13-Year-Old Makes A Solar Breakthrough With Fibonacci Sequence

One would be excused for suspecting that Aidan Dwyer, said to be 13, is in fact a small, very young-looking, 37-year-old college-educated con-man of the highest order. Such is not the case though for what the young Long Island lad has accomplished in a feat typically associated with much older individuals. As reported on the Patch community website out of Northport, N.Y., Aidan has used the Fibonacci sequence to devise a more efficient way to collect solar energy, earning himself a provisional U.S. patent and interest from "entities" apparently eager to explore commercializing his innovation.

And you're wondering what the Fibonacci sequence is. Aidan explains it all on a page on the website of the American Museum of Natural History, which recently named him one of its Young Naturalist Award winners for 2011. The awards go to students from middle school through high school who have investigated questions they have in the areas of biology, Earth science, ecology and astronomy.

So back to the Fibonacci sequence: Starting with the numbers 0 and 1, each subsequent number is the sum of the previous two - 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13.... These numbers, when put in ratios, happens to show up in the patterns of branches and leaves on trees. Aidan, having been mesmerized by tree-branch patterns during a winter hike in the Catskills, sought to investigate why. His hunch: "I knew that branches and leaves collected sunlight for photosynthesis, so my next experiments investigated if the Fibonacci pattern helped."

One thing led to another, and before you know it, this kid, three years from being eligible for a driver's license, had built a tree-like stand affixed with small solar panels in the Fibonacci pattern. He compared its ability to collect sunlight to a flat-panel collector. And Nature won.

Summing up his research and imagining the possibilities, Aidan wrote: "The tree design takes up less room than flat-panel arrays and works in spots that don't have a full southern view. It collects more sunlight in winter. Shade and bad weather like snow don't hurt it because the panels are not flat. It even looks nicer because it looks like a tree. A design like this may work better in urban areas where space and direct sunlight can be hard to find."

Article courtesy of Tree Hugger

Department Of Energy Makes $150M Bet On US Solar Tech That Reduces Costs By 50%

On Friday, Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu announced a "game changing" development in solar energy. A company called 1366 Technologies, headquartered in Lexington, Mass., has developed a silicon solar wafer that would cut the cost of solar cell manufacturing by an estimated 50 percent.

The wafer technology was developed with the support of a pilot innovation investment program housed under the Department of Energy, known as the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E). According to director Arun Majumdar, "ARPA-E is looking for high risk ideas that, if successful, can be high impact. Those that don't exist today."

Unlike traditional wafers--which are sliced from a large block, resulting in considerable losses of material (up to 50 percent)--these new wafers are individually cast to specific measurements, a more efficient model of production.

In 2009, ARPA-E made an initial $4 million dollar investment in 1366 Technologies, and on Friday, announced it would make an additional $150 million dollar loan guarantee to take the company's research and development to the next level.

If projections regarding cost savings are accurate, solar may be on its way to becoming competitive with traditional fossil-fuels -- though some in the industry remain concerned about barriers still in place.

"There are two main areas of concern: price and value," said Brian Keane, president of Smart Power, a green energy marketing group. Keane explained that the primary "value" of solar "is that it's good for the environment. But quite frankly, no American actually thinks that's good value."

Keane says that U.S. consumers need to be convinced that solar is a viable proposition. "The perception is that solar is an idea from the 1970s that just didn’t work. They think it’s not strong enough to power their lives, compared with oil, coal and nuclear power."

Still, Keane added, "If we can cut the price [of manufacturing] in half, that really helps us with the value proposition to the American people."

Others point to concerns around the marketplace itself. Lew Milford, president of the Clean Energy Group, a non-profit advocacy group focused on energy and climate concerns, said that many new and innovative technologies fail because they never reach commercialization. Milford called this the "valley of death" that innovative tech companies must cross after their initial rounds of funding, and the hurdle that oftentimes prevents them from becoming scalable and reaching market potential.

Milford suggested that the problem of access to capital might be solved with something like the President's suggested--"Clean Energy Bank"--to finance clean energy initiatives, but acknowledged that the highly political climate surrounding budget negotiations would complicate its creation.

With ARPA-E in particular, Milford thought that a better and more robust relationship with state governments was essential for the success of the agency's investments. "In the end, I think states are a really critical backstop for all of this," he said. "State policy is increasingly going to create these markets."

While many state governors remain skeptical of climate change policy and energy reform on the whole, Milford contended that many of the same governors were nonetheless supportive of clean energy technology, given its potential to create jobs and strengthen state economies. By way of an example, Milford pointed to New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who is critical of climate change concerns but remains "a strong supporter of offshore wind farms in the state."

"ARPA-E just doesn’t have the states as customers," said Milford, and it still needs to figure out "how to you commercialize the products that it is funding."

