Researchers have found evidence of pre-solar interstellar dust in glassy grains called GEMS, which were formed in a cold environment. The discovery provides insight into the solar system's formation and the processes that created the planets.
Comet-derived IDPs contain presolar interstellar dust, such as GEMS, with organic carbon mantles that decompose at high temperatures. The results suggest that GEMS formed in a cold environment and represent surviving building blocks of the Solar System.
The solar wind pressure increase in 2014 led to a change in the shape of our heliosphere. The boundaries of the heliosphere expanded outward as particles rebounded off their edges. This expansion can be seen in the increased density of energetic neutral atoms detected by IBEX, which have been traveling through space and returned to Earth.
The European Commission has funded a €4 million research project to develop a new, potentially low-cost class of solar materials. The MAESTRO project will focus on increasing cell stability and boosting efficiency in perovskite-based devices.
Scientists at New Jersey Institute of Technology's Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA) captured potent solar flares in multiple radio frequencies for the first time. The new data reveals that high-energy particles are promptly transported throughout the explosive magnetic field, shedding light on the acceleration process.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are working on a project to refine a specific type of utility-scale solar energy technology that can supply renewable energy without batteries for storage. The goal is to reach temperatures greater than 700 C, which would boost efficiency and lower electricity costs.
The Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter missions will take us closer than ever before to the Sun, providing a comprehensive understanding of its inner workings and shedding light on space weather events that can disrupt technology and power grids. The missions aim to clarify the coronal heating problem and study the solar wind's inter...
An international team of astronomers has discovered a carbon-rich asteroid in the Kuiper Belt, providing strong support for theoretical models of the Solar System's formation. The asteroid, 2004 EW95, is believed to have formed in the inner Solar System and was flung outwards by a migratory planet.
A new dynamic model proposes a seasonal control strategy with ceria particles to buffer the effect of solar radiation variation, enabling continuous hydrogen production. The system can store and release heat as needed, maximizing solar energy utilization and potentially increasing efficiency.
Scientists at OIST have developed stable and efficient perovskite solar cells that could revolutionize the solar industry. The new material is made of inorganic components, making it more heat-stable than previous versions.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have demonstrated organic solar cells that can achieve 15 percent efficiency, comparable to conventional solar panels. The new design combines specialized layers to absorb visible and infrared light, increasing efficiency by 5 percentage points.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered a simple potassium solution that can boost the efficiency of next-generation solar cells by up to 21.5%. The addition of potassium iodide 'heals' defects and immobilises ion movement, making the material more stable and efficient at converting sunlight into electricity.
Researchers have developed a method to produce high-quality monocrystalline silicon thin films with reduced crystal defects, grown at a rate 10 times higher than before. This technology could drastically reduce manufacturing costs while maintaining power generation efficiency.
The study found that wind and solar resources have natural variability, making it challenging to generate all electricity from these sources. Reliable electricity generation with 80% solar and wind requires a continent-scale transmission grid with at least 12 hours of storage.
Scientists used NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory to study a massive sunspot group and found that a magnetic cage prevented a coronal mass ejection (CME) from erupting. The model showed that the conflict between the magnetic rope and cage led to a powerful X-class flare instead.
Scientists have developed CONTISOL, a solar reactor that can run day and night using concentrated solar power. The reactor uses air as the heat transfer medium and achieves stable temperatures round the clock.
Research into polymer solar cells has made significant advances, with increased numbers of publications and patents. However, the technology is unlikely to replace traditional silicon solar cells due to durability and efficiency issues.
Scientists identified a confining 'cage' in which a magnetic rope forms, causing solar eruptions. The resistance of this cage determines the power and type of flare. A new model predicts maximum energy release during solar flares, potentially devastating for Earth's systems.
Researchers developed a new molecule, EH44, to replace the unstable spiro-OMeTAD layer in perovskite solar cells. The new design resolves chemical makeup issues and maintains steady efficiency, bringing emerging technology closer to commercial deployment.
Converting tobacco fields to solar farms can provide a lucrative alternative for farmers, potentially generating 30 gigawatts of clean energy in North Carolina. Solar panels can withstand extreme weather conditions and offer significant profits compared to traditional farming.
Researchers at KAUST have developed corrugated arrays of interdigitated back contact solar cells with screen-printed aluminum contacts that can bend without cracking. The cells have a record-breaking efficiency for both silicon solar cell efficiency and bendability.
