Solar technology advancements are leading to thinner, more efficient and cheaper solar panels. One of the most exciting developments may be invisible solar cells. Applied to windows, the building integrated photovoltaic technology allows for see through solar power. Just think – no bulky solar panels installed on the rooftop! Solar windows may have a clear [...]
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Spray on solar cells are one of the more exciting solar technologies that can be employed as building integrated photovoltaics. Thin film solar is incorporated into solar inks that can literally be painted onto walls and windows of structures allowing the sides of buildings to function as solar collectors to generate enough electricity to power [...]
The United States Department of Energy (USDOE) announced this week a commitment to invest $60 million in concentrating solar power (CSP) technology. Used for utility scale solar power plants, CSP consists of large, parabolic reflective mirrors, which concentrate sunlight to superheat water, creating steam and turning turbines for electricity. CSP is also referred to as [...]
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In 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy created the Solar Energy Grid Integration System, a competitive program that encouraged solar research that can better integrate solar energy generated by panels installed on rooftops or ground-mounted into the electrical grid. Among several goals of the program were: (1) help encourage utilities to accept solar power; and [...]
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Renewable Energy Co. (REC) has recently developed new solar technology that allows its solar PV panels to achieve energy payback time in one year. So-called energy payback time is the amount of time it takes for a photovoltaic (PV) solar module to produce as much energy as was used to manufacture it. Efficient solar cells [...]
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Spray on solar power technology from Mitsubishi could transform everything from buildings, cars and clothing into energy-generating surfaces. Thin solar cells – less than 1 millimeter thick, and which weigh 1/10th of similarly sized crystalline solar panels – are the latest in building integrated photovoltaics. The Japanese-based company has been part of a clean tech [...]
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One of the reasons that rooftop solar panels are so popular is that they effectively use space exposed to UV light, with untapped potential. A solar parking lot using photovoltaics is a similar concept. Flat surface area that cannot be used for much else when vehicles are not present. Using solar technology that is being [...]
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In the past 5 years, solar power growth has been exponential. In the midst of a recession, no less. As people look for ways to save money and live in a more environmentally sensitive manner, renewable energy options like solar panels are being considered more often. Just a decade ago, solar panels on rooftops of [...]
Breakthrough solar technology from engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shows great promise for the future of renewable energy from the sun. Paper solar cells will not only be significantly less expensive than their silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) cells, but they will have a much wider potential for application. Currently, the paper solar cells can [...]
Solar power is enjoying a surge of interest lately, due to the nuclear crisis in Japan, rising gas prices and concerns over global climate change. Yet, the cost of solar still deters some people from converting from grid-based electricity. What if it was possible to generate solar energy without solar cells? In other words, could [...]
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