Flexible Solar Panels Get More Mobile
Just how flexible can solar cells get??? Thin film solar cell panels are flexible enough to be molded on common building appliances and external structures.Howvwer new research promises to give even more “ flexibility ” by creating liquid solar cells. Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and Sumitomo Chemical Company, Japan are working on a method that makes it possible to create molecules in liquid forms that duplicate the solar cell and organic electroluminescence processes that create electricity. These liquid molecules can be spread on textiles in form of a thin organic layer and when the molecules dry they form a permanent covering. When light falls on this surface electricity is produced as in conventional solar cells. In other words you can “ wear ” your power source
Tags: flexible solar cell, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, organic electroluminescence, solar cell, solar energy, Sumitomo Chemical Company, thin film solar, wearable solarGreen Rating for Cars
US Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has come out with a SmartWay program for gauging the efficiency of the plethora of green cars. This program was created in 2004 to rank the fuel efficiency of commercial trucks and was expanded to include passenger vehicles.
Now customers won’t have to wade through the growing number of ratings and jargons such as “ Tier II, Bin 5, grams of carbon dioxide per mile ” associated with a cars green efficiency. Under this program a “ green leaf “or an “ elite green leaf “ is awarded to the cleanest of all the cars. Some models to earn this elite certification include, natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX, the hybrid Toyota Prius , hybrid versions of the Civic, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry
Tags: EPA, green car, honda civic, Hybrid, prius, toyota camryAlgae Biofuel Doubles its Demand
The Algal Biomass Summit, in Seattle would see twice last years participation .The event will feature 50 presentations and 30 odd presentations and would act as a knowledge sharing platform for discussing viability off algae as a fuel source. Clean-tech investor Vinod Khosla will also be participating in this conference. Khosla has invested quite some billions in a variety of clean tech startups such as solar, carbon capture.
Tom Byrne, president of The Byrne Company and secretary of the (Algal Biomass Organization ), ABO Steering Committee adds , “ That more than 600 people from around the world have registered, reflects the intense global interest in algae as one of the most promising renewable energy sources. But it’s also clear that people are coming to learn from the best and the brightest scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, government leaders and venture capitalists who are speaking and presenting posters at the event “
Tags: algae biofuel, Algal Biomass Organization, biofuel, byrne company, cleantech, vinod khoslaMass Production Of Flexible Solar Cells
Konarka , a solar cell startup based in Lowell has opened a commercial production facility for flexible solar cells with a capacity1 GW, the equivalent of a large nuclear reactor .The flexible solar cells reduce the cost of solar power by using organic polymers as opposed to expensive silicon.The processing of these polymers can be done by using low cost equipment such as ink-jet printers.Konarka’s products could be used in a variety of applications such as laptop recharge, external tents.A company is presently testing the viability of Konarka’s cells for use in umbrellas for outdoor tables at restaurants.
Tags: flexible solar cells, solar energy, solar photovolataic, solar power, thin film solarA New Concept for Electric Cars
A new concept of Personal Rapid Transit (PRTs) or more commonly know as podcars may be the future of transportation , according to Jacob Roberts of Connect Ithaca.The Connect is a group of planning and building professionals, activists and students committed to having a first podcars community in USA at Ithaca.Podacrs are computer guided cars which do away with the need for drivers.They carry 2-10 passengers, giving travelers the freedom and privacy of their own car while reducing the use of fossil fuels, reducing traffic congestion and freeing up space now monopolized by parking.
With the new transportation bill due by 2010, federal lawmakers would be looking for charting out a new course of transportation future.The concept of podcars though appealing is still some time away as car makers are still struggling to find the golden combination of low cost high value for electric cars.
Tags: electric cars, electric vehicles, fedral law, podcars, transportation billSolar Electricity For Some High !!
Constellation Wines US (CWUS) , has begun the installation of one of the largest solar power energy system for its winery located at Monterey County, California.The capacity is anticipated to be 1 MW and will cover 170000 square feet of the main winery warehouse roof and would provide 50 % of the winery’s total energy requirement.Kelly McMahon, Director of Sales for Pacific Power Management, who is working with Constellation on this project says “ During the summer months, when the winery is not crushing grapes, the system will export enough electricity onto PG&E’s power lines to supply all of the electrical needs for about 25 percent of the roughly 1,695 households in Gonzales “
Tags: renewable energy, solar electricity, solar plant, solar power, winery pwoer systemRenault Bets Big on Electric Vehicles
French car maker Renault is skeptical of a hybrid vehicle’s environmental friendly performance.Renault says hybrids cannot deliver the level of gasoline use and emissions reductions that governments and customers are demanding of automakers.Its vision of environmental friendly is a small electric car principally designed for simple no frills daily commuting. At the Paris show, Renault unveiled a concept car showing the design of a compact EV commuter car: an EV version of its “ Kangoo ” utility van, with startling acid-green windows to minimize air conditioning and a lithium-ion battery that carries the van 160 to 200 kilometers on an average charge.
While designing a hybrid car is challenging ( putting 2 different engines than one is expected to be ! ) , a pure electric car isn’t really feasible.For starters , such a vehicle would have very limited range .Further more additional battery power than gas power would mean an increase increased manufacturing of batteries adding to their share of industrial pollution
Tags: batteries, carmaker, electric car, hybrid vehicles, lithium ion batteries, renaultEfficient Solar Power
Germanium wafer based solar cells provide high efficiency .However raw germanium costs $680 per pound and further more their fabrication leads to lot of material being wasted since germanium is highly brittle.A new wafer slicing method may provide for means to reduce the wastage of material.The new method for slicing solar cell wafers christened as Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) – wastes less germanium and produces more wafers by cutting thin wafers with less waste and cracking . As compared to silicon based solar cells , germanium layered solar cells may used in conjunction with solar concentrators, can provide an efficiency of 40% (nealry double).Translated even a small reduction in fabrication costs of germanium based solar cells can lead to a significant value proposition.
Tags: silicon wafers, solar panels, solar power, thin film solarMitsubishi To Produce Electric Cars by 2009
Mitsubishi Motors is preparing to launch the worlds first commercial electric car.It anticipates its know how in electric cars to be a “ tremendous advantage “ and is looking to rival the big man of electric cars- Toyota,not withstanding its recent troubled finances .Mitsubhishi plans to market its “ I-Miev ” running entirely on electricity in Japan by 2009.Many Japanese automakers are making some headway into developing hybrid and electric cars.Toyota is already planning to produce a small fleet of plug-in hybrids by 2010 and Nissan is also entering into this domain.
Detroit “ Big Three “ never had it so bad,a fumbling economy leading to a drop in car sales, and now the Japanese trying to capitalize on this period to strengthen their own capabilities.
Tags: detroit big three, electric cars, hybrids, i-miev, mitsubhishi, nissan, plug in, toyotaBailout to Aid Greentech
The Bailout has also bought with it incentives for renewable energy production and is expected to have a positive impact on use of biomass and waste to energy conversion.The bill provides authorization of US$2 billion for CREBs (Clean Renewable Energy Bonds) for facilities producing electricity form resources such as biomass , landfill gas and trash combustion.It also extends the biodiesel production tax credit for three years expanding the filed to include non-vegetable oil diesel producers and also provides a 50% write-off for cellulosic ethanol facilities in operation by 2013.
Tags: bailout, biomass, cellulosic ethanol, clean renewable energy bonds, greentech, hr1424
