http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/solar_energy/ Solar Energy Information. Read the latest news and techniques for efficient solar photovoltaic power, new solar energy systems and more. en-us Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:05:01 EST Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/solar_energy/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135838.htm Scientists have found that a new type of battery has the potential to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of solar power. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135838.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133606.htm An online tool called "Impurities to Efficiency" (known as I2E) allows companies or researchers exploring alternative manufacturing strategies to plug in descriptions of their planned materials and processing steps. After about one minute of simulation, I2E gives an indication of exactly how efficient the resulting solar cell would be in converting sunlight to electricity. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202092246.htm Scientists are turning the term "power plant" on its head. A team of researchers has developed a system that taps into photosynthetic processes to produce efficient and inexpensive energy. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202092246.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201094956.htm Consistent appraisals of real estate outfitted with photovoltaic installations are a challenge for the nation's real estate industry, but a new tool addresses that issue. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201094956.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123105.htm A researcher is developing several technologies that could improve the performance of electric motors and generators. And that could make a real difference in building sustainable energy systems. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123105.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184534.htm By tweaking the smallest of parts, engineers are hoping to dramatically increase the amount of sunlight that solar cells convert into electricity. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119153042.htm Researchers have discovered that changing the shape of a solar concentrator significantly increases its efficiency, bringing its use closer to reality. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119153042.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101532.htm Computational materials researchers have used cutting-edge calculations to determine fundamental optical transparency limits in conducting oxide material tin oxide. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112111940.htm A new discovery shows that the flexibility and durability of carbon nanotube films and coatings are intimately linked to their electronic properties and could impact flexible electronic devices such as solar cells and wearable sensors. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112111940.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111103858.htm A new photovoltaic module allows electricity to be generated without greenhouse crops being affected by over-shading. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111103858.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109102914.htm An engineering professor has made a breakthrough discovery with graphene, a material that could play a major role in keeping laptops and other electronic devices from overheating. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109102914.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221211324.htm Imagine if the next coat of paint you put on the outside of your home generates electricity from light -- electricity that can be used to power the appliances and equipment on the inside. Scientists have just created an inexpensive "solar paint" that uses semiconducting nanoparticles to produce energy. Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221211324.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219112010.htm Water splitting in photo-electrochemical cells to yield hydrogen is a promising way to sustainable fuels. Scientists have now made major progress in developing highly efficient electrodes – made of an algal protein, thus mimicking a central step in natural photosynthesis. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219112010.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215141617.htm The efficiency of conventional solar cells could be significantly increased, according to new research on the mechanisms of solar energy conversion. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215141617.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209123108.htm An innovative project is using solar generators to provide IT resources and 'hands-on' science for students in developing countries. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209123108.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208121024.htm The concept of the hydrogen economy (HE), in which hydrogen would replace the carbon-based fossil fuels of the twentieth century was first mooted in the 1970s. Today, HE is seen as a potential solution to the dual global crises of climate change and dwindling oil reserves. A research article suggests that HE is wrong and SHE has the answer in the sustainable hydrogen economy. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208121024.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205140531.htm A planet made of diamonds may sound lovely, but you wouldn't want to live there. A new study suggests that some stars in the Milky Way could harbor "carbon super-Earths" – giant terrestrial planets that contain up to 50 percent diamond. But if they exist, those planets are likely devoid of life as we know it. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205140531.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128115643.htm Pyrite, better known as "fool's gold," was familiar to the ancient Romans and has fooled prospectors for centuries -- but has now helped researchers discover related compounds that offer new, cheap and promising options for solar energy. These new compounds, unlike some solar cell materials made from rare, expensive or toxic elements, would be benign and could be processed from some of the most abundant elements on Earth. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128115643.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123151916.htm Researchers have used nanoparticles of a copper compound to develop a high-power battery electrode that is so inexpensive to make, so efficient and so durable that it could be used to build batteries big enough for economical large-scale energy storage on the electrical grid -- something researchers have sought for years. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123151916.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116124737.htm Researchers have created a new compound crystal material that promises to help produce advances in a range of scientific and technological pursuits. The material, called erbium chloride silicate, can be used to develop the next generations of computers, improve the capabilities of the Internet, increase the efficiency of silicon-based photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electrical energy, and enhance the quality of solid-state lighting and sensor technology. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116124737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115073934.htm Why the temperatures in the solar wind are almost the same in certain directions, and why different energy densities are practically identical, was until now not clear. With a new approach to calculating instability criteria for plasmas, researchers have solved both problems at once. They were the first to incorporate the effects of collisions of the solar wind particles in their model. This explains experimental data significantly better than previous calculations and can also be transferred to cosmic plasmas outside our solar system. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115073934.