photovoltaic
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Sharp slings out industry's thinnest solar modules for cellphones
Timely, no? Just a month after Sharp aided in producing the planet's first waterproof solar cellphone, the aforementioned outfit has just announced the industry's thinnest solar module for handsets. Checking in at just 0.8 millimeters thick, the LR0GC02 shouldn't take up too much space on your daughter's great-granddaughter's smartphone, and while Sharp isn't handing over too many details just yet, we figure it'll pretty much do what it says. You know -- charge the handset it's integrated into whenever sunlight is available. As for when we'll see these in cellphones everywhere? Take a wild guess, tree-hugger.[Via Akihabara News]
Taiwan's National Stadium gets solar panel roof, hug from Ma Earth
Oh sure, we've seen photovoltaic panels strewn across rooftops before, but this takes things to a whole 'nother level. Taiwan's $152 million National Stadium, which will proudly host the 2009 World Games, is home to no fewer than 8,844 solar panels. With under a month to go before the events kick off, construction on the Toyo Ito-designed arena wrapped just in time, and we're told that some 55,000 observers will soon be spectating underneath the eco-friendly shelter. Early reports have noted that in optimal sunlight, the solar panels can cover around 75 percent of the stadium's energy needs, and on days when the facility is dormant, the power generated is simply fed into the grid in order to help the local community. So, who's down for a trip to Kaohsiung? Sunscreen's on us.[Via Inhabitat]
Road Tested: Voltaic Systems Generator laptop bag
Thinking green? Voltaic Systems' Generator laptop bag (US$499) might be just the thing to buy for Earth Day on April 22nd. I had a chance to road test one of these incredibly cool bags for a month and was very impressed. What makes it so special? Well, it could be the big photovoltaic panel on one side of the Generator that provides 15 watts of power to feed your electronic devices. Voltaic points out that the Generator is the "first solar bag powerful enough to recharge a laptop." That panel charges an internal 58Wh Lithium Ion battery pack that can run most laptops. The solar panel isn't the only thing that's green about this bag. The materials that make up the majority of the bag are made from recycled PET soda bottles. In fact, the shell, webbing, mesh and lining of the case are made of 100% recycled materials.
Self-assembling nanoscale discovery could catapult data storage capacity
Ready to have your mind blown? What if 250 DVDs could fit onto a storage module no larger than a quarter? According to research conducted by brilliant geeks at the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, it's all within the realm of feasibility. Reportedly, an easily implemented technique "in which nanoscale elements precisely assemble themselves over large surfaces" could soon blow open the doors to significant improvements in data storage capacity. Without getting too Ph.D on you, the process essentially works by taking advantage of just how precise molecules can self-assemble. The end result has researchers achieving "defect-free arrays of nanoscopic elements with feature sizes as small as 3 nanometers, translating into densities of 10 terabits per square inch." Per square inch, son.[Via TheStandard, thanks Apoc]
Baby steps: new solar cell efficiency record isn't awe-inspiring
Granted, we've no idea what it takes to really push the efficiency level of a solar cell, but we're getting pretty bored with these incremental improvements year after year. If you'll recall, the record for solar cell efficiency sat at 40.7 percent in 2006, and that was raised to an amazing 40.8 percent last August. Today, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems have announced an all new milestone: 41.1 percent efficiency. According to team head Frank Dimroth, the crew is simply "elated by this breakthrough." Meanwhile, the rest of planet Earth is suddenly depressed by the thought of perishing from old age before this data point ever breaks the big five-oh.[Via Gizmag]
Intel talks up shape-shifting "programmable matter," bugs us out
We've managed to somewhat wrap our brains around shape-shifting robots and printable circuits, but we're still working on fully understanding the latest Intel spill. As IDF came to a close, Justin Rattner, Intel's chief technology officer, presented a keynote speech in which he explained just how close the outfit was to realizing "programmable matter." Granted, he did confess that end products were still years away, but researchers have been looking at ways to "make an object of any imaginable shape," where users could simply hit a print button and watch the matter "take that shape." He also explained that the idea of programmable matter "revolves around tiny glass spheres with processing power and photovoltaic for generating electricity to run the tiny circuitry." For those now sitting with a blank stare on their face (read: that's pretty much all of you, no?), hit up the read link for even more mind-boggling "explanations."[Via MAKE]
Two mammoth solar plants to generate 800 megawatts in California
It's one thing to see competition unnecessarily push more and more megapixels into palm-sized cameras, but this game of leapfrog is one we can actually get behind. A pair of giant solar plants will soon be installed in San Luis Obispo County in California, covering 12.5 square miles and promising to generate around 800 megawatts of power. OptiSolar will be responsible for laying enough panels to generate 550 megawatts, while SunPower -- the same company associated with the 14 megawatt installation at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada (pictured) -- will provide the other 250. The energy will eventually be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric, though any sort of pricing arrangements are strictly under wraps for now. C'mon Nevada, you gonna let the Golden State do you like that?[Via Slashdot]
