Archive for November, 2008
Cheap High-Efficiency Solar Cells on the Horizon
“We hope that solar cells will one day be as thin as paper and be attached to the surface of your choice,” said co-author Hsiang-Yu Chen, a UCLA graduate student in engineering. “We’ll also be able to create different colors to match different applications.”
29Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 5 comments | ContinuedSharp to Team With Italy’s Enel on Solar Power
Solar panels are one of the industries Sharp has targeted over the last few years and the company has become a leading player but it faces fierce competition from companies including Germany’s Q-Cells and China’s SunTech.
29Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 0 comments | ContinuedTatas to invest more in wind power
“We will be making investments in wind power sector to take the production capacity to 500MW from the 200MW. We have started to concentrate more renewable energy and are planning to increase our production capacity from the present 14 percent to 25 percent in the next couple of years,” said Tata Power managing director Prasad R Menon.
29Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 0 comments | ContinuedPlanned wind park to supply electricity to 30,000 households
“People’s worries are mostly rooted in insufficient knowledge of wind parks. We would like to debunk the myths that our opponents are spreading,” said Tomáš Lacko, an authorized representative of Green Energy Slovakia. SITA
28Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 0 comments | ContinuedUCLA researchers create polymer solar cells with higher efficiency levels
“Previously, the synthesizing process for the polymer was very complicated. We’ve been able to simplify the process and make it much easier to mass produce,” said Jianhui Hou, UCLA postdoctoral researcher and co-author of the study. “Though this is a milestone achievement, we will continue to work on improving the materials. Ideally we’d like to push the performance of the solar cell to higher than 10 percent efficiency. We know the potential is there.”
28Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 0 comments | ContinuedHeat we emit could warm the Earth
Cowern and Ahn’s argument is logical, says Jonathan Gregory, a climate expert at the University of Reading, UK. “Human energy dissipation is currently small compared with other factors, but you can imagine it becoming much bigger.” However, he adds that energy production would need to grow significantly for the effect to kick in. “It’s fair to ask if we could ever produce so much power,” he says.
27Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 0 comments | ContinuedBiggest solar energy plant in SE Europe opens in Bulgaria
The Bulgarian “SunService” used the services of the German IBC Solar AG as a consultant. For the whole project, which was completed within a year, less than 4 million euro have been invested. Two thirds of the money have been secured through a bank loan. The main part of the bank crediting is a loan from a credit line for energy efficiency of the European bank for reconstruction and development.
27Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 0 comments | ContinuedNYC Moms Strike It Rich With Eco-Friendly Products
“Sticky toys, dirty, disgusting residue-filled bottles,” Rosenthal said.
“Just wanted a solution to clean safer, better and more effectively,” Rubinstein said. “What was in her baby bottle … that milk odor and milk residue, I felt never went away.”
26Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 1 comment | ContinuedThe Texas-Mexico border gets its largest solar installation
“The 45 kW solar array is the largest of its kind on the Texas-Mexico border, and was constructed to help power the new water treatment plant for the City of San Benito, Texas. It utilises 224 ground mounted solar panels that tilt to follow the sun during the course of the day, producing more energy than fixed tilt systems,” stated the company.
25Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 0 comments | ContinuedLos Angeles launches clean-tech website
“Cleantech is the biggest opportunity of the 21st century, and I am committed to making Los Angeles a global clean tech capital,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
“Our long-term future depends on our ability to capitalize on the growing opportunities of the new green economy and this site will bring together our partners under one virtual roof.”
25Nov2008 | ecofriendly | 0 comments | Continued