from Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
Looks like President Obama has finally given in to the pressure — the White House is about to go solar – again. In the 1970’s President Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed on the roof of the first home only to have President Ronald Reagan remove them later. Coalitions — like this one — have been pushing for Obama to bring solar back to the first residence as a sign of his commitment to renewable energy. The new solar array is expected to be installed by next spring and will heat the first family’s supply of hot water as well as supplement power for some of the the first family’s energy needs
quarta-feira, 6 de outubro de 2010
BP Solar Announces Solar Modules with Thermo Cool Technology for the Middle East
from AzoCleanTech
BP Solar has declared the introduction of a novel solar technology designed for exclusive use in extreme operating temperatures. The introduction forms a part of its 14 kW pilot program currently undergoing tests on the grounds of the New Energy Oasis, located in King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.
The new system was put on test during July this year being the first summer month of the year when the temperature reaches its peak. The tested system comprises 60 PV modules and nearly 50% of which includes the new 120 half-cell modules with the novel Thermo Cool Technology of BP. The Thermo Cool backsheet stratum utilized in the technology provides quicker heat dispersal to provide cooling operating environ within the solar module, thus increasing the output of the module.
The new system was put on test during July this year being the first summer month of the year when the temperature reaches its peak. The tested system comprises 60 PV modules and nearly 50% of which includes the new 120 half-cell modules with the novel Thermo Cool Technology of BP. The Thermo Cool backsheet stratum utilized in the technology provides quicker heat dispersal to provide cooling operating environ within the solar module, thus increasing the output of the module.
PV Inverter Scene Overhauled by Micros and the AC Module
Central inverters may currently dominate photovoltaic installations but a distributed inverter architecture using either micro-inverters or AC-DC solutions is set to mount a growing challenge. See a recent review at RenewableEnergy.com
Some recent developments in this area:Petaluma-based Enphase makes microinverters that increase the efficiency of solar panels. It has sold 400,000 of the microinverters since it started business in 2008. Paul Nahi is its president and CEO. Suntech (NYSE: STP) makes solar power systems for use on homes, businesses and by large industrial and utility customers. It’s based in Wuxi, China. Its local head office is in San Francisco.The two didn’t give financial or other details of this agreement.
National Semiconductor announced today that it is collaborating with Suntech to develop “smart panel” technology, incorporating National Semiconductor’s award-winning SolarMagic™ power optimizer chipset into Suntech solar panels to improve the power output of solar systems. National’s SolarMagic power optimizer chipset enables each solar module to produce the maximum energy regardless of whether other panels in the array are under-performing due to environmental mismatch. The technology enhances the energy harvest of each individual PV panel through a combination of advanced algorithms and leading-edge analog power management circuit techniques. In real-world tests involving shading and mismatch, Suntech modules with SolarMagic power optimizer technology were shown to recoup an average of 50 percent of lost energy, and in some cases captured as much as 75 percent of otherwise lost energy compared to standard panel performance.
Some recent developments in this area:
National Semiconductor announced today that it is collaborating with Suntech to develop “smart panel” technology, incorporating National Semiconductor’s award-winning SolarMagic™ power optimizer chipset into Suntech solar panels to improve the power output of solar systems. National’s SolarMagic power optimizer chipset enables each solar module to produce the maximum energy regardless of whether other panels in the array are under-performing due to environmental mismatch. The technology enhances the energy harvest of each individual PV panel through a combination of advanced algorithms and leading-edge analog power management circuit techniques. In real-world tests involving shading and mismatch, Suntech modules with SolarMagic power optimizer technology were shown to recoup an average of 50 percent of lost energy, and in some cases captured as much as 75 percent of otherwise lost energy compared to standard panel performance.
Germany Adds Nearly 1% of Electricity Supply with Solar in Eight Months
from Renewable Energy World
Germany currently meets approximately 1% of its supply with solar PV. With the 2010 additions, the country will meet 2% of its supply with solar PV.
Wind energy supplied 6.5% of Germany's electricity in 2009. Germany is expected to add another 4 TWh of generation from wind energy in 2010 or somewhat less than 1% of consumption.
Seemingly determined to put an end to speculation that solar photovoltaics (PV) can't "scale" quickly enough to make a dent in electricity consumption, the German solar industry continues to break records.
According to the latest data from the Bundesnetzagentur, Germany's solar industry added another 1,000 MW during July and August [which] brings the total for the eight-month period from January through August to 4,900 MW from nearly 175,000 solar installations. Solar PV installations to date in 2010 are capable of generating slightly less than 5 TWh of electricity under German conditions. [Since] Germany consumed 580 TWh of electricity in 2009 [i]nstallations of solar PV during the first eight months of 2010 are capable of providing 0.86% or nearly 1% of the country's electricity.Germany currently meets approximately 1% of its supply with solar PV. With the 2010 additions, the country will meet 2% of its supply with solar PV.
Wind energy supplied 6.5% of Germany's electricity in 2009. Germany is expected to add another 4 TWh of generation from wind energy in 2010 or somewhat less than 1% of consumption.
Martifer finishes installation of 2.5 MW PV park in Ilha do Sal in Cape Verde
Martifer and the Ministry of Economy, Growth and Competitiveness of Cape Verde (MECC) has inaugurated today the first of two solar parks contracted in January. The Prime Minister of Cape Verde, Dr. José Maria das Neves, presided the inauguration ceremony.
Installed on fixed structures, this park, located in Ilha do Sal, is a turnkey project entirely developed by Martifer Solar and it uses PV panels produced in its plant in Oliveira de Frades, Portugal. The installation occupies an area of 9.75 hectares and has 2.5 MW peak power, with the possibility of a 2.5 MW expansion capacity until 2014. This park, so far is the biggest PV Central in the African continent. The second park, which will be inaugurated in November, is located in Ilha de Santiago and will have 5MW peak power capacity.
Installed on fixed structures, this park, located in Ilha do Sal, is a turnkey project entirely developed by Martifer Solar and it uses PV panels produced in its plant in Oliveira de Frades, Portugal. The installation occupies an area of 9.75 hectares and has 2.5 MW peak power, with the possibility of a 2.5 MW expansion capacity until 2014. This park, so far is the biggest PV Central in the African continent. The second park, which will be inaugurated in November, is located in Ilha de Santiago and will have 5MW peak power capacity.
segunda-feira, 4 de outubro de 2010
Student Refits $50 Motorcycle To Run On Solar Power
from Inhabitat
With cars being designed to run on electricity and biofuel, it’s only fair that motorcycles are similarly retrofitted for renewable forms of energy. With that in mind, a student at Purdue University has converted an old 1978 Suzuki to run on solar energy and to emit zero emissions.
Said student, the awesomely named Tony Danger Coiro bought the motorcycle for $50 and spent $2,500 redesigning and retrofitting the bike to run on sun. With the new modifications, the bike now has a range of 24 miles and a top speed of 45 miles per hour compared to a previous consumption of a ‘penny per mile’.
Whitfield Solar Announces 50kW Purchase Order from Portugal
Whitfield Solar [announced] that SmallPower Energias Renováveis, Lda. (“SmallPower”), has placed an unconditional purchase order for 50 kW of WS:Si24 Solar Concentrators for delivery in Q3 2011. The product will be used for a ground mounted application [in Leça da Palmeira] (...) It is Whitfield Solar’s first Northern Hemisphere order comprising more than 100 units of WS:Si24 Solar Concentrators.
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