A study suggests a 100 MW CSP+desalination plant could be financially viable for Namibia, generating both electricity and water with relatively little added cost. The system would provide dispatchable solar energy to supply 15% of Namibia's peak demand, reducing the country's carbon footprint and meeting its 2030 renewable energy target.
Researchers at Osaka University redesigned a polymer to improve its hole conductivity, enhancing solar power conversion performance. This design enables mass production through simple printing methods, potentially lowering costs and increasing adoption of plastic solar cells.
Researchers have discovered a way to minimize waste in solar energy capture by designing materials that can harness previously wasted light. This breakthrough could push solar cell efficiency beyond 30%, addressing limitations of silicon-based solar cells.
Researchers have discovered a new material that slows down the decay of hot electrons in solar cells, allowing for more energy to be harvested. This could lead to a significant increase in solar cell efficiency, from 33% to 66%, and make a major contribution to providing clean and sustainable energy.
Researchers propose a standardized measurement method for perovskite solar cell stability, addressing the lack of comparable data across laboratories and companies. The study investigates environmental factors affecting perovskite degradation, revealing specific behaviors that distort experimental results.
Researchers suggest that our solar system formed in a wind-blown bubble structure around a Wolf-Rayet star, which produces elements like aluminium-26 but not iron-60. This theory aims to explain the unusual abundance of these elements in our solar system compared to the rest of the galaxy.
Researchers from UBC and UNC Chapel Hill discovered that halogens can increase conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells by 25%. The presence of halogens accelerates electron transfer, allowing for faster regeneration of the light-absorbing dye.
A study by UC researchers identified over 8,400 square kilometers of non-agricultural land in the Central Valley suitable for large solar installations. This land can generate enough solar energy to exceed California's projected demands by 13 times for photovoltaic power and two times for concentrating solar power.
Solar energy can expand without encroaching on farmland and conservation areas, researchers say. Alternative surfaces totaling over 1.5 million football fields in size can accommodate solar installations, generating more than 19,000 terawatt-hours of energy per year.
Researchers have developed an open-source tool predicting solar cell energy output based on location and technology, highlighting the importance of environmental factors. The study found that certain materials can produce up to 5% more energy in hot, humid locations like Singapore.
Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed a new 'double-glazed' solar power device that uses gas to transport electrical energy, unlike existing solar panels. This innovative approach could lead to improved solar power generation methods and open up new possibilities for advanced photovoltaics.
Scientists from ITMO University devised a novel way to address issues with solar cells, including reduced light reflection and overheating. By incorporating glass microparticles into the top electrode, they improved solar cell efficiency by 20%, making it more attractive for industrial applications.
Researchers analyzed over 60 years of solar microwave data and found consistent microwave intensities and spectra at the minimums of each cycle, contrasting with varying intensity and spectrum during periods of maximum solar activity. This discovery sheds light on understanding the creation and amplification of solar magnetic fields.
Scientists have discovered oscillations in solar flares that exhibit pulses or oscillations in the amount of energy being sent out. These findings offer new insights into the origins of massive solar flares and their effects on space weather.
Researchers have demonstrated the full process of making kerosene, the jet fuel used by commercial airlines, using a high-temperature thermal solar reactor to create syngas. The feedstock is essentially unlimited, providing a potentially game-changing alternative to fossil fuels.
A $400,000 grant from the US Department of Energy's Office of Basic Energy Sciences will support Dr. Gary Hastings' research on efficient solar energy conversion in photosynthesis. The goal is to design more efficient artificial solar cells by understanding how plants capture solar energy.
Thorsten Denk's device can make enough oxygen and water for 6 to 8 astronauts using a thermal solar reactor, powered by concentrated solar radiation. The process involves chemical splitting of water from lunar soil, followed by electrolysis to produce hydrogen and oxygen.
Severe air pollution in northern and eastern China blocks about 20% of sunlight from reaching solar panels, significantly reducing solar energy production. The study found that aerosol pollution reduces the potential for solar electricity generation by as much as one and a half kilowatt-hour per square meter per day.
