Archive for the ‘solar power’ category: Page 107
Oct 15, 2015
Researchers use engineered viruses to provide quantum-based enhancement of energy transport
Posted by Phillipe Bojorquez in categories: bioengineering, genetics, particle physics, quantum physics, solar power, sustainability
Nature has had billions of years to perfect photosynthesis, which directly or indirectly supports virtually all life on Earth. In that time, the process has achieved almost 100 percent efficiency in transporting the energy of sunlight from receptors to reaction centers where it can be harnessed—a performance vastly better than even the best solar cells.
One way plants achieve this efficiency is by making use of the exotic effects of quantum mechanics—effects sometimes known as “quantum weirdness.” These effects, which include the ability of a particle to exist in more than one place at a time, have now been used by engineers at MIT to achieve a significant efficiency boost in a light-harvesting system.
Surprisingly, the MIT researchers achieved this new approach to solar energy not with high-tech materials or microchips—but by using genetically engineered viruses.
Oct 15, 2015
Efficiency Of Solar-Powered Electrolysis Doubled
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: solar power, sustainability
Researchers have reached an all time solar-to-hydrogen efficiency high of 24 percent.
Having reached a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of more than 24 percent, it may soon be feasible to harness the sun to split water.
Asian Scientist Newsroom | October 13, 2015 | In the Lab.
Oct 8, 2015
Panasonic has made the world’s most efficient rooftop solar panel
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: Elon Musk, solar power, sustainability, transportation
At the end of last week, solar technology company SolarCity, which was co-founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, made headlines when it announced it had developed the most efficient rooftop solar panel to date, with a module-level efficiency of 22.04 percent. Now, just a few days later, Panasonic has one-upped them by announcing a rooftop panel prototype that’s nearly half a percent more efficient.
“Sorry Elon, I’mma let you finish…” and, well, you know how that pun goes. What’s cool about Panasonic’s record-breaking prototype is that it was mass-produced, and able to convert 22.5 percent of sunlight into electrical energy straight off the production line, which means it’ll be easily commercialised and presumably relatively cheap for consumers.
Right about now you’re probably wondering why this is a big deal, when researchers have already managed to convert the Sun’s rays into electricity with more than 40 percent efficiency, and just last year Panasonic themselves announced they’d made a solar cell with 25.6 percent efficiency.
Oct 4, 2015
Elon Musk and SolarCity unveil ‘world’s most efficient’ solar panel
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: Elon Musk, solar power, sustainability
Oct 4, 2015
$0.55 per watt from SolarCity’s record-breaking new solar panel
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: solar power, sustainability
A new solar panel technology from SolarCity is the most efficient rooftop solar ever released. Can it finally push solar to mass adoption?
Oct 1, 2015
Graphene nanoribbons as electronic highways
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: materials, physics, solar power, sustainability
Physicists have developed a method to synthesise a unique and novel type of material which resembles a graphene nanoribbon but in molecular form. This material could be important for the further development of organic solar cells.
Sep 26, 2015
The Future is Clear
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: mobile phones, solar power, sustainability
Transparent solar panels!
Imagine a city that’s actually a vast solar energy harvesting system. A team of Michigan State University researchers has developed a technology that can turn transparent surfaces, from building windows to cell phones, into solar collecting surfaces – without obstructing the view.
Sep 23, 2015
Transparent coating keeps solar cells cool and efficient throughout the day
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: solar power, space, sustainability
Stanford engineers have developed a transparent silicon overlay that can increase the efficiency of solar cells by keeping them cool. The cover collects and then radiates heat directly into space, without interfering with incoming photons. According to a local HVAC Spokane, WA company, “If mass-produced, the development could be used to cool down any device in the open air – for instance, to complement air conditioning in cars.”
After a full day in the sun, solar cells in California can approach temperatures of 80° C (175° F), even in winter months. Excessive heat can pose problems because, while the cells need sunlight to harvest energy, they also lose efficiency as they heat up. A standard silicon cell, for example, will drop from 20 to 19 percent efficiency by heating up just 10° C (18° F) or so.
Laptops address the overheating problem with the help of carefully engineered fans and heat sinks, but for solar panels and other devices that work in the open air, space itself could serve as heat sink par excellence. The coolness of space, approaching absolute zero, would negate the need for elaborate and expensive heat dissipation contraptions – if only we had a way to access it from the ground.
Sep 21, 2015
Gigantic Energy-Generating Waterfall Skyscraper Could Power the 2016 Rio Olympics
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: solar power, sustainability
The Solar City Tower, designed by RAFAA, includes a bank of solar panels as well as pumped water storage to create energy during both the day and night for use in the Olympic Village.