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110125955.htm Engineers are developing a solar panel composed of nano-antennas instead of silicon semiconductors. They say that through the use of these antennas, a much higher conversion rate from light into usable energy can be achieved -- and could lead to a more cost-effective way to harvest and utilize "green" energy. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110125955.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111106151019.htm Materials science and engineering researchers have demonstrated for the first time the key mechanism behind how energy levels align in a critical group of advanced materials. This discovery is a significant breakthrough in the development of sustainable technologies such as dye-sensitized solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 15:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111106151019.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103120448.htm Researchers have developed a technology that combines the conventional fuel used in today's power plants with the lower pressures and temperatures of steam produced by solar power. His new "hybrid" power plant is a potentially cost-effective and realistic way to integrate solar technology into existing power plants. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103120448.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102190028.htm Scientists have compiled years of research to help locate areas in outer space that have extreme potential for complex organic molecule formation. The scientists searched for methanol, a key ingredient in the synthesis of organic molecules that could lead to life. Their results have implications for determining the origins of molecules that spark life in the cosmos. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102190028.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125555.htm Researchers have developed a new material that absorbs a wide range of wavelengths and could lead to more efficient and less expensive solar technology. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125549.htm Converting sunlight into electricity is not economically attractive because of the high cost of solar cells, but a recent, purely optical approach to improving luminescent solar concentrators may ease the problem, according to researchers. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125549.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024101450.htm Organic solar cells have the potential to convert sunlight into electrical energy in an economical and environmentally friendly fashion. The challenge is that they still work less efficiently than inorganic semiconductors. Ultrafast measurements on hybrid cells now reveal a route to double their efficiency. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024101450.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017141518.htm Scientists have achieved a significant breakthrough in the performance of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. They have achieved and demonstrated a record voltage for organic photovoltaic cells that means these highly flexible, low cost solar cells can now be devolved for commercial uses in a wide range of consumer electronics. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017141518.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111014080045.htm Today there is a wide variety of energy storage technologies at very different stages of development. Among them, the Redox Flow Battery (RFB) is an innovative solution based on the use of liquid electrolytes stored in tanks and pumped through a reactor to produce energy. Researchers are currently working in the development of high performance RFBs. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111014080045.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111014080041.htm Researchers have demonstrated that several mobile electrons can be produced by the absorption of a single light particle in films of coupled quantum dots. These multiple electrons can be harvested in solar cells with increased efficiency. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111014080041.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111012113547.htm Mention prime geography for generation of solar energy, and people tend to think of hot deserts. But a new study concludes that some of the world's coldest landscapes -- including the Himalaya Mountains, the Andes, and even Antarctica -- could become Saudi Arabias of solar. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111012113547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111012113349.htm Researchers in Singapore have exploited advanced nanostructure technology to make a highly efficient and yet cheaper silicon solar cell. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111012113349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007113949.htm Using one of the most sensitive neutrino detectors on the planet, physicists are now measuring the flow of solar neutrinos reaching Earth more precisely than ever before. The detector probes matter at the most fundamental level and provides a powerful tool for directly observing the sun's composition. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007113949.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007102914.htm Window contacts tell us which of a house's windows are open or closed. Researchers have now developed a fail-safe system that is particularly easy to use and needs no wiring or batteries. The sensors harvest the energy they need to run from ambient radio signals. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007102914.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006084023.htm Electric propulsion (EP) is the future of astronautics. It can already compete successfully with chemical thrusters, especially for attitude control, orbit transfer and/or orbital station-keeping as well as for the main propulsion system for deep space missions. However, xenon, the propellant of choice in most EP devices, has a substantial drawback: its cost is very high. On the basis of the experience with plasma jet accelerators, a team of scientists and engineers from Poland has designed the Hall effect thruster optimised to work with krypton, a much more affordable noble gas. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006084023.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111004132536.htm Researchers have created a new, unifying method to describe a basic chemical concept called "electronegativity," first described almost 80 years ago by Linus Pauling and part of the work that led to his receiving the Nobel Prize. The new system offers simplicity of understanding that should rewrite high school and college chemistry textbooks around the world, even as it opens important new avenues in materials and chemical research. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111004132536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929074021.htm Researchers in Singapore have developed a novel membrane with a performance that surpasses existing rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors, promising a low-cost, environmentally-friendly energy source. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 07:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929074021.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927124914.htm Researchers have found that metallic carbon nanotubes are 50 times more effective than semiconducting ones when used as transparent conductors in organic solar cells. Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927124914.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926132022.htm Copper nanowires may be coming to a little screen near you. These new nanostructures have the potential to drive down the costs of displaying information on cell phones, e-readers and iPads, and they could also help engineers build foldable electronics and improved solar cells, according to new research. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926132022.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926131401.htm Researchers have demonstrated that electrons can move freely in layers of linked semiconductor nanoparticles under the influence of light. This new knowledge will be very useful for the development of cheap and efficient quantum dot solar cells. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926131401.