially available devices. TPVs are similar to solar cells, but operate at infrared rather than visible wavelengths, generating electricity directly from heat. " ...

Continue reading "Energy Conversion Record for Thermo-Photovoltaic Cells" »

Posted by Green Tech at 08:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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... "Successful development in wind energy has allowed B&B to acquire all the competencies and skills necessary along the solar value chain for a successful entrance (i.e., site identification, engineering, project management, procurement and project finance) " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "With this U.S. based manufacturing location, Konarka further expands its presence in Massachusetts and accelerates its aggressive plans to develop and commercialize its polymer-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) technologies worldwide. In addition to acquiring the fully automated roll-to-roll manufacturing line, the company has also hired the leading technology and process engineering teams from Polaroid, with plans to hire over 100 additional employees as production increases toward capacity over the next two to three years. Konarka’s advanced photovoltaic technology started with the work of the late Dr. Sukant Tripathy, an internationally known polymer materials scientist, provost at UMASS Lowell and founder of the Plastic Innovation Center and Dr. Alan Heeger, Konarka’s chief scientist, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2000. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Solyndra's panels employ cylindrical modules which capture sunlight across a 360-degree photovoltaic surface capable of converting direct, diffuse and reflected sunlight into electricity. This self-tracking design allows Solyndra's PV systems to capture significantly more sunlight than traditional flat-surfaced solar panels, which require costly tilted mounting devices to improve the capture of direct light, offer poor collection of diffuse light and fail to collect reflected light from rooftops or other installation surfaces. Conventional flat PV panels must be mounted at an angle and spaced apart for optimum energy production. The sunlight striking the spaces between the panels is not collected and thus is wasted. Solyndra's panels perform optimally when mounted horizontally and packed closely together, thereby covering significantly more of the available roof area and producing more electricity per rooftop on an annual basis than a conventional panel installation. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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... "The 40-kilowatt solar panels, the largest photovoltaic system on campus, were energized earlier this month with the flip of a switch that sent photovoltaic electricity flowing to the house and the PG&E grid. The 252 polycrystalline solar panels, manufactured by Evergreen Solar and installed by REC Solar, are mounted on the flat roof of a partially buried water tank (known as the San Juan Reservoir) near the house. The multiple levels and terraces of the historical house, built by Herbert Hoover and his wife in 1920, before he became president, make it impractical to place the panels there. The project is an example of smart sustainability that works both environmentally and financially, said Joe Stagner, Stanford sustainability czar. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The solar photovoltaic (PV) project, which is situated in one of the highest areas of solar irradiation in Spain, is being built under a framework agreement between Santander Investment S.A., the equity arm of Grupo Santander, and BP Solar, which has already seen them construct eleven projects to date. Bank of Scotland is acting as sole mandated lead arranger on the transaction. BP Solar will be in charge of the operation and maintenance of the park guaranteeing a minimum energy production. Construction of the park started in mid-February and is scheduled to be completed by the end of August 2008. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Three types of thin film modules are commercially available. These are manufactured from amorphous silicon (a-Si), copper indium diselenide and cadmium telluride. All of these technologies have active layers in the thickness range of less than a few microns. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The PV system will be operational at the end of September 2008 and is comprised of roughly 85,000 thin film solar panels that will be connected to Satcon PowerGate Plus Inverters. Once fully operationally, the solar installation will generate 10 MW of peak power output and 15.1 million kilowatt hours of power annually. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "I’ve been working with Prof. Vladimir Bulovic in electrical engineering to put these quantum dots in both light-emitting devices as well as to look at solar photovoltaic applications, which is very a propos. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "When complete, UC San Diego’s system will consist of 5,790 Kyocera KD205 solar modules that will be mounted on the Price Center, the Gilman parking structure and other buildings across the 1,200-acre campus. This system will contribute to the 29 million kilowatt hours per year of green energy that UC San Diego expects its overall efforts to produce, which is enough electricity to power more than 4,500 homes. UC San Diego’s program will offset approximately 10,500 tons of carbon emissions, which is the equivalent of removing 1,500 cars from the road every year. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The capacity of annually installed solar power systems would reach 281 GW by 2030. About 60% of this would be in the grid-connected market, mainly in industrialised countries. The total number of people by then covering their own electricity from a gridconnected solar system would reach 1,280 million. Although the key markets are currently located mainly in the industrialised world, a global shift will result in a significant share - about 20% or an annual market of 56 GW - being taken by the developing world for rural electrification in 2030. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "OptiSolar’s Topaz Solar Farm : The 550 MW Topaz Solar Farm project» would utilize relatively low-cost, thin-film PV panels designed and manufactured by OptiSolar in Hayward and Sacramento. Located in San Luis Obispo County, California, the project would deliver an average of 1,100,000 megawatt-hours annually of renewable electricity. The project is expected to begin power delivery in 2011 and be fully operational by 2013. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The audience learned that CPV, while not a new technology, is now coming into its own in the marketplace. All three companies are experiencing the same very positive customer response and looking forward to expansion of the CPV market. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 was $69.7 million or $0.85 per share on a fully diluted basis, compared to net income of $46.6 million or $0.57 per share on a fully diluted basis for the first quarter of fiscal 2008. Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 was $44.4 million or $0.58 per share on a fully diluted basis, which included a one-time income tax benefit of $39.2 million that resulted from the reversal of valuation allowances against previously established U.S. deferred income tax assets. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Yankun Liu, director of the Kunming Science Bureau, said the municipal government will put in place favorable policies and a special fund to encourage private sector participation in the city's solar energy-based infrastructure development. The fund, which will be included in the municipal government's annual budget, will particularly finance LED for public lighting, solar photovoltaic projects, and the propagation of energy saving projects. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Sempra Generation will be the developer for the project, and will own and operate the PV power plant once completed. Construction began in July, and the 10 MW PV power plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. The solar modules to be deployed in this ground-mount project will be produced at First Solar's manufacturing facility in Perrysburg, Ohio. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "This revolutionary solar cell technology provides a platform for EMCORE's next generation photovoltaic products for space and terrestrial solar power applications. Solar cells built using IMM technology recently achieved world record conversion efficiency of 33% used in space, and it is anticipated that efficiency levels in the 42%-45% range will be achieved when adapted for use under the 500-1500X concentrated illumination, typical in terrestrial concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems. Once commercialized, the CPV systems that are powered with EMCORE's IMM based products will see a reduction in the cost of power generated by approximately 10% to 20%. EMCORE expects to commercialize this technology for both space and terrestrial applications in 2009. Developed in conjunction with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Vehicle Systems Directorate of the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the IMM design is comprised of a novel combination of compound semiconductors that enables a superior response to the solar spectrum as compared to conventional multi-junction architecture. Due to its unique design, the IMM cell is approximately one fifteenth the thickness of the conventional multi-junction solar cell and will enable a new class of extremely lightweight, high-efficiency, and flexible solar arrays for space applications. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The 5X concentrator is based on several innovative proprietary technologies: 5X~7X solar concentrator design, High temperature, ultra clear encapsulant, TRAXLE solar tracker, Bifacial concentrator solar cell, and PV panel cooling ... " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "rather than covering a roof with expensive solar cells (the semiconductor devices that transform sunlight into electricity), the cells only need to be around the edges of a flat glass panel. In addition, the focused light increases the electrical power obtained from each solar cell by a factor of over 40 ... " ...

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