9Feb

Photovoltaic nanoshell “whispering galleries” trap light for more efficient solar cells

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Photovoltaic nanoshell whispering galleries trap light for more efficient solar cells

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For those unfamiliar with the term, a “whispering gallery” is a round room designed in such a way that sound is carried around its perimeter – this allows a person standing on one side to hear words whispered by a person on the other. Now, scientists from Stanford University have developed a new type of photovoltaic material, that essentially does for sunlight what whispering galleries do for sound. Not only does the material have a structure that circulates light entering it, but it could also result in cheaper, less fragile, and less angle-sensitive solar panels.

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4Feb

Suntech, DuPont to Collab on Solar Backsheets, Supply Chain

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It’s easy to think about modules as singular units of power output, but the reality is that they are a collection of diverse components, each with influence over the end system’s total cost and performance. For DuPont, its focus is of course on the materials side, from metallization pastes used to form contacts on the solar cell, to backsheet materials that protect the panels themselves.

The latter is the focus of a new expanded partnership between Suntech and DuPont, specifically on DuPont’s Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride film (though the deal also includes other materials supplies). The two will explore technology advancements in backsheets: their construction and how that affects their longevity, and how backsheets might even improve the module’s power output, according to Maria Boulden, global sales manager for Dupont Photovoltaics Solutions.

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1Feb

Will future smartphones come without chargers?

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Will future smartphones come without chargers

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Smartphones of today

The world of cellphones is expanding with new models being launched almost every day. Back in 1973, when the first cellphone was made; it was a bulky object with not many functions other than that of making and receiving calls. Now, cellphones have become like mini computers with multipurpose cameras, capable of storing substantial amounts of data, recording videos and music, linking to the internet, playing games and a whole host of other features. These phones fall under the category of smartphones owing to their intelligent capabilities. So essential have they become to consumers that the third quarter of the year 2011 saw 115 million units of these phones being sold worldwide.

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31Jan

Device Could Drive Down Solar’s Cost

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ArrayPower_x220

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As solar panel manufacturers try to harvest more of the sun’s energy for less, they face increasingly diminishing returns. At roughly $1 per watt, the cost of solar modules now represents less than a third of the total cost of commercial solar installations. To cut the total cost of solar power—currently $3.00 to $3.50 per watt—bigger gains will have to come from improvements in the power electronics, wiring, and mounting systems required for solar installations.

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30Jan

Solar powered homes that will compete in Solar Decathlon Europe 2012

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Solar powered homes that will compete in Solar Decathlon Europe 2012

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Environmentally friendly homes can reduce inhabitants’ carbon footprints, save resources and lead the way for others to live the same way. Most of us, however, have been living in homes that are pretty standard, in that they don’t help us reduce our carbon footprints. The US Department of Energy has been trying to further green living in terms of homes and has been organizing the Solar Decathlon for a while now. The international competition is a biennial event that challenges 20 college teams to come up with conceptual homes that utilize solar energy. The teams get to work on site, detailing their prefabricated houses for 10 days in a bid to take home the Solar Decathlon title. 2012’s competition is set to begin and we’re eager to see who wins the coveted prize.

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28Jan

Zero Energy Home helps say goodbye to energy bills forever

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Zero Energy Home helps say goodbye to energy bills forever

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Denver-based New Town Builders have created a net zero energy house that has been designed to save a lot of energy and help preserve precious resource. The Zero Energy Home will leave eco lovers in a state of complete amazement as it takes energy efficiency to an all new scale.

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25Jan

Italy/France’s 100 percent solar home entry for the 2012 Solar Decathlon

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Italy France's 100 percent solar home entry for the 2012 Solar Decathlon

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Italy and France have joined forces to create the “Astonyshine” 100 percent solar home concept as part of the 2012 Solar Decathlon Europe. The international competition is open to universities from around the globe and promotes research into the development of efficient housing. Astonyshine is a modern reinterpretation of the classic Mediterranean villa, and is the result of the combined efforts from Polytechnic of Bari (Italy), University of Ferrara (Italy), Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Architecture Paris-Malaquais (France) and Ecole des Ponts ParisTech (France).

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23Jan

Army and Air Force Push Solar Power into Quantum Territory

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Army and Air Force Push Solar Power into Quantum Territory

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The Department of Defense has been on a roll with new solar energy installations, but the real action is going on behind the scenes in laboratories where DoD is quietly supporting research into low cost, lightweight solar cells enhanced with quantum dots. In the latest project, researchers from the Army Research Laboratory and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research have teamed up with the University of Buffalo to create a quantum-enhanced technology that could boost existing solar cell efficiency by up to 45 percent, and possibly more.

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13Jan

What’s Next: Eco friendly hybrid energy generating systems

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What's Next Eco friendly hybrid energy generating systems

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As we move towards a time of increasingly depleted energy resources, we find ourselves faced with the question of how to sustain ourselves and the planet. As it is not feasible to continue using conventional sources like coal and natural gas, we’re leaning more towards renewable sources like solar, tidal, and wind energy. They can produce as much, if not more, power than conventional sources, provided they are harnessed properly using the right technology.

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30Dec

Supply Risks for 16 Materials Key to Clean Energy Technologies

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Supply Risks for 16 Materials Key to Clean Energy Technologies

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The transition to an economy powered by clean, renewable energy sources is under way. Successfully building on recent success and ultimately achieving that goal critically depends on the ready availability of a range of raw materials with potential supply risks, however. In a comprehensive annual report, the Dept. of Energy (DOE) “identifies strategies of addressing these risks and provides background that may be helpful for stakeholders working in this area.”

Drafted by the DOE Office of Policy and International Affairs, the “2011 Critical Materials Strategy” report examines the role of rare earth metals and other materials in the clean energy economy,” raw materials critical to the manufacturing of a wide range of clean technologies, including wind turbines, electric vehicles (EVs), thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and energy-efficient lighting.

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