Articles tagged with Solar Energy
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.
Researchers have developed a method for using sunlight to generate clean water with near-perfect efficiency. The technology uses carbon-dipped paper to absorb and vaporize water, drawing heat from the surrounding environment to achieve high efficiency rates.
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.
A team of researchers at MIT analyzed four different solar cell technologies and found that the most efficient but expensive panels were the best option for residential systems in dry locations. However, for utility-scale installations or in wetter climates, less efficient but cheaper panels are more economical.
Researchers discovered that proteins use vibrations to direct energy across pigments in plants, allowing for efficient energy transfer. This discovery could help design better solar materials and is a classical mechanism rather than quantum effects.
Researchers from the US and China developed a dispersed iridium catalyst with two active metal centers for artificial photosynthesis. The catalyst demonstrates high stability and activity in water oxidation, a crucial process in natural and artificial photosynthesis.
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 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.
Particle receiver CSP technology can nearly double molten salt temperatures, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Researchers have tested a red sand approach that achieves high temperatures while minimizing energy loss.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have developed a thermochromic material that works as both transparent and non-transparent, producing electricity when darkened. The material's reversible phase transition enables it to switch between these states without degrading its electronic properties.
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.
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.
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.
A team of NUS scientists has developed a prototype device that mimics natural photosynthesis to produce ethylene gas. The device uses only sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, reducing the carbon footprint of ethylene production.
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.
Researchers have developed a synthetic system for energy gathering, conversion, and transport inspired by natural photosynthesis. The system uses DNA nanotechnology to spatially control and organize chromophores, mimicking the arrangement of densely packed chromophores in plants and photosynthetic bacteria.
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%.
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 hybrid nanomaterial that can efficiently extract hydrogen fuel from seawater using solar energy. This breakthrough could lead to a new source of clean-burning fuel, reducing demand for fossil fuels and boosting the economy of Florida.
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 have successfully grown single crystalline films of perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 on electron-collecting substrates, exhibiting excellent photovoltaic properties. The resulting devices achieve high efficiency rates, closing the gap with traditional silicon-based solar cells and offering a promising solution for renewable energy.
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.
A Swansea-led consortium has secured £7 million in UK government funding to develop solar power stations in five Indian villages. The project aims to create energy-positive buildings that can generate, store and release their own power.
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 have created a highly efficient solar cell that captures nearly all the energy in the solar spectrum, converting direct sunlight to electricity with 44.5% efficiency. The new design uses concentrator photovoltaic panels and stacked cells to capture energy from specific wavelengths of light.
A new study estimates that air pollution and dust are cutting global solar energy production by more than 25% in certain parts of the world, with China, India, and the Arabian Peninsula being the hardest hit. The regions experiencing heavy losses are also those investing the most in solar energy installations.
Researchers at Aalto University found that solar energy can produce over 80% of domestic heating requirements in Finnish households. The study used various storage methods and found that prices need to be competitive for it to become a viable alternative. This could significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Europe.
A new technology developed by Dr. Mahmoud Dhimish could enable clusters of houses to share their solar energy, reducing the need to export surplus electricity to the grid. The system uses 'demand diversity' among adjacent dwellings and energy storage to optimize energy usage.
A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve University used data science to predict the deterioration of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films in solar panels. The study, published in PLOS ONE, combines engineering epidemiology and statistical-data analytics to develop predictive models for environmentally exposed applications.
NCAR will develop a three-year project to provide detailed forecasts of wind and solar irradiance at Kuwait's 2-gigawatt Shagaya renewable energy plant. This technology will help Kuwait reach its goal of generating 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.
Researchers developed a laser phosphor display that can absorb ambient light, generating power while displaying high-resolution images. The system achieves up to 71% energy harvesting, but face challenges with ghost images and design optimization.
Researchers created a model to measure the impact of policy on commercial solar photovoltaic adoption in California, providing new insight into energy policy. The study found that government incentives have a greater impact on larger commercial customers and smaller businesses face unique hurdles when adopting solar PV systems.
Researchers have developed a quantum dot photoelectrochemical cell that achieves quantum efficiency for hydrogen gas production exceeding 100%, enabling more efficient solar energy conversion. This breakthrough has significant implications for the future of producing 'green' fuel.
Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes predicts 5-10 terawatts of PV capacity by 2030 through continued tech improvements and cost decreases. Flexible grids, increased demand, and energy storage advancements also needed to overcome challenges.