Transparent solar cells can provide similar electricity-generation potential as rooftop solar while enhancing building efficiency, and may supply up to 40% of US energy demand
Researchers have designed a solar peaker plant that can store energy thermally to deliver power after dark, making it a viable alternative to fossil fuels for peaking. The plants, which use molten salt tower technology, can operate for up to 6 hours and have a capacity factor of 15-25%.
A NASA sounding rocket instrument has spotted signatures of tiny solar flares, known as nanoflares, in the Sun's outer atmosphere. These tiny energy releases could be contributing to the high temperatures observed in the corona, with further research needed to determine their exact impact.
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are developing new materials for solar cells and photocatalysts to boost efficiency and reduce costs. They aim to create practical ways to store solar energy, addressing intermittency and waste issues in the current system.
Researchers have developed a new method to deposit CuSCN layers on perovskite films, resulting in stabilized power-conversion efficiencies exceeding 20%. The introduction of a thin spacer layer of reduced graphene oxide allows the cells to achieve excellent operational stability, retaining over 95% of their initial efficiency.
The university's researchers compiled a large solar dataset from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory mission, making several hundred thousand solar events available to the public. The dataset has improved the quality of the data and will accelerate computer vision research on these solar images.
Researchers at Tohoku University developed a method for fabricating semitransparent and flexible solar cells using transition metal dichalcogenides. The new technology improves power conversion efficiency up to 0.7%, making it the highest value reported with few-layered materials.
Two significant solar flares were captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on September 6, 2017, with the largest flare peaking at an X9.3 classification. This event had a significant impact on Earth's atmosphere and GPS signals.
Researchers at Georgia State University discovered that a process called inverted-region electron transfer contributes to the high efficiency of solar energy conversion in photosynthesis. This mechanism can be used to design new and better types of artificial solar cells.
Researchers at NREL and EPFL achieved record efficiencies of 32.8% and 35.9% for dual-junction and triple-junction solar cells, respectively. The high-efficiency cells could reduce the cost of solar energy by up to 45 cents per watt.
Researchers used Stampede2 supercomputer to forecast solar eclipse corona, shedding light on sun's structure and space weather. The simulations, completed with NASA's Pleiades and other computers, provided highly detailed models of the sun's surface and predicted the solar corona's appearance during the Aug. 21 eclipse.
Scientists have tracked a solar storm using data from 10 NASA and ESA spacecraft, shedding light on how coronal mass ejections (CMEs) move through space. The study provides key information for understanding space weather effects on the solar system.
Researchers in the Netherlands have created efficient green solar panels using soft imprint lithography, which scatter green light and maintain a 10% power reduction. The technology has potential to widen solar panel use as an architectural design element.
A solar filament rose from the surface of the Sun but collapsed due to invisible magnetic forces, preventing an eruption. Scientists used data from multiple NASA observatories and ground-based telescopes to track the event and develop a model that explains how the Sun's magnetic landscape terminates eruptions.
A sunspot, dubbed AR12665, was tracked by NASA's satellites as it rotated into view on July 5, 2017. The active region produced several solar flares, a coronal mass ejection, and a solar energetic particle event over its 13-day journey.
Researchers from KIT have developed sunglasses with colored, semitransparent solar cells that supply a microprocessor and two displays with electric power. The solar cell lenses are thin and lightweight, generating enough power to operate devices like hearing aids or step counters in indoor environments.
Scientists have discovered evidence of a type of seismic wave in the Sun using data from NASA's SOHO. The waves, called g-modes, reveal that the solar core is rotating approximately once every week, nearly four times faster than its surface.
A team of researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology is exploring the use of nanowires and new materials to improve solar cell technology. By maximizing the amount of solar spectrum that can be absorbed, they aim to increase the efficiency of solar power conversion and make it more cost-effective for consumer markets.
Researchers at Osaka University develop new method to create submicron structures on silicon surfaces, reducing reflection and increasing infrared light capture. The approach improves power conversion efficiency of solar cells while keeping manufacturing costs low.
Researchers at UNIST have achieved a new world record efficiency performance of 22.1% in small cells and 19.7 percent in 1-square-centimeter cells using perovskite solar cells. The breakthrough is made possible by careful control of growth conditions to fix defects that reduce photoelectric efficiency.
A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge and the US has demonstrated a non-toxic alternative to lead for use in next-generation solar cells, using bismuth oxyiodide. The material shows comparable performance to current silicon-based solar cells, with efficiencies up to 22%.