Cheap Solar Panels Invented by UCLA Scientists

The UCLA has stepped on the threshold of the Big Green industry with the invention of cheap, bendy solar panels, which can charge your phone or car. Yang Yang, a researcher with the university’s School of Engineering, is perfecting a new method of collecting the sun’s energy and using it to power devices.

The signature brand of these cheap, bendy solar cells has set the world efficiency record by converting 10.6 % of sunlight into solar energy. Within five years, Yang says he fully expects to raise his cells' efficiency to 15 or even 20 percent — allowing them to power everyday machines like cars and cell phones. This will make possible powering of everyday machines like phones and cars.

Instead of traditional silicon, the cells are crafted out of organic polymer. These makes the cells more flexible than traditionally brittle solar panels.The cells are made of “organic polymer” instead of the traditional silicon, making them more flexible than those used in today's brittle solar panels.

By embedding the new flexi-cells into a sheet, says Yang, and the possibilities will be endless. If  these cells are embedded into a sheet, the possibilities for their uses is unlimited. These sheets can hung on windows, covered on car rooftops like stickers or even on the back of cell phones. These solar cells can be rolled up as a sheet of plastic and even used as laminates.

Before this latest milestone, Yang also broke the efficiency record in July, when his cells converted 8.6 percent of sunlight into power. Initially, the flexi-solar cells converted only 8.6 % of sunlight into power. However, this efficiency was increased when Yang added a special Sumitomo layer to his cells in collaboration with the Japanese company Sumitomo Chemical. This layer made it possible for the cells to pick up more of the infrared spectrum.

The real invention here is a new new “tandem” structure that allows different solar cells absorbing different spectrums of light — like the Japanese infrared layer — to be stacked seamlessly on top of each other.

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Solar Energy and Green Energy Practices

Technology to utilise the forces of nature for doing work to supply human needs is as old as the first sailing ship. But attention swung away from renewable sources as the industrial revolution progressed on the basis of the concentrated energy locked up in fossil fuels.

Today’s Eco-friendly environment is very encouraging for the innovations and investments in solar energy sector. It continues to generate interest in the field of research and innovations for renewable energy all around the world. There is widespread popular support for using renewable energy, particularly solar and wind energy, which provide electricity without giving rise to any carbon dioxide emissions. Today we are well-advanced in meeting that challenge, while also testing the practical limits of doing so from wind and solar (variable renewable energy, VRE). The relatively dilute nature of wind and solar mean that harnessing them is very materials-intensive – many times that from energy-dense sources.

The US and Europe remain the big players in research and implementation! In some of the states such as New Jersey and Massachusetts in the US, the health systems and hospitals who are in quest of reducing energy consumption and become more energy efficient are granted state subsidies. Utilising electricity from solar and wind in a grid becomes problematical at high levels for complex but now well-demonstrated reasons. Supply does not correspond with demand.

This has eventually helped them save money, reduce or eliminate energy costs, reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions and lessen their impact on global warming. Harnessing these for electricity depends on the cost and efficiency of the technology, which is constantly improving, thus reducing costs per peak kilowatt, and per kWh at the source.

While homes, health systems and hospitals follow green energy and solar energy practices, new sustainable buildings and automobiles accomplish new ways to reduce the utilization of existing fuels such as oil or gas.

More and more buildings, houses are now being equipped with solar panels and automobiles are adapting the innovations such as photovoltaic plates that are being widely used to convert solar energy to electricity to power them. The self-storage facility industries have started using energy-saving methods like motion-sensor lights within storage units, hallways and along driveways to save electrical energy and money as well.

However, the variability of wind and solar power does not correspond with most demand, and as substantial capacity has been built in several countries in response to government incentives, occasional massive output from these sources creates major problems in maintaining the reliability and economic viability of the whole system. There is a new focus on system costs related to achieving reliable supply to meet demand.

There is a fundamental attractiveness about harnessing such forces in an age which is very conscious of the environmental effects of burning fossil fuels, and where sustainability is an ethical norm. So today the focus is on both adequacy of energy supply long-term and also the environmental implications of particular sources. Developments and improvements in manufacturing, demonstrations on how technology helps to manage the demand for electricity in fast-growing markets are taking the utilisation of renewable energy such as solar power to the next level!