ARPA-E director Majumder insisted that the agency already has a close relationship to the states. As evidence, he pointed a program, Sunshot, that specifically addresses the question of cost competitiveness and solar technology. "We have a very close relationship with the states," he said.

Majumder said that one of his primary concerns around solar energy had to do with manufacturing: "In the mid-90s, the U.S. had 40 percent of the manufacturing of photovoltaic cells," he explained. "Now we have less than 5%. We have to regain that technology lead back -- and that will be based on innovation in the U.S."

Article by Alex Wagner, HuffingtonPost

Flexible Solar Cells Reach Record Efficiency of 18.7%

The Previous Record was 17.6%

Scientists at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, have made flexible solar cells made of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) with a light-conversion efficiency of 18.7 percent, a new world record. This milestone, about 1% higher than the previous record, might seem like a small step forward, but when looked at in the context of constant incremental improvement, it is significative. What truly matters is the rate of improvement, and how it can be leveraged (1-2% multiplied by many gigawatts of capacity makes a huge different).

The measurements have been independently certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany.

It's all about money. To make solar electricity affordable on a large scale, scientists and engineers worldwide have long been trying to develop a low-cost solar cell, which is highly efficient, easy to manufacture and has high throughput. Now a team at Empa's Laboratory for Thin Film and Photovoltaics, led by Ayodhya N. Tiwari, has made a major step forward. "The new record value for flexible CIGS solar cells of 18.7% nearly closes the "efficiency gap" to solar cells based on polycrystalline silicon (Si) wafers or CIGS thin film cells on glass," says Tiwari. He is convinced that "flexible and lightweight CIGS solar cells with efficiencies comparable to the "best-in-class" will have excellent potential to bring about a paradigm shift and to enable low-cost solar electricity in the near future."

One major advantage of flexible high-performance CIGS solar cells is the potential to lower manufacturing costs through roll-to-roll processing while at the same time offering a much higher efficiency than the ones currently on the market. What's more, such lightweight and flexible solar modules offer additional cost benefits in terms of transportation, installation, structural frames for the modules etc., i.e. they significantly reduce the so-called "balance of system" costs. Taken together, the new CIGS polymer cells exhibit numerous advantages for applications such as facades, solar farms and portable electronics. With high-performance devices now within reach, the new results suggest that monolithically-interconnected flexible CIGS solar modules with efficiencies above 16% should be achievable with the recently developed processes and concepts.

At the forefront of efficiency improvements

In recent years, thin film photovoltaic technology based on glass substrates has gained sufficient maturity towards industrial production; flexible CIGS technology is, however, still an emerging field. The recent improvements in efficiency in research labs and pilot plants -- among others by Tiwari's group, first at ETH Zurich and since a couple of years now at Empa -- are contributing to performance improvements and to overcoming manufacturability barriers.

Working closely with scientists at FLISOM, a start-up company who is scaling up and commercializing the technology, the Empa team made significant progress in low-temperature growth of CIGS layers yielding flexible CIGS cells that are ever more efficient, up from a record value of 14.1% in 2005 to the new "high score" of 18.7% for any type of flexible solar cell grown on polymer or metal foil. The latest improvements in cell efficiency were made possible through a reduction in recombination losses by improving the structural properties of the CIGS layer and the proprietary low-temperature deposition process for growing the layers as well as in situ doping with Na during the final stage. With these results, polymer films have for the first time proven to be superior to metal foils as a carrier substrate for achieving highest efficiency.

Record efficiencies of up to 17.5% on steel foils covered with impurity diffusion barriers were so far achieved with CIGS growth processes at temperatures exceeding 550°C. However, when applied to steel foil without any diffusion barrier, the proprietary low temperature CIGS deposition process developed by Empa and FLISOM for polymer films easily matched the performance achieved with high-temperature procedure, resulting in an efficiency of 17.7%. The results suggest that commonly used barrier coatings for detrimental impurities on metal foils would not be required. "Our results clearly show the advantages of the low-temperature CIGS deposition process for achieving highest efficiency flexible solar cells on polymer as well as metal foils," says Tiwari.

The projects were supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), the Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI), the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), EU Framework Programmes as well as by Swiss companies W.Blösch AG and FLISOM.

Scaling up production of flexible CIGS solar cells

The continuous improvement in energy conversion efficiencies of flexible CIGS solar cells is no small feat, says Empa Director Gian-Luca Bona. "What we see here is the result of an in-depth understanding of the material properties of layers and interfaces combined with an innovative process development in a systematic manner. Next, we need to transfer these innovations to industry for large scale production of low-cost solar modules to take off." Empa scientists are currently working together with FLISOM to further develop manufacturing processes and to scale up production.

