Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory explore opportunities to increase solar energy conversion as an alternative to fossil fuels, with potential applications in electricity, fuel, and heat generation. Key findings include advancements in materials science, artificial photosynthesis, and thermoelectric materials that could enhance...
Arizona State University has received a $1.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop innovative nanotechnology solutions for solar energy. The team aims to create tiny devices that can harness light energy more efficiently and convert it into electricity.
Researchers develop innovative process to combine low-energy photons in sunlight into higher-energy shortwave photons, boosting solar cells' efficiency. This breakthrough could enable the use of previously lost light energy, leading to a significant increase in solar cell efficiency.
Researchers at Iowa State University are working on a project to improve the performance of thin-film solar cells by 40-50% using non-crystalline silicon wafers. The discovery could result in several patents and give companies like PowerFilm Inc. a significant advantage in the market.
Researchers have made significant breakthroughs in improving the efficiency of solar cells, including plastic solar cells with efficiencies up to 15% and ultrathin dye-sensitized solar cells reaching 11%. Carbon nanotubes could also boost efficiency by doubling photoconversion rates.
Research papers predict increased solar flares and storms due to enhanced solar radiation. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is expected to strengthen with climate change induced by increasing greenhouse gases. Deep atmospheric convection enhances natural greenhouse gas feedbacks, leading to an amplified positive water vapor effect.
Researchers at Penn State have developed titania nanotube dye sensitive solar cells with a 3% initial conversion rate, which they aim to increase to 15% through optimization. The cells use an easier fabrication system than conventional silicon solar cells and have shown promise in producing more electrons that do not recombine.
Researchers at UCLA have developed a new type of solar cell made from plastic that is cheaper to produce than traditional silicon-based cells. The cell has an efficiency rating of 4.4% and aims to reach 15-20% efficiency in the future.
A team of scientists from New Mexico State University and Wake Forest University has achieved a 5.2% solar energy efficiency level in organic solar cells, a significant improvement over previous attempts. This breakthrough could lead to the development of cheaper, flexible plastic-based solar panels within four to five years.
Researchers have developed a novel solar antenna that combines antenna functions and solar cells on a single surface, reducing weight and increasing efficiency. The technology has the potential to power homes and send/receive signals, improving data gathering capabilities in remote regions.
The report identifies key areas of focus for improving solar energy technologies, including artificial molecular machines, smart materials, and nanotechnology-based solar cells. It also highlights the importance of basic research in addressing the nation's energy security needs.
The ARC solar thermal building product significantly reduces energy consumption, saving Canadian homeowners up to 48% on their heating bills. By combining SIPS technology with solar panels, the product achieves impressive energy savings and contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Scientists have identified solar wind flowing from funnel-shaped magnetic fields in the Sun's corona, originating in coronal funnels with a speed of about 10 km/s. This discovery improves our understanding of the solar wind's magnetic nature and source region.
Scientists have long puzzled over the origin of chondrules, glassy particles found in meteorites that formed in the solar nebula. New calculations suggest that spiral arms in the disk surrounding Jupiter may have generated shock waves that melted dust clumps to form these particles.
A Chinese-American team of scientists has discovered a rare isotope, sulfur-36, associated with sodalite in a meteorite. The finding provides strong evidence for the past presence of chlorine-36 in the early solar system, which was likely formed in a supernova explosion.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new approach to creating lightweight organic solar cells using pentacene, converting sunlight into electricity with high efficiency. The cells' flexibility and minimal weight make them suitable for powering various devices, from RFID tags to electronic devices.
The SORCE satellite has tracked exceptionally high levels of solar activity, including the third most powerful solar flare ever observed in X-rays. This comprehensive dataset will help scientists better understand the mechanisms of solar spectral-irradiance variability and their possible climatic impacts.
Researchers predict a decrease in solar activity's impact on global warming over the next 100 years, with potential returns to current levels by 2200. The study suggests that solar variability will not amplify climate change, but rather subdue its effects.
A NASA study has found a significant increase in solar radiation over the past 24 years, which could contribute to global climate change. The trend is comparable to one previously reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and may have been present throughout the 20th century.
Researchers create alloy of indium gallium nitride that corresponds to the entire solar spectrum, allowing for more efficient solar cells. The alloy's defect-tolerant properties hold promise for improved performance in solar cells.