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Solar Cells that Can Be Put Anywhere

Solar Cells that Can Be Put Anywhere

Meet a new solar cell that can go anywhere with you. If you’ve given any thought to the benefits of solar power, you’ve probably realized at least two things: You need to live in a sunny climate and, most importantly, you need to have your solar panels facing south. Without these things, the conventional wisdom goes, you’re not going to get much benefit from a solar array. A west-facing roof in Seattle? Forget about it.

Now, it’s amazing to know that your windows, curtains and wallpaper will harvest energy from the sunlight in the future. Now, solar power can work extraordinarily well in climates and conditions that are not necessarily optimum. This has been possible because of Miles Barr, the winner of $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize.

The myths about solar panel perfection are actually threefold.

1. First, that you need a south-facing roof. Yes, this is best, as it gets the most sunlight throughout the day, but anything in the 180 degrees between east and west will work just fine, according to 1BOG. (North-facing roofs are still not a great option.)
2. Second, you may think that it’s the heat from the sun that makes solar panels work, but it’s not–it’s light. The panels work just as well in Alaska as in Florida. In fact, the cold can help them perform more efficiently.
3. Finally, while clouds obviously hinder how well solar panels can perform, they do not disable them entirely. New panels are so efficient that even the ambient light that gets in past the clouds generates a healthy amount of energy.

Putting solar cells on various surfaces have the ability to provide energy from various sources in the form of electricity. Barr, co-founder of Ubiquitous Energy said that his company focuses on deploying such types of emerging solar technologies.

The company keeps on researching about the process that has been invented by Mile Barr. In the process of putting organic solar cells onto any surface, the company uses a process known as chemical vapour deposition.

Barr said that his organic solar cells are less efficient than conventional solar cells. However, these cells have lighter weight as well applied onto any surface. This is a big reason for the market advantages of his technology.

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3D Solar Panels and Flat Solar Panels

Solar power engineering is taking new heights as researchers around the world invent and reinvent methods to harness solar energy to its best capacity. We see the trend in 3D technology everywhere: Movie theaters, home theaters, game consoles, 3D printers. Until now, improving the performance of photovoltaic cells involved only rearranging the layout of solar panels on a flat surface and bringing down their cost.

But, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology worked on avant-garde 3D designs that would look beyond the traditional outlook of arranging cells on a flat surface or motorized structures keeping them pointed towards the sun.

Traditional solar panels lay flat on a surface or rooftop, facing the sun to collect energy. MIT researchers decided to change the shape of solar panels, conducting experiments with a cube, tall cube, and tower-shaped panels to see which design brought in more energy.

Compared to flat panels, all three 3D panels created impressive results and outproduced traditional panels, with the accordion-style tower drawing in 20 times more power per square foot. The panels were tested during both cloudy and sunny conditions, and proved to perform consistently despite the weather changes.

Researchers also say the tower style panel helps save space by standing vertically, and the design will be easier to manufacture than the cubes. However, they do anticipate the designs to be more expensive to produce than flat panels, but the payoff could be worth the investment. Manufacturers aim to use thin film technologies to help reduce cost but still have the panels capable of harvesting energy in low light and cloudy conditions.

The highly visible differences were noticed in situations and places that were far from equator, in winter months and on cloudy days. The team at MIT worked on a variety of configurations, testing them under a whole range of latitudes, seasons and weather. Every time, the power generated by these models differed than that of ordinary solar panels. Even the cost of the 3D models was balanced by the output generated over the course of a day as well as during days and seasons when traditional panels are unable to perform their best. Since the 3D models performed consistently on given day, in any weather condition, they would be easier to integrate with power grids than conventional systems.

The effectiveness of 3D models is because of the vertical solar cell surfaces that can collect maximum sunlight even during mornings, evenings, winters and when the sun is closer to the horizon.

