Research into solar power is proceeding on several fronts; one of them is 3-dimensional solar technology rather than the flat solar cells that are currently prevalent. Solar3D, Inc. is the developer of that 3-dimensional solar technology. This week, they announced that simulated tests of its new solar cell […]
Is it possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 emissions levels by 2050? Maybe, according to a study done in (of course) California. The study was jointly conducted by consulting firm Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. (E3) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and focused on using current … [continued]
A new report has shown that the total storage capacity worldwide will increase a hundred-fold over the next 10 years, pushing the number from 121 megawatts (MW) in 2011 to 12,353 MW in 2021.
That number equates to a growth of just over $122 billion of investment in energy storage projects over the same timeframe.
It’s a given to me that renewable energy can power the world. I’ve been studying the matter for years and have looked into the various talking points against it. The technology is here. The technology is tested and proven. The technology will also get better and filler technology will … [continued]
Already having made waves with the popular Leaf, automaker Nissan Motor Co announced plans to launch a hybrid vehicle in 2015 as part of a new 5 year environmental plan. All research and development will be conducted in-house, according to Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn.
Studies, studies, and more studies have been done to research cell phone safety – do they cause brain tumors? The World Health Organization officially classified cell phones’ radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as cancer-causing (cue massive debate), not long after Dr. Devra Davis claimed that cell phones were especially dangerous to children. Dr. Davis may be right after all; new research published in the journal Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine indicates that kids absorb more radiation than adults. This is, in a nutshell, bad.
The solar power industry is hard at work (we think, based on neat things they all keep telling us) improving, refining, and redefining solar technology. This week, Molecular Solar Ltd informs us that they’ve got what they describe as a “significant breakthrough in the performance of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells.” They’ve managed a record voltage output in organic PVs, which more or less means that yes, you can power your electronic devices with solar cells.
Meta-materials are a new class of materials that have been engineered to have properties not found in nature. It is a multidisciplinary science made possible by the tools of nanotechnology. The name refers to “materials beyond the imagination.”
Okayama Graduate School of Science and Technology is one of many developing solar cells and batteries, but their research team, led by one Professor Naoshi Ikeda, has a unique approach. Instead of silicon, currently the standard component in solar cells, the Okayama team is using an iron oxide compound it calls “green ferrite,” or GF. Professor Ikeda has gone so far as to claim his product will produce 100x the amount of energy as a traditional silicon solar cell.
Solar power has as many applications as any other type of electricity, but BINE Information Services in Germany has recently released a report on yet another specific adaptation of solar power – metalworking.
