solar cells

If the U.S. moved aggressively to start harnessing the solar power it receives daily, it could generate enough clean energy to meet the country’s needs many times over, according to a new report from Environment Florida.

For years, popcorn has remained quiet, biding its time. Once an underachiever, now it’s ready to burst out from the shadows, able to finally give to humanity, prove its worth and save the world. And you thought it was just there to make you feel vaguely queasy after a movie marathon. How wrong you were.

A review of advances in solar panel technology and traditional polycrystalline silicon technology, with comments about advantages and disadvantages of these approaches. Problems with the Chinese silicon production industry are mentioned, as are successes in Germany and Spain. Links and references are provided.

Solar cells have been getting much attention in the press and scientific community as of late. New, more efficient methods of development, as well as methods for collecting the sun's rays have all been emerging. One of the newest and more interesting options are solar cells that use a component found in the oddest of places: raspberries.

We renewable energy advocates love our silicon solar cells, but they come at a price: the process of making silicon generates massive amounts of heat and is a great big electricity hog. Now a company has found a way to make money capturing and using that heat, to make steam to run electrical generators.

You can’t do anything but love this guy and his music. The mellow good feeling vibe combined an environmental awareness of messages and recording. Wait…recording? Yes that’s right, in addition to making an amazing follow up to “In Between Dreams” Jack Johnson’s new album “Sleep Through The Static” was recording at an all solar-powered studio.

A new solar cell technology, developed by nanosolar (nanosolar.com), can be applied to surfaces by a printing press technique. As reported by Michael Moyer on the Popular Science website, the light weight and high efficiency of this material are touted by popsci.com as a major advance (Innovation of the Year and GreenTech Grand Award Winner). This looks very promising, indeed! Thanks to my friend Steve B. of Gather.com for alerting me to this news.

SunFlake is developing a new generation of solar cells based on a novel shape of semiconductor nanostructures (NanoFlakes). The solar cell has a 30% conversion efficiency and runs on low cost materials.

Julia Roberts $20 million home is going green! The actress, who has been a champion of environmental issues, plans to have her home finished by the time her third child is born this summer.

This is a cool interactive map of solar panel installation sites in California and Colorado. Click on the dots to zoom in.

Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed new ways to make or to modify nanorods and nanotubes of titanium oxide (TiO2). The methods and new titanium oxide materials may lead to improved catalysts for hydrogen production, more efficient solar cells, and more protective sunscreens.

With the world running out of non-renewable fuel sources, researchers have been trying all squares out to find the best renewable source to power the world once the reserves are over. What they have found out is good but they still have to make it the best.