How Do Solar Panels, Solar Cells and Solar Energy Work?
With all the news about solar power lately, I thought it would be useful to go back to how PV solar panels work.
Solar Energy
MIT Research Team Develops ‘Artificial Leaf’ that Splits Water, Produces Hydrogen & Oxygen Gas
A research team led by pioneering clean energy technology developer and MIT professor Daniel Nocera has made a breakthrough that mimics photosynthesis by developing an ‘artificial leaf’ that, like its namesake, captures energy from sunlight and produces electricity that it then turns into chemical fuel — hydrogen and oxygen gas.
Kyoto University to Test Solar Array in Space (in 5-10 Years)
The idea of parking solar panels in orbit and letting them rain energy down upon Earth has been explored both in science fiction and in research laboratories for decades. Kyoto University announced this week that it took the first step in actually creating such a satellite, in its billion-yen test facility at Uji Campus.
400-Megawatt Solar Farm Planned in Northern Florida
National Solar Power has announced it will build the Southeast’s largest solar farm in Gadsden County, Florida. The planned 400-megawatt solar farm – a $1.5 billion investment – is expected to generate hundreds of new jobs in the renewable energy sector.
Quantum Dot Solar Cell Improvements Show Remarkable Potential to Balance Solar Performance & Cost
As far as innovation on the technology front, this one is a winner. In tabulating efficiency ratings, however, quantum cells don’t seem to perform as well as either silicon-based or CIGS solar cells. This may soon change. Nature Materials writes that a new efficiency record for wrapping colloidal quantum dot solar cells may represent a step towards narrowing the gap.
SolarWindows from New Energy Technologies
We’ve covered these Solar Windows from New Energy Technologies in the past, but sister site Green Building Elements recently did a slightly more detailed piece on them, so I thought I’d share it:
German Small Solar Cheaper Than U.S. Big Solar
The U.S. has a hodge-podge of utility, state and federal tax-based incentives. The Germans have a comprehensive feed-in tariff, providing CLEAN contracts (in the U.S. parlance) to anyone who wants to go solar (or wind, or biogas, etc). What does that mean for the price of solar?
Farmers Harvesting the Power of Solar Energy
The Sun’s rays have always been the foundation of farming, giving crops the energy they need to grow. But a program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is now matching up farmers with grants and incentives to help them harvest a new kind of crop – solar-powered electricity.
energyNOW! met Georgia pecan farmer Trey Pippin to learn how USDA’s Rural Development program matched his farm up with a local utility and solar panel manufacturer Suniva to build a solar array on his property large enough to power dozens of homes.
Solar Activism and Savings Grow in Detroit Suburb
Not many think of the Detroit area as a hub for demonstrating solar energy. That is, unless you visit Ypsilanti, a Detroit suburb and its renewable energy website, SolarYpsi.
Google Invests Another $75 million to Bring Solar Power to Homeowners
Google’s director of Green Business Operations Rick Needham announced the Internet search and technology leader will invest $75 million to create an initial fund with Clean Power Finance that aims to install solar power systems on as many as 3,000 homes. The investment brings to over $850-million the total amount of capital Google has invested in developing and deploying clean energy
