A University of Arizona engineering team led by Roger Angel has designed a new type of solar concentrator that uses half the area of solar (PV) cells used by other optical devices and delivers a light output/concentration that is over 1000 times more concentrated before it even hits the cells. … [continued]
California-based HyperSolar has developed a solar panel film that, using “cutting edge photonics techniques,” can move specific light spectra to the places they are needed most in order to increase solar panel efficiency. Using this film instead of traditional solar panel film, efficiency can reportedly be increased 300%!
Scientists at Stanford University have given the vision of cheap solar power another nudge along the path to reality. They are working with tiny particles called quantum dots, which can be adjusted or “tuned” to absorb different wavelengths of light. Quantum dots are relatively cheap because they can be churned … [continued]
Although we cover solar breakthroughs in the lab here at Cleantechnica, solar is actually already at or below grid parity for consumers in some states through leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs). Solar is cheaper because the cost can be spread out over a number of years, and solar panels, … [continued]
In the short time since President Obama’s alternative energy plan was announced, already the prospects look good for clean energy that is cost-competitive with fossil fuel. That’s without even factoring in the avoidable health costs that that the public currently absorbs from high risk, antiquated fuels. The latest case in … [continued]
The same concentrating solar power systems used for massive utility-scale solar arrays can now be installed practically anywhere – or at least, anywhere that it’s possible to ship a standard steel container. A company called NANOGEN has developed the concentrating technology into modular components, which the company claims can be … [continued]
Solar Junction is a 4-year-old company spun out of Stanford University that designs high-efficiency, multi-junction solar cells for concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) solar collectors. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently certified that its solar cells can operate at 40.9% efficiency, a significantly higher efficiency than typical silicon solar cells that … [continued]
The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) has reported that solar photovoltaic (PV) power increased by 16 GW in 2010 around the world, approximately double the increase seen in 2009. Despite the continued financial crisis, falling solar prices around the world, good government subsidies (particularly in Germany and Italy), and an … [continued]
Not the kind of breaking news you want to share, but sometimes it’s necessary. The House of Representatives are looking to cut billions of dollars in loan guarantees for solar projects according to documents released this weekend. Of course, with solar being a leading job-creation category (per dollar invested), the … [continued]
We’ve seen a number of polls showing that people like solar and wind energy, but here’s one more, which includes a few other interesting findings. A new poll by Pike Research has found that solar and wind were the most favorably-viewed concepts of a list of various energy and environment … [continued]