Article courtesy of Science Daily

Solar Carports – How this Fast Growing Solar Product Works, Solar Carport Structures and Costs, Solar Panel Carport Suppliers, Largest Solar Carports, Charging Electric Vehicles

Solar Carports are a relatively new Solar Energy Product compared to other Solar Products like Solar Heaters and Solar Cooking.Solar Carports are fast catching on as their dual use of protecting,shading a car as well as providing electricity to nearby offices and buildings.It makes use of real estate that would go waste so it provides a lot of value add besides helping in protecting the environment as well.

How Solar Carports Work

Solar Carports work mostly using the same principles like a normal residential solar installation.Solar Panels are installed on the roof of the carport and then connected electrically to the power grid using an inverter.The designing,installation and power connection of the solar carport is done by most of the normal Solar EPC Contractors that work on residential and commercial rooftops.

Solar Carports Costs

If you put up Solar Panels on an existing Carport rather than buying a new structure than the cost of the Solar Carport should not be more than that of putting Solar Panels on the Roof.The Cost of Putting a Solar Panel is around $4-5/watt for small commercial installations and somewhat higher for residential installations.On the other hand buying a Solar Carport Structure with Solar Panels would be higher.Note you would get subsidies for Solar Carports just the same as for Rooftop Solar Installations and probably subsidies for Charging Stations for EVs as well.

Solar Carport Structures

Some companies also sell carports that includes the steel structure which house the vehicle.The whole carport is sold as a single piece instead of putting solar panels on the roof of an existing carport.This structures have the advantage of being customized for generating electricity.Note Solar Carports can be of different designs – a single pole with solar panels forming the roof of the solar carport or a steel structure which is customized for putting up solar panels on top

Solar Carports as Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

Solar Carports are being increasingly being used as Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles making the Carports totally green.Note Electric Vehicles are being massively subsidized and supported by government around the world.Charging stations for Lithium,NiMH batteries are essential infrastructure for EVs and Hybrid Vehicles.These Solar Carports are ideal for use as Charging Stations as they generate Green Electricity and house Cars as well.Solar Carports and Electric Vehicles are kind of made for each other and make the Electric Car Concept totally Green. Cities such as Los Angeles are increasingly adopting this model .

To see entire article click here 

Article by GreenWorldInvestor

Own or Contract Solar Power Plants? Utilities Need to Decide

Operations and Maintenance Costs are Part of the Decision 

Utility scale solar photovoltaic (PV) sites have a cost, and I'm not talking about the energy.
 

Sure, a utility could rely on a third party power purchase agreement (PPA) as it formerly did. But as they contemplate ownership of both central and distrib¬uted solar-based generation, they now must consider system performance, reliability, and asset management priorities.

The issue has drawn attention to require a closer look.

To that end, the industry's research arm, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), has released a white paper on the growing trend.  "Addressing Solar Photovoltaic Operations and Maintenance Challenges - A Survey of Current Knowledge and Practices" looks at what goes into this decision and how utilities are coping with the challenge.

"In short, PV asset ownership shifts the financial onus onto utilities," the report says.

I recently spoke to the point man involved in the creation of the report, Nadav Enbar, senior project manager for distributed renewables, power delivery and utilization.

"The fundamental rationale behind this report is that PV is growing and we are not moving back in time," he said. "As we look historically at the growth of conventional generation sources, we're seeing order-of-magnitude growth, with a similar trajectory for solar photovoltaic power right now."

Although state renewable portfolio standards are playing a part, some utilities are making a deliberate decision to add additional PV, Enbar said.

"The idea is that utilities are spending more on the technology whether they are mandated or not .and many are choosing to bring the assets under their own umbrella," he said.

The choice is pretty basic, but one which was easier to make when PV was a tiny part of the power generation system: a PPA offers lower up-front costs as electricity is bought from outside the organization but more expensive over the 15- or 20-year life of the contract. Some utilities are now favoring the longer view and incorporating the assets into their portfolios.

That decision entails another set of costs. "Utilities have to pay attention to the upkeep and maintenance of their assets base to bring the greatest amount of value in terms of electricity production but also to maintain a level of reliability," Enbar added.

Those expenses can range generally from1 percent to 5 percent of the all-in installation costs.

One utility that has gone this route is Southern California Edison, which started out by sending out its O&M but has now decided to bring it in-house. The scale of its commitment to PV made the decision a little easier. In 2008 announced its intention to own 500 megawatts. That in itself will support 23 full time employees.

A hybrid option is also starting to emerge in which the utility that is adding PV gears up its O&M by first outsourcing its functions for a couple of years while it gets its own staff trained from the third party it has hired. It can then transition its operations and maintenance to eventually becoming a utility function.