According to Jeffrey Grossman, the Carl Richard Soderberg Career Development Associate Professor of Power Engineering at MIT, this concept could change the future of photovoltaics. It is the right time to delve in such innovations as solar panels cost is becoming less expensive than accompanying support structures like wiring and installation. As the cost continues to decline, the advantages of 3D models will improve accordingly.

The MIT study states that making these improvements can help power output become “more predictable and uniform, which could make integration with the power grid easier than with conventional systems.” With the accordion tower design, the panels could be shipped in a flat folded state, and restructured to its zig zag shape at the installation site. Researchers imagine these towers to be perfect for parking lots to help electric vehicles find their green charging stations.

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Dubai Abattoirs Tap into Solar to Save Fuel

The large abattoirs in Dubai are using solar energy for heating water. The Al Ghusais abattoir in Dubai has already started using water heated by solar energy. This heated water is used to clean the slaughtering halls and equipment. This new process of using solar panels for heating water will lower the time period for operation of the steam boilers. This in turn will lower the operating costs.

The Dubai Municipality eventually plans to extend this system in other slaughterhouses in Dubai. It has already fitted 210 solar panels that have the power enough to heat 70,000 liters of water daily, at 80 degrees. The new system will reduce the periods of operation of steam boilers, which will, in turn, reduce operating expenses.

Hot water at around 65 degrees is used for cleaning the halls and slaughtering equipment. Steam heaters are used to produce steam in order to heat the cold water stored in the thermal exchange unit. The boilers burn diesel fuel and chemicals that are needed to monitor the required level of limits within the accepted limits.

Solar panels are now being installed and a complete thermal exchange system will connect it to water heating system in the abattoirs.

Al Shammari stated that the section is confident about the success and benefits of this project. This project will lower the consumption of diesel, electricity to stove and operate boilers and water consumption and chemicals for boiler water treatment. It will also reduce the cost of boiler maintenance and lower toxic emissions released by burning of diesel fuel.

New Low-Cost Solar Cells Devised by US Chemical Engineers

Chemical engineering evolved in the twentieth century with rise in the use of fossil resources and the myriad of products derived from them. Those products required great innovations and had a huge impact on the human race. Solar panels are made using chemistry. There are huge opportunities in eliminating toxic chemicals and fugitive emission from the manufacturing process, while reducing costs.

Going forward as we transition from fossil resources to renewable resources such as solar energy, we again have unprecedented opportunities for innovation that would not only make great impact but redefine chemical engineering.

In this regard, researchers at Purdue University are developing an alternative solution to photovoltaic technologies by manufacturing low-cost solar cells using special ink printed on a supporting material. Purdue researcher Rakesh Agrawal is working to develop solar cells that might be manufactured using special ink printed onto sheets of a supporting material. The approach could lead to new low-cost solar cells economically competitive with other energy technologies.

With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the team of chemical engineers led by Rakesh Agrawal, Purdue University’s Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering, will strive to develop solar cells that could be mass produced at a low cost with limited availability of materials.

The technology will involve developing an “ink” using tiny nanocrystals made of copper zinc tin sulfide, or CZTS. Since CZTS is abundantly available, printing of photovoltaic cells using the ink, is very inexpensive to manufacture.

If the technology has to match the competition with other energy technologies, then solar cells must be able to produce terawatts of electricity at 50 cents per peak watt.

The process of developing the solar cells include creating the nanocrystals, formulating the ink and printing it on a flexible supporting material. Once the ink is applied, the solar cells are heated to a temperature of 500°C to fuse the nanoparticles together.

Unlike other technologies, the ink promises longer durability and economic advantages. DOE’s SunShot Initiative is funding the work with a grant of $750,000.

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Aldershot Railway Line Powered by a Solar Farm

The world’s first solar farm to power a railway line directly plugged into the track near Aldershot, paving the way for solar-powered trains. A solar array in Aldershot, Hampshire, UK is creating waves as the world’s first fully solar-powered railway line.

The researchers began work on the plans over two years ago to discover whether bypassing the electricity grid could make solar power a more efficient energy source for trains. People travelling by rail between London, Waterloo and Weymouth will get the benefit of the Network Rail’s pilot scheme.