A new class of monolithically integrated, portable PV-battery systems has been developed using high-efficiency silicon solar cells and printed solid-state lithium-ion batteries. The device can power electric devices under sunlight or in the absence of light, offering exceptional photo-electrochemical performance and design compactness.
Researchers at Kobe University developed a new solar cell structure that can absorb spectral components of longer wavelengths, increasing energy conversion efficiency to over 50%. The design achieved up-conversion based on two photons, reducing energy loss by over 100 times compared to previous methods.
Scientists at NREL developed a new perovskite ink with a long processing window, allowing for the production of high-efficiency solar cells. The ink was tested using blade-coating and produced indistinguishable film morphology and device performance.
Research from Binghamton University found that adjusting solar panel angles four to five times a year can provide around 25 kW/m2 more power than seasonal adjustments. This practical solution can help reduce costs associated with automated tracking systems, making manual adjustment an economical option.
The Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) has developed the world's first full-size IBC bifacial solar module, capable of producing up to 400 Watts of electric power. The module features a double-glass structure, low-temperature interconnections, and high-efficiency ZEBRA solar cells.
Researchers have developed a new class of semiconductor materials that can be used as light absorbers in solar cells, potentially using one hundred times less material than silicon. These materials have superior performance, reduced toxicity, and show promise for developing high-performance optoelectronic devices.
Researchers from NREL provide a detailed component and system-level cost breakdown for residential PV systems equipped with energy storage. The report reveals previously unknown soft costs and offers valuable information to stakeholders to guide cost reduction efforts.
Researchers from RMIT University have developed a groundbreaking graphene-based electrode prototype that can increase the capacity of existing integrable storage technologies by 3000%. This breakthrough design is inspired by the efficient vein structure of fern leaves, offering a solution to the storage challenge holding solar energy b...
The report recommends increasing US spending on solar R&D, encouraging international collaborations with China, and reforming federal policies to prioritize cost reduction. The researchers argue that the US should capitalize on its strengths in research and development while addressing concerns around intellectual property protection.
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have made breakthrough discoveries on quantum dot materials using ultrafast electro-optical spectroscopy. The study reveals the cause of a significant voltage drop in quantum dots, allowing for potential improvements in device efficiency.
Scientists have developed a simple rule to predict when the Earth's climate warms out of an ice age, using astronomical changes in the Earth's orbit around the Sun. The model predicts interglacials occurring roughly every 100,000 years, which explains why we've been in a warm period for the last 11,000 years.
The development of efficient luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) using silicon nanoparticles has the potential to create photovoltaic windows that can capture over 5% of the sun's energy at unprecedented low costs. The technology, developed by researchers from the University of Minnesota and University of Milano-Bicocca, uses silico...
Sandia National Laboratories has received a $2.5 million award to develop open-source algorithms for managing power systems with increasing numbers of distributed energy resources, such as wind and solar. The project aims to optimize distributed energy resources and improve grid resilience.
Researchers found that storing solar energy for nighttime use increases household annual energy consumption by 8-14% and indirectly raises carbon dioxide emissions. This contradicts the myth that storage is needed to integrate distributed solar power.
A new study suggests that off-grid solar energy can have significant economic benefits for people living in remote areas, but requires a special business model to succeed. Successful business models include community interaction, partnerships, local capacity building and addressing barriers unique to the off-grid market.
Researchers have developed environmentally friendly organic solar cells using nanomaterials, increasing efficiency and reducing toxic substances. Additionally, hybrid capacitors with enhanced storage capacity and faster charging capabilities have been created using nano-diamond composites, paving the way for more efficient energy stores.
A team of researchers has developed a new type of quantum heat engine photocell that can regulate solar power conversion without active feedback or adaptive control mechanisms. This design is inspired by the natural regulation of energy flow in photosynthetic green plants, and could lead to more efficient and cost-effective solar cells.
CSIRO's patented low-cost heliostats will be used in China for concentrating solar thermal (CST) electricity generation, helping the country reach its ambitious clean energy targets. The technology has great potential for medium to large-scale solar power due to its low cost of storing thermal energy.
Researchers from Berkeley Lab developed a way to image thin-film solar cells in 3D using optical microscopy, revealing internal obstacles that can trap electrons and reduce efficiency. The method has already improved understanding of the benefits of treating CdTe solar cells with cadmium chloride.
Researchers at Clemson University created maps showing the suitability of lands in South Carolina for generating solar energy, with a focus on five-megawatt and one-megawatt developments. The study found that about 4.2% of state land area is suitable for five-megawatt developments, enough to install 69.6 gigawatts of capacity.