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) has recorded the Sun's influence on ozone and atmospheric gases over an 11-year solar cycle. The complete dataset provides key measurements toward understanding natural and man-made influences on ozone.
A new study suggests that dust in the Kuiper Belt produces anomalous cosmic rays, which have been puzzling scientists. The research provides a possible explanation for the origin of these high-energy particles and offers insights into the composition and interactions of the solar system.
Researchers at the University of Houston are developing methods to manufacture huge solar cell arrays on the moon using materials from lunar soil. The goal is to generate enough electricity to supply a lunar base or colonies, as well as beam electricity back to Earth for use in local grids.
A lunar solar power system, proposed by Criswell, could supply up to 20 terawatts of electricity to Earth, enough for a population of 10 billion. The system would harness just one percent of the moon's solar power and beam it back to receivers on Earth via microwave beams.
The NASA Living With a Star program aims to understand the dynamics of the Earth-Sun system. The Stanford-led SDO mission will study the Sun's magnetic fields, creating 3D images of solar magnetic regions and surface fields, to predict destructive flares and solar storms.
Researchers discovered that fluctuations in solar wind magnetic energy density are more likely to occur in extreme events, similar to stock market indices. The solar wind's self-similar pattern at various time scales allows for the application of knowledge from one field to understand the other.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a technology for creating cheap plastic solar cells that can be painted onto any surface, enabling applications such as powering wearables or small devices. The efficiency of the solar cells is currently low, but the team believes it has the potential to improve with further development.
Researchers analyzed NOAA data on solar radio bursts to determine their impact on cellular communications. They found that bursts of 1,000 SFU occur on 10-20 days per year, causing disruptions every 40-80 days or several times a year.
Scientists from Japan, US, and UK collaborate to build instruments for Solar-B, a satellite studying the Sun's magnetic field and its impact on Earth's climate. The mission aims to understand how magnetic fields interact with the Sun's atmosphere and release energy in solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center presented new findings on lower dust absorption of sunlight, Arctic stratospheric temperature control and the impact of a large solar proton event on the atmosphere. The studies aim to improve climate modeling and understanding of climate change.
Researchers have directly observed magnetic field line shrinkage or reconnection outflow during solar flares, resolving a long-standing mystery. The discovery sheds light on the behavior of magnetic fields in solar flares and their impact on space weather.
Loren Acton, a former astronaut and solar physicist, has won the prestigious George Ellery Hale Prize for his outstanding contributions to solar astronomy. Acton's research focuses on understanding the Sun's behavior, shapes, colors, and motions.
The Ninth Sede Boker Symposium on Solar Electricity Production will focus on ground-breaking work in solar power generation from around the world. Experts will share knowledge and problem-solving techniques with Arab and Israeli users of a large photovoltaic system designed for agricultural communities.
A worldwide study of the Sun's quiet period reveals insights into solar activity and its effects on Earth. The research, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, explores the Sun's large-scale, stable structures that dominate the solar corona at solar minimum.
An international team of scientists identified regions on the Sun where the high speed solar wind originates using the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation spectrometer on SOHO. The research will lead to a better understanding of the solar wind's effect on Earth's space environment.
A solar flare on July 9, 1996, generated a massive seismic wave that resembles those created by terrestrial earthquakes. The seismic wave contained about 40,000 times the energy released in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
Scientists Harry van Loon and Karin Labitzke found a mirror image of the solar-stratosphere correlation in the Southern Hemisphere, spanning three solar cycles. The analysis suggests that the sun's 11-year solar cycle drives periodic changes in temperatures and pressure heights of the lower stratosphere from pole to pole.
New data from the University of Delaware reveals that solar wind is not a simple, wave-like entity but rather a dynamic phenomenon with complex fluctuations. Understanding these fluctuations may enable prediction of cosmic disturbances and provide warnings for astronauts and utility companies.
Researchers have developed methods to improve efficiency and stability of amorphous silicon solar cells, enabling mass production. Stacking solar cells on panels has increased conversion of sunlight to power, with efficiencies reaching over 14 percent.
Researchers used SOHO spacecraft to track solar dynamo's position and conditions. They found turbulence and shear flows indicative of dynamo presence at a layer 38,000 miles thick.