From Friday, about 100 solar panels at the trackside site will supply renewable electricity to power the signalling and lights on Network Rail’s Wessex route. The solar breakthrough aligns with Network Rail’s plans to spend billions of pounds electrifying rail lines, which could cut costs of running trains on diesel. The 30kW pilot scheme could pave the way for a larger project capable of directly powering the trains that use this route from next year. The development would also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and costs for Network Rail.

The Aldershot project would bypass the electricity grid entirely to plug directly into the railway’s traction system. Meanwhile, Network Rail hopes to use the scheme, developed by Imperial College, London and the charity 10:10 Climate Action to solar charge its rail lines across the country. Solar panels are already used to power the operations of train stations, including Blackfriars in central London. But the Aldershot project is the first time a solar array will bypass the electricity grid to plug directly into a railway’s “traction” system.

In the context, Stuart Kistruck, director for Network Rail’s Wessex route said that they were being ambitious with the technology and want to roll it out further across the network if the pilot project proves to be successful. This would help them construct and retrofit a greener and better railway for the wider public.

It is pertinent to mention here that Innovate UK awarded the project funding from the Department of Transport after it proved that connecting solar power directly to rail, tube and tram networks could help meet a significant share of their electricity needs.

The research team working behind the project, called Riding Sunbeams, has estimated that solar power could be used in around 20% of the Merseyrail network in Liverpool, and 15% of commuter routes in Kent, Sussex, and Wessex.

In fact, by the end of 2020, the group’s director Leo Murray expressed hopes to build and connect the world’s first-ever full-scale community and commuter owned solar farms to power UK’s railways.

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Transparent Solar Panels Are in the Works

Solar power is a great power source as it’s cheap, green, highly efficient and inexhaustible. Located 150 million km from the sun, earth receives just one-billionth of the sun’s colossal power output. Even that tiny fraction—some 120,000 trillion W—showers earth with more energy in one hour than all the energy consumed by humans in an entire year. However, it has some drawbacks.

For one thing, solar panels tend to be bulky and unsightly, occupying plenty of space. Nevertheless, they no longer have to be. Today, as the push toward renewable energy intensifies, the solar power industry is manufacturing and installing solar modules worldwide at record-setting numbers.

A team of engineering researchers at Michigan State University, in the US, has devised a new type of transparent luminescent solar concentrator. When placed over a window, it can harness sunrays even as it allows people to see through it. It can also be used on cell phones and any other devices with a clear surface to help power them.

The transparent panes that can harvest solar rays use organic molecules developed by Lunt’s team to absorb invisible wavelengths of sunlight. “We can tune these materials to pick up just the ultraviolet and the near infrared wavelengths that then ‘glow’ at another wavelength in the infrared,” Lunt explains. “Because the materials do not absorb or emit light in the visible spectrum, they look exceptionally transparent to the human eye.”

The researchers can adjust these materials to pick up only sunlight in the ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelengths in order to convert these invisible rays into electricity.

The potential for such transparent solar panels is vast. Solar’s quick-paced growth is expected to continue for decades in response to growing global energy demands. In a report published last year, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicted that, in the next 25 years, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind will supply roughly 50% of the new energy capacity in the U.S.

In the US alone there is as much as 7 billion square meters of glass surface. Even if a fraction of that is covered in transparent solar panels that could make a huge difference in allowing the country to wean itself off its dependence on fossil fuels. In fact, the researchers say, transparent solar technologies could supply up to 40% of the US’s energy demand, which is equivalent with the potential of rooftop solar units. Taken together, that is a huge potential for solar power.

Despite solar energy’s rapid growth and shiny-looking future, the overall fraction of power currently generated by photovoltaics is tiny. EIA estimates that in 2015, solar energy accounted for just 0.6% of the total quantity of electricity generated in the U.S. Coal and natural gas each supplied 33% of the total, leaving the rest to come from nuclear, hydropower, and other renewables, mainly wind power.

Albeit transparent solar applications are only around a third as efficient as traditional solar panels at converting solar energy into electricity, they do have a marked advantage: they could be installed at vast swathes of ready-made surfaces like windows without being visually intrusive, unlike many traditional panels.