It’s big news for everybody that solar cells can be created from agriculture wastes such as cut grass and dead leaves, which have been proved by Andreas Mershin, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He added that it will be possible to mix some grass clippings into a bag of cheap chemicals, and utilise the mixture to paint your roof, which will produce electricity. (more…)
As a result of strong government support for budding domestic PV clean energy and growing green awareness, Europe has emerged as a centre of attraction for all solar product manufacturers across the world. (more…)
With a massive development going in the field of solar power production, it’s great news that IKEA has planned to install the solar energy system on top of its Cincinnati-area store. (more…)
A professor of chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, Xiaoyang Zhu, and his team have successfully discovered a method to increase the efficiency of conventional solar cells. Their research reveals that the number of electrons gathered from one photon of sunlight can be doubled using an organic plastic semiconductor material. (more…)
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants like Gemsolar and PS10 employ the heliostat layouts to focus a large area of sunrays onto a small area. The concentrated light so collected is converted into heat to generate electricity. However, large areas are required to make CSP plants economically feasible which is not always a logical solution. (more…)
Solar panels embedded in electronic devices has been a long drawn tradition without much desired effect. But the new solar energy powered Kindle cover, uncovered at CES 2012 in Las Vegas states otherwise. (more…)
It’s immense pleasure to hear that a new solar farm in Osgoode at last got operating approvals from the Ontario Energy Board on 6th of December 2011. The project has been approved to install 10 megawatts solar farm at Parkway and Yorks Corners roads with a license to generate electricity for 20 years. (more…)
The iPhone4 has a lot of features that allows users to talk, tweet and surf endlessly. It is the technology at it’s best. However, using these features takes a lot from the phone’s battery. It might not be able to cope up with such usage for hours. The answer to this problem is ‘Monster Watts’ which has worked on the slim case prototype. It has developed a hybrid solar battery that can be charged anywhere, where there is sunlight. (more…)
According to a department official in SolarWorld, the US unit of German solar energy company, the final decision depends on the US Commerce Department that requires extra months to investigate case related to charges of unfair Chinese government subsidies. (more…)
Creative Commons / David Shankbone
Governments are now turning to waste water treatment plants as a potential site for installing solar systems. A 1.15-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) system has been installed at a waste water treatment plant in the city of Dinuba, Calif. This was a joint partnership venture by Chevron and Toiga Energy.
The plans, construction and engineering was done by Chevron Energy Solutions. Tioga Energy financed the project and will own and manage the project. Tioga Energy will sell energy generated from this venture at a fixed price for a twenty year agreement. Tioga Energy is an expert in selling renewable energy under long term agreements to commercial, non government organisations and government. This agreement makes it possible for these institutions to avail renewable energy with no up front capital.
The city of Dinuba is happy to have a landmark of solar energy that makes use of a waste water treatment site. Tioga and Chevron have also recently worked together on a solar project in Hawaii. Tioga has also played a leading role id developing what is known within the industry as the ‘Morris model’. This was a project done with the Morris County Improvement Authority located in New Jersey. This new model makes it possible for governments to issue low interest bonds for financing renewable energy projects. Partnering with a third party investor provides leverage for federal tax incentives.