New solar cell efficiency record (barely) achieved at 40.8%
Just under two years ago, researchers at Boeing-Spectrolab managed to achieve 40.7% solar cell efficiency. Two years later, scientists at the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory have demonstrated their nerve by trumpeting an all new world record... one that's 0.1% points better than the last. Yes, your new record now sits at 40.8% -- tremendous progress, wouldn't you say? Looking outside of the numbers, you'll find that these cells differ "significantly" from the prior record holders, which enable them to be thinner, lighter, cheaper and altogether swanker. That's it for now folks -- come back in a couple years, we hear 40.9% is just around the bend.[Via CNET]
Nihon windowpanes feature built-in photovoltaic cells
Think your house is green? Think again. Japan's own Nihon Telecommunication System has just revealed a line of windowpanes that actually include integrated photovoltaic cells. The windows are aimed at the (ritzy) residential housing market, and folks that snag a few will reportedly be able to power a PC and recharge their cellphones simply by tapping into the energy generated by these units. Additionally, the glass is designed to shun most of the sunlight from coming into your abode, thereby lowering air conditioning costs and satisfying your needs as an introvert. So, what's the pain for helping out Mother Earth? Around $1,900 per square meter of windowpane -- ouch.[Via CrunchGear]
Sharp solar panels to be used in two Japanese mega plants
Sharp has certainly been an integral part of these solar installations before, but the latest endeavor by the city of Sakai and the Kansai Electric Power Company isn't anything to sneeze at. The initiative will see a pair of "mega solar plants" constructed, one of which will crank out around 10,000 kW while the other outputs 18,000 kW. Once the plants go online in 2011, expectations are that CO2 emissions will decrease on the order of 10,000 tons per year. Of course, a staggering ¥5.0 billion ($46.5 million) will be coughed up in order to make it happen, but you can bet Mother Earth will certainly see it as money well spent.[Via CrunchGear]
Intel spearheads SpectraWatt spin-off to create photovoltaic cells
Famed chip maker Intel is doing more than just buying up Renewable Energy Certificates like they're going out of style. It's cranking things up with a spin-off outfit that will soon be creating photovoltaic cells for solar module makers. Intel Capital is pouring some $50 million into SpectraWatt Inc., and it's being joined by Cogentrix Energy, PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund and Solon AG. Aside from making that dough, the new company will also "concentrate development efforts on improvements in current manufacturing processes and capabilities to reduce the cost of photovoltaic energy generation," and if everything goes smoothly, it should break ground on its manufacturing and development facility in Oregon in 2H 2008 (with product shipping in mid-2009).
Solar Soft House converts household curtains into household current
Bravo Sheila Kennedy, bravo. You might just save us from our gadget-obsessed selves if the Soft House you've designed can pump the 16,000 watt-hours you predict. The design features thin photovoltaic films woven into semi-transparent curtains. The idea is similar to the solar power ski-suits (seriously) we've seen. Unfortunately, a home fitted entirely in solar textiles is still too costly at the moment. Cost measured in cash, apparently.
Napa Valley winery flips on Flotovoltaic solar array
Chalk another one up for Sharp. The company has landed yet another partner willing to utilize its solar panels in order to make news, wow onlookers and give Mother Earth a modicum of a break. Napa Valley winery Far Niente has flipped on its self-coined Floatovoltaic installation, which was developed by Thompson Technology Industries and installed by SPG Solar. Nearly 2,300 Sharp solar panels were secured for the job, and we're told that the array generates 400 kWs at peak output, which "significantly offsets the winery's annual power usage and provides a net-zero energy bill." Don't expect that coveted bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to be any cheaper as a result, though.[Via CNET]
SUNRGI, University of Tel Aviv boast of solar power advances
It looks like we've got a bit of intercontinental solar power action today, with Silicon Valley start-up SUNRGI and the University of Tel Aviv both recently boasting of some advances in the field, which they each unsurprisingly say could change things in a big way. For its part, SUNRGI claims that its "concentrated photovoltaic" system (pictured above) can produce as much electricity as much larger solar panels thanks to its use of lenses that magnify sunlight 2,000 times. That, they say, could allow the system to produce electricity for as little as 7 cents per kilowatt hour, or roughly the same price as coal -- and as soon as mid-2009, no less. Not to be outdone, some scientists at the University of Tel Aviv say they've managed to create some super-efficient photovoltaic cells of their own that cost "at least a hundred times less than conventional silicon based devices." The key to their system, it seems, is the use of some good old fashioned photosynthesis, which they were able to achieve not-so-old-fashionedly with the aid of some genetically engineered proteins and a little bit of nanotechnology. As with SUNRGI, they're also promising to get the system out the door as soon as possible, with them reportedly aiming to get a "cost effective" 10mm X 10mm device produced "within three years."Read - USA Today, "Start-up: Affordable solar power possible in a year"Read - EETimes, "Researchers claim photovoltaic cell advance"[Via Next Big Future, thanks Jonathan]
