By Michael d'Estries
December 15, 2008 – 10:31 am
It’s not surprising these days to hear of buildings drawing their power from photovoltaics, but for some reason I still get a kick (or perhaps some hope) everytime something new embraces renewable energy.
Take for instance the new $17 million “Hangar 25″ operated by charter flight operator Avjet at the Bob Hope airport in California. The structure has rooftop solar panels that can provide enough electricity for lights, forklifts and tow vehicles. At over 60,000 sq. ft., the structure has been given LEED Platinum status.
Obviously, the $3 million dollar solar system (1,530 solar panels) isn’t the only feature making this Hangar green. The building also features sustainable landscaping that includes a synlawn (synthetic grass), electric tow vehicles, a chemical-free fire system, bamboo furniture, low-flow plumbing, and plenty of natural lighting. Los Angles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa hailed the project as “the greenest aviation facility in the world.”
Love it. Here’s to open more “green” hangars start springing up around the country.
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By Michael d'Estries
December 1, 2008 – 4:25 pm
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are set to announce a breakthrough in thin-film solar technology that could bring the cost per KW down to grid prices. Such a level is often considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of taking photovoltaics mainstream. MIT hopes to have the tech commercially ready in three years. From the article,
“Conventional solar cells use thick, expensive silicon substrates. The MIT researchers said they ran extensive computer simulations and laboratory experiments on 2-micron silicon films that utilize new materials for both front and back coatings. As a result, light is trapped inside the cells’ silicon layer, permitting the thin-film to extract as much as 50 percent more energy per photon.”
One of the largest cost-saving measures will be the limited use of refined silicon. The MIT breakthrough only requires 1% of the silicon for standard solar cells.
We expect to learn more during the official announcement tomorrow. Till then, check out the press release for more information.
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By Michael d'Estries
October 23, 2008 – 1:56 pm
As most solar gurus understand, solar panels are only as effective as the amount of light they’re angled to catch. Often times, entire sites can be written off as candidates because of their ineffective ability to catch the sun’s rays. To truly maximize efficiency, some panels can be mounted on arms that track the sun throughout the day — however, this can add considerable cost.
A new company called Solyndra — which literally shot onto the public scene two weeks ago (though they’ve been around in secret for three years) — has announced a sales deal with German solar integrator GeckoLogic GmbH valued at $250 million. This deal is part of the $1.2 billion in contracts Solyndra unveiled in its coming out announcement.
What’s so special about their technology? Well, as you can tell from the title, Solyndra’s panels are a bit different from the ones we’re used to seeing. From the NY Times,
A photovoltaic copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) compound is wrapped around a series of tubes until they resemble a row of black, fluorescent lights. Each module is curved to catch the maximum amount of light from any direction, so the panels don’t need to be carefully angled and laboriously secured like traditional PV panels.
Great idea — and a lot of investors seem to think so as well, to the tune of $600 million in funding. You can check out this great video of their automated fabrication process below or visit their official site for more info here.
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By Michael d'Estries
October 2, 2008 – 1:49 pm
One of the more interesting aspects of the renewable power revolution is watching how designers are taking advantage of the technology to create efficient and practical accessories for the home. Take for instance the “Flow” — which is a collection of six photovoltaic panels crafted as a vertical turbine. It’s the brainchild of designer Wang Yigang, who managed to grab top honors with his creation at the National Exhibition of Arts.
From the article,
“This dual power generating system consists of arciform photovoltaic cells that absorb all the goodness of the sun. A collection of six photovoltaic cells sums up as a shell that is used as wind concentrator. The accelerated speed of the wind enhances the performance of the rotor. Also the joints on the solar cells help to adjust them at optimum angle so that maximum solar energy is soaked up.”
Nice looking, right? I’ve no idea how much energy a system like this might generate, but it’s great to see designers thinking outside the box. Now, can we please see one turned into reality?
More photos available at Ecofriend.
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By Michael d'Estries
September 24, 2008 – 1:39 pm
Seems that Barack Obama’s step-grandmother isn’t the only one staving off solar-panel stealing thieves. The renewable technology has become so popular that police in California are seeing a massive increase in stolen panels from around the more than 33,000 installations in the state. From the article,
This summer, an officer on patrol became suspicious when he spotted a man trying to sell solar panels to a home builder who had advertised on Craigslist that he was seeking panels. The officer confiscated the panels and, after detectives found that they matched panels stolen from a school, a California man was charged. Mr. Lee says that law enforcement agencies are investigating about a half-dozen other solar-panel thefts in his area. “We were surprised and kind of caught off guard” by the solar thefts, said Mr. Lee, who recommends people engrave their driver’s license numbers onto their panels for better identification.