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923130115.htm Lessons to be learned from nature could lead to the development of an artificial version of photosynthesis that would provide us with an absolutely clean and virtually inexhaustible energy source, say researchers. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923130115.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923095803.htm Solar power could be harvested more efficiently and transported over long distances using tiny molecular circuits, according to research inspired by new insights into natural photosynthesis. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923095803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923095801.htm Clean solutions to human energy demands are essential to our future. While sunlight is the most abundant source of energy at our disposal, we have yet to learn how to capture, transfer and store solar energy efficiently. According to a new study, the answers can be found in the complex systems at work in nature. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923095801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921131729.htm New technology has yielded flexible solar cells with an 18.7% record efficiency. Key to the breakthrough is the control of the energy band gap grading in the copper indium gallium (di)selenide semiconductor, also known as CIGS, the layer that absorbs light and converts it into electricity. Scientists achieved this by controlling the vapor flux of elements during different stages of the evaporation process for growing the CIGS layer. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921131729.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110918144959.htm Researchers have created the most efficient solar cell ever made based on colloidal quantum dots (CQD). Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductors that capture light and convert it into an energy source. Because of their small scale, the dots can be sprayed on to flexible surfaces, including plastics. This enables the production of solar cells that are less expensive to produce and more durable than the more widely known silicon-based version. In a new study, the researchers demonstrate how the wrappers that encapsulate the quantum dots can be shrunk to a mere layer of atoms. Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110918144959.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915163959.htm The installed cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems in the United States fell substantially in 2010 and into the first half of 2011, according to the latest edition of an annual PV cost tracking report. Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915163959.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915102858.htm Some ferroelectric materials can develop extremely high voltages when light falls on them, which might greatly improve solar cells if scientists could figure out how they do it. Researchers have solved the mystery for one ferroelectric, bismuth ferrite, revealing a principle that should apply to other materials too. The secret is an electronic "bucket brigade" that passes electrons stepwise from one electrically polarized region to the next. Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915102858.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912143412.htm Borrowing from modern telescope design, researchers have proposed a way to concentrate sunlight to ramp up laser efficiency. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912143412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912143404.htm Sometimes neatness may not be necessary. Researchers have demonstrated that a tangled coating of randomly positioned nanowires can increase solar cell efficiency by absorbing more light. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912143404.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110911145208.htm Optofluidics is the study of microfluidics -- the microscopic delivery of fluids through extremely small channels or tubes -- combined with optics. In a new review, researchers argue that optofluidics is poised to take on one of this century's most important challenges: energy. Sun, 11 Sep 2011 14:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110911145208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110909111444.htm Better physics teaching with a particular emphasis on radioactivity and radiation science could improve public awareness through education of the environmental benefits and relative safety of nuclear power generation, according to scientists. Experts have suggestsed that it might then be possible to have a less emotional debate about the future of the industry that will ultimately reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110909111444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907104657.htm Scientists are reporting development of a new genre of an electrolyte system for solar cells that breaks the double-digit barrier in the efficiency with which the devices convert sunlight into electricity. Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907104657.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907075956.htm Researchers in Israel have developed superconducting wires made of single sapphire crystals that can be used in high-powered cables. They take up much less space and conduct energy far more efficiently than current superconductor technologies -- and have the potential to revolutionize energy transfer. Wed, 07 Sep 2011 07:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907075956.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110905085957.htm The photovoltaic (PV) industry production more than doubled and reached a world-wide production volume of 23.5 gigawatt (GW) of photovoltaic modules. Since 1990, photovoltaic module production has increased more than 500-fold from 46 megawatts (MW) to 23.5 GW in 2010, which makes photovoltaics one of the fastest-growing industries at present. Mon, 05 Sep 2011 08:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110905085957.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110905074316.htm Researchers in Belgium have demonstrated an organic polymer-based single junction solar cell with 6.9 percent performance in an innovative inverted device stack. The polymer was also integrated into a module resulting in excellent module level efficiencies of 5 percent for an aperture area of 25 square centimeters. Mon, 05 Sep 2011 07:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110905074316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831160053.htm Researchers have developed a solution-based technique for fabricating core/shell nanowire solar cells using the semiconductors cadmium sulfide for the core and copper sulfide for the shell. These inexpensive and easy-to-make nanowire solar cells hold great promise for future solar cell technology. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831160053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831115918.htm Solar power heavily reliant on lead batteries has the potential to release more than 2.4 million tons of lead pollution in China and India, according to new research. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831115918.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831093919.htm Researchers have been operating a canal boat with a fuel cell drive for three years now. In the world of shipbuilding, however, different rules apply than those in the automobile manufacturing industries. Weight is of practically no significance, but the propulsion plant must have an operating lifetime as long as that of the boat itself. The hydride storage system -- the hydrogen tank -- must meet this challenging requirement. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831093919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830151229.htm Using state-of-the-art theoretical computations, a team of scientists has determined that an alloy formed by a 2 percent substitution of antimony in gallium nitride has the right electrical properties to enable solar light energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The alloy functions as a catalyst in the photoelectrochemical electrolysis of water. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830151229.htm