But there does not seem to be typical tipping point when the utility makes a decision to bring PV O&M in-house. Local conditions seem to be the determining factors: travel distances to sites, climate and season, ground versus rooftop systems, and even when the best time might be to roll a truck.

There's also the power market coming into play. Enbar said scheduling panel cleaning can be done just before the peak solar energy season to take advantage of the increased generation capacity.

In other words, the reasons are all over the map.

Article by Bill Opalka, RenewablesBiz

South Africa Leads the Way in New Solar Technology

Fantastic new technology will revolutionize PV Solar!

South Africa is at the forefront of the development of new solar power technology that will offer consumers a cheaper and highly efficient alternative to standard solar panels.

The breakthrough technology is the result of over 13 years of research by the University of Johannesburg's Professor Vivian Alberts. His solar panels are made from a unique metal alloy that converts light into energy at a fraction of the usual cost.

Unlike standard solar panels that contain a 350 micron thick silicon layer, Alberts' panels make use of copper, indium, gallium, sulphur and selenium. The result is a revolutionary thin panel, approximately five microns thick (a human hair is 20 microns thick), that can be sold at a dramatically lower cost.

The elements used in Alberts' panel are all semiconductors making his technology far more effective in attracting heat.

"The technology has proved itself in the pilot-plant phase, without a doubt," Alberts told Engineering News in 2005 when the breakthrough was first announced.

Following his discovery,  Alberts and the University of Johannesburg formed the company Photovoltaic Technology Intellectual Property in 2005 (PTIP). The company has since entered into agreements with a solar energy investor in Germany known as Johanna Solar Technology. Currently work is underway on the establishment of a purpose-built plant where the solar panels will be built.

According to Engineering News, PTIP will be building a local manufacturing facility with South African investors that will produce 450,000 panels a year.

The South African venture has earmarked a site in Paarl, in the Western Cape, for the local solar panel plant and the project is in the process of securing financing.

Article courtesy of South Africa Good News

U.S. Solar Industry Projected to Double Capacity This Year

The U.S. solar industry grew significantly in the first half of 2010 and is on track to double the amount of power it generates by year's end, an industry report says Tuesday.

Solar power could reach a major milestone in the United States this year by generating more than one gigawatt of electricity -- enough to power 200,000 homes, according to the report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research. The research projects the 2010 total will fall between 944 megawatts and 1.13 gigawatts, up from 441 megawatts in 2009.

"Solar energy is now the fastest growing energy source in the United States," Rhone Resch, SEIA's president and CEO, said Tuesday during the opening session of the Solar Power International 2010 conference in Los Angeles.

California installed the most solar electric capacity in the first six months of this year, followed by New Jersey, Arizona and Florida. A total of 341 megawatts was installed nationwide, but the report expects a stronger second half for 2010 because of projects slated for completion.

"First half solar installations grew beyond expectations as a result of declining prices, continued government support and improving financial conditions." said Shayle Kann at GTM Research, a Greentech Media company. "In spite of continued macroeconomic woes, the U.S. solar industry is on track to have a record year in 2010 for both installations and manufacturing."

Article courtesy of USA Today

Is the SOL/WIND Era Just a Dream?

If you’ve been paying attention to the news over the last few years, you’ve no doubt seen all the coverage of solar and wind energy. Both hold promise, from new investment to new jobs to new industries around the country, in depressed economies like Michigan.

But are solar and wind really viable options to replace the backbone of our current energy system, based mostly on dirty coal and potentially dangerous nuclear generation? Walter Kohn, a Ph.D. who shared the 1998 Nobel Prize in chemistry, says yes.

Now Kohn’s viewpoint may not be the final answer on this issue, but it’s worth considering, especially against the backdrop of plans for more coal and nuclear power generation in the United States. Kohn made the statements at a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Kohn says total oil and natural gas production, which today accounts for the majority of global energy consumption, is expected to peak in as little as 10 years from now, followed by a rapid decline.

“These trends have created two unprecedented global challenges,” Kohn says. “One is the threatened global shortage of acceptable energy. The other is the unacceptable, imminent danger of global warming and its consequences.”

He believes these factors will drive science and technology toward more innovation in coming decades until SOL/WIND arrives, a new era in human history in which solar and wind have become the Earth’s dominant energy sources.

Besides innovation, however, the world’s dominant energy users in developed countries will have to find ways to reduce their per-capita energy consumption, Kohn believes.

Do you believe it? Just this month, it was revealed that the U.S. coal industry is in the midst of its largest expansion in 20 years. More than 30 old-style coal plants have been built since 2008 or are under construction.

And plans for a climate bill in the U.S. Senate didn’t go anywhere this year.

Article by Got2beGreen