I guess it’s not surprising in a time when energy prices are rising and demand for solar is on the increase. Homeowners should definitely take precautions — including engraving identifying numbers or other marks on their panels. Once guy painted the outside of them all pink to easily identify them from the road if taken. Another recommendation is to setup a camera to monitor your installation. As with any outside fixture, however, there’s only so much paranoia you can spend on such a “worst case” scenario. In the end, just make sure you’ve got good insurance.
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By Kate Weinkauf
September 12, 2008 – 1:39 pm
Pope Benedict XVI has touted a message of ecological sustainability and conservation since his election in 2005. On the “World Day of Peace” in January of 2007, the Pope even proclaimed concrete ecological programs and initiatives for the Vatican which are actually coming to fruition.
Prep work for installation of solar panels on the roof of the Paul VI building, a receiving hall that seats 12,000 people, has been completed. Now, the roof is ready for the 2,000 solar panels gifted to the Vatican by Solar World, a German company. According to Zenit.org, “The production of these panels will constitute 60%-70% of the necessary energy in those buildings, thus lessening energy expenses. Of the close to 5,000 square meters (53,810 square feet) of the roof’s surface, around 2,000 square meters (21,527 square feet) will be covered by the panels, while the rest will be used as a screen to increase the amount of captured energy.
The panels are expected to generate about 315.5 megawatts of electricity annually.
Other religious leaders have followed suit: the Church of England launched a “carbon fast” at the beginning of Lent this year. The bishops of London and Liverpool led the effort by encouraging parishioners not to make traditional Lent sacrifices (like giving up soda), but to reduce their carbon outputs by avoiding plastic bags, replacing a light bulb with an energy-saving bulb and taking a day off from using the dishwasher. Even the Dalai Lama has had solar panels installed at his private living quarters at the Gaden Jangtse monastery. Hallelujah! Amen! Can I get a witness?
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By Michael d'Estries
August 28, 2008 – 2:56 pm
I’ve seen many solar charging devices for various gadgets and gizmos, but this is the first one I can think of that I might actually want to show off in my living room. From designer Vivien Muller, this modular little bonsai tree features up to 54 mini-photovoltaic cells to act as leaves and soak up the sun. Meanwhile, your gadget adaptors and various cables can all get tucked away and connected underneath.
I want one. Too bad it’s still only a concept. Check out more images over on Gizmodo.
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By Michael d'Estries
August 27, 2008 – 3:51 pm
I’ve always wanted a sunroof on my car — but it’s one of those things that’s always eluded me when the final tally was revealed and the price was a bit more than I wanted to pay. Uncheck the sun roof.
However, the environmental geek inside me has reason to rejoice with the announcement that a company called Sunrise Solar is set to release a solar-powered sun roof replacement. The solar sunroof will generate electricity to recharge the vehicle’s batteries while simultaneously cooling the car when parked in a hot climate or warm the car when parked in a cooler climate.
Unfortunately, any further descriptions regarding price or the actual output of such embedded photovoltaic cells stops about there. Still, with the news that the next generation Toyota Prius will be sporting some solar up top, there’s reason to hope that Sunrise Solar’s product will not just turn out to be vaporware.
Check out the release here for more info!
via cleantechnica
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By Michael d'Estries
August 25, 2008 – 2:36 pm
Just when you thought the iPhone couldn’t get any cooler, along comes a case that will juice it up courtesy of clean energy from the sun.
The design comes from Mobilefun and the case will charge up your phone for functional use in about three hours. It will take about 10 hours of direct sunglight to charge the battery to capacity. Energy is stored in a 1500 mAh battery. As the 11th Hour Action site points out, the best thing to do may be to keep the charger on the dashboard of your car (or another sunny location) and then charge your phone at night. You can also choose to charge the battery via USB.
Look for this solar case to be available later this month.
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By Michael d'Estries
August 17, 2008 – 7:55 pm
The funny thing about all the hoopla surrounding Oregon’s new proof-of-concept solar highway project is that Europe and Australia have been doing the same thing — for the last 20 years. The fact that it’s the first of its kind in the U.S. is further evidence about how much catching up we have to do.
Nevertheless, this is a positive step forward — especially for Oregon’s fledgling solar industry, which is looking to become a leader in the field for the U.S. From the article,
“Construction on the nation’s first solar demonstration project in a highway right of way has begun. At the Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 interchange in Tualatin, Oregon, 594 solar panels are being installed on a strip of land beside the highway roughly the length of two football fields. The 104-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system - covering about 8,000 square feet will produce about 112,000 kilowatt hours a year, or 28 percent of the 400,000 kilowatt hours used to light the interchange. The $1.3 million project is expected to be completed and online in December 2008.”
To offset the entire energy consumption of its highway infrastructure, the DOT estimates that it will need an additional 20 miles of solar installations on the right of way. As the price of photovoltaics continues to drop, the overall cost for such a feat may make fiscal sense; especially since those 45 million kilowatt hours used cost roughly $4 million last year.
Let’s hope Oregon paves the way for other states to take their roadways solar.
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