US' largest solar photovoltaic system flipped on in Nevada
Sure, we've seen monolithic solar farms before, but the 14-megawatt Nellis solar energy system is a beast that stands alone -- for now, at least. As of today, this farm is hailed as America's "largest solar photovoltaic system," but if all goes to plan, Cleantech America will grab those honors when it completes a massive 80-megawatt project in neighboring California. Nevertheless, this system -- which is housed at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada -- will reportedly generate "30 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually and supply approximately 25-percent of the total power used at the base, where 12,000 people live and work." Of course, some 140 acres of land have been covered with 72,000 solar panels in order to make it happen, but it's not like anything else is going out there (CES and rabid gambling notwithstanding).[Via MetaEfficient, image courtesy of CleanTech]
California Kohl's store turns on giant rooftop solar system
The Laguna Niguel Kohl's location certainly isn't the first notable venue in California to benefit from a large solar panel installation, but this particular setup is being dubbed the "largest planned US photovoltaic solar rollout to date." Reportedly, Kohl's Department Stores is planning on equipping 63 of its 80 California locations with solar electric systems, which should total "approximately 25 megawatts," and upon completion, the program would "represent approximately 15-percent of California's photovoltaic installations to date." Granted, the US Tesco building's solar roof may still hold the crown (at least for now) for "world's largest," but Kohl's is hoping to impress by "generating more than 35-million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable energy annually" when its massive rollout is complete.
Robotarium X zoo: don't feed the autonomous robots
Although WowWee's theoretical zoo of robotic creatures is indeed impressive, our hats are off to Leonel Moura. This visionary has created a vivid yellow structure which is home to some 45 robots -- most powered by photovoltaic energy while the others are plugged into the ceiling or ground -- that were all created in the name of art (and science, too). The autonomous creatures represent 14 species in what's being dubbed the "world's first zoo for artificial life," and the Robotarium supposedly provides an "ideal environment" for peaceful robotic development. Of course, our imaginations can certainly run wild with the fear of these suckas forming a coup and running amok, but be sure and click through for a video of caged life on the robotic side.[Via NewScientist]
Portasol Solar Tracker continuously faces the sun
Although solar panels are becoming more and more efficient, one of the most glaring oversights in solar technology has been the inability for panels to autonomously move along with the sun and maximize the energy it could take in. The Portasol Tracker, however, is aiming to change all that, as a market-ready rendition is finally set after seven years of testing. The Hydrasolar panel utilizes hydraulic motors along with sophisticated "passive solar trackers to affect the thermal expansion and contraction of a contained liquid to make the device rotate." Essentially, the movement of the liquid causes the panel to spin to the west along with the sun as the day passes on, ensuring that the maximum amount of energy is garnered during those precious daylight hours. Currently, a small selection of models and mounting options are becoming available, and while hard pricing doesn't yet seem to be available, feel free to hit the links below for a smattering of pics and even a quick video overview.[Via MAKE]
Electric Xebra Xero car to offer solar power option
If you prefer to zip around town with a green conscience, you'll be glad to know that electric car maker ZAP will offer a new photovoltaic panel option for its three-wheeled Xebra Xero models. Xebras get their main charge from a standard 110 volt outlet, but the solar panel can power short-distance trips all on its own. Compared to pricier, stranger-looking alternative energy vehicles, a Xebra Xero will give you not a bang, but a solid scoot for your buck, with a top speed of 40 mph and estimated price tag of $12,000. Xebra Xeros are best-suited for city use and are available as a 4-door sedan or 2-passenger pick-up truck. Though you might be a little embarrassed to pick someone up in a whip like this.
SunPower announces 22 percent efficient solar panels
Silicon Valley-based SunPower Corporation is looking to add a bit more juice to your rooftop, announcing its highest power and most efficient solar panel to date. The SPR-315 solar panel is based on the company's brand spankin' new Gen 2 solar cells, which have a rated power output of 315 watts and boast 22 percent photovoltaic (PV) efficiency -- that's opposed to the 7% to 17% common in most commercial PV systems. According to SunPower, that means you should get roughly 50 percent more power per square foot of roof area than the average solar panel, using half as many panels. Whether it'll also cost you half as much or not has yet to be seen, but we should find out by the time the SPR-315 solar panels are available in the Spring of next year, after we too have coated our country cottage in the stuff, and start contributing to -- not pulling from -- the grid.
