Articles tagged with Solar Power
A new study by Oregon State University researchers finds that co-developing land for solar photovoltaic power and agriculture could reduce US carbon emissions by 330,000 tons annually and create over 100,000 jobs. The proposed agrivoltaic systems would produce 20% of US electricity generation while minimizing crop yield impact.
A new system developed by Arizona State University researchers measures solar panel performance in outdoor settings, enabling real-time measurements and detailed diagnostics. The goal is to increase efficiency and lifespans of photovoltaic systems, supporting the development of universally effective solar cells and systems.
The $2.5 million DOE grant project will investigate a newly designed molten salt valve to improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs in concentrating solar power systems. The advanced valve design aims to withstand extreme temperatures and pressures, reducing material stress and fatigue.
New research suggests climate change could lead to fewer sunny days for hot regions, impacting solar power production. Increased atmospheric moisture and aerosols may result in a decrease in solar radiation and an uptick in cloudy days, particularly in arid regions like the Middle East and American Southwest.
Researchers at the University of Arizona are developing a hybrid solar desalination system that combines membrane distillation, concentrated solar power, and photovoltaics to recover water from concentrated waste streams. The system uses renewable energy resources to purify concentrate streams with maximum efficiency.
A new mathematical model for solar irradiance prediction has been developed at Uppsala University and proved highly reliable. The MCM model provides accurate forecasts of solar power production fluctuations, enabling greater control over solar energy use.
The 'Testbench' project enhances the quality of efficiency measurements for solar power storage systems, facilitating comparison and standardization. The goal is to improve reproducibility and confirm the results, ultimately benefiting operators and manufacturers in the growing market.
KAUST researchers have devised a way to turn rigid silicon into solar cells that can be stretched by up to 95 percent while retaining a high solar energy capture efficiency of 19 percent. This breakthrough overcomes the rigidity limitation of silicon, allowing for flexible wearable electronics and robots.
Researchers create standardized way to quantify and compare solar power variations influenced by cloud coverage, time of day, and dust particles. This method may help optimize photovoltaic farms and inform engineering and policy for more efficient solar power production.
Researchers have developed special light harvesters that can convert ambient indoor lighting into usable energy, potentially powering wireless devices in homes and offices. The technology uses organic photovoltaics to optimize the use of artificial room lighting, which is abundant but often underutilized.
Researchers develop a new way to measure solar panel degradation by using past meteorological data and machine learning algorithms. The method allows for real-time inspection and prediction of solar power output, enabling faster repairs and improved forecasting.
A new tool, DeepSolar, scans high-resolution images of the US for solar panels, registering their locations and sizes. Researchers found 1.47 million individual installations nationwide, correlating them with factors like income, education, and incoming solar radiation.
The Stanford team's analysis found 1.47 million solar panel installations in the US, significantly higher than previous estimates, and identified factors leading to adoption, such as household income and geographic location. The machine learning program DeepSolar was able to correctly identify images with solar panels 93% of the time a...
A study by ETH Zurich researchers found that clean air would increase solar radiation nationwide, allowing for a one-tenth increase in electricity production. This could lead to additional electricity generation of 85-158 terawatt hours per year, generating significant revenue for the Chinese electricity industry.
A study published in Joule found that large-scale US wind power generation would warm the Continental United States by 0.24 degrees Celsius due to heat redistribution in the atmosphere. This warming effect could take roughly a century to offset with wind-related reductions in greenhouse gas concentrations.
Research reveals that air pollution can reduce solar panel output by up to 17% in some cities, leading to significant financial losses. The study found that urban areas like Delhi and Beijing could lose tens of millions of dollars annually due to haze-related reductions in solar power.
An international team of materials scientists developed a way to boost the efficiency of organic solar cells by incorporating fluorine atoms in polymers. This process increased cell efficiency from 3.7% to 10.2%, making polymer-based cells a promising technology for power generation.
A Rochester Institute of Technology researcher has developed a new solar sailing technology using diffractive metafilm materials that could propel spacecraft more efficiently and reduce overheating. The new material can steer reflected or transmitted photons for near-Earth, interplanetary, and interstellar space travel.
Longer solar contracts can leverage free fuel in solar power, reducing operating expenses (O&M costs) by up to 2 cents per kWh. This can lead to lower price bids for utility-scale renewable energy projects, making them more competitive.
Researchers have developed a prototype for calibrating an entire solar field in a single night, shaving months off the current process. The innovation integrates digital cameras into heliostats to achieve pixel point accuracy, enabling precise calibration and reducing costs per square meter.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A Russian scientist improved nanofluids for solar power plants by adding titanium dioxide nanoparticles to increase heat transfer efficiency. The researchers found that the properties of the nanofluid radically changed with temperature, improving its ability to generate electrical energy.
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.
Sandia National Laboratories engineers developed new fractal-like receivers that are 20% more efficient at absorbing sunlight without special coatings. The designs can be used in small-scale concentrating solar facilities and have potential applications in India's renewable energy market.
Researchers at FAU successfully manipulated the properties of hybrid systems made from carbon nanostructures and a dye. The team discovered that light stimulation could transfer electrons between the dye and carbon structures, a crucial requirement for dye-sensitised solar cells.
Researchers developed a parametric genetic algorithm to assess complementary options for large-scale wind-solar coupling in the electrical grid. The approach successfully optimized power generation and dispatch decisions, showing promise for managing intermittent renewable energy sources.
A study by Michigan Technological University found that transitioning to solar photovoltaics (PV) could save up to 51,999 American lives at $1.1 million invested per life. Solar power also has economic value, producing electricity that can be profitable to invest in, sometimes as much as several million dollars per life.
The project aims to further accelerate progress toward the SunShot goals through research and development of novel solar collectors using reflective surfaces to concentrate sunlight. Giant Leap Technologies will develop capillary optics to replace expensive mechanical sun trackers with low-cost digital-glass for solar thermal and photo...
A USGS study reveals that video surveillance is the most effective method for detecting animals flying around solar power towers. Most observations involve insects, with only a handful of birds and bats seen near the towers.
A new study from the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates that solar power could deliver $400 billion in environmental and public health benefits by 2050. The study finds that a high-penetration solar scenario would result in significant greenhouse-gas emissions reductions, air-pollution health and ...
The University of Rochester team aims to reduce the cost of electricity from solar power by replacing expensive panels with plastic solar concentrators. Their planar light guide using micro-optics can concentrate direct sunlight onto a single photovoltaic cell, reducing the need for expensive PV cells.
A new study suggests that integrating solar facilities into urban and suburban environments can generate up to 15,000 terawatt-hours of energy per year. The research found that California has millions of acres of land compatible for photovoltaic and concentrating solar power construction with minimal environmental impact.
A new study suggests that concentrating solar power (CSP) can provide a substantial amount of current energy demand, particularly in the Mediterranean region. CSP systems can store energy as heat and convert it to electricity only when needed, making them more viable for large-scale energy production. The study also found that CSP coul...
Installing state-of-the-art solar panels on a quarter of a million roofs could meet one-sixth of Scotland's electricity demands, easing the plight of one in three households. The report reveals that harnessing energy from the sun on south-facing buildings could have significant economic, environmental and social impacts.
Falling particle receiver technology uses ceramic particles to capture and store heat at higher temperatures, enabling greater thermal-to-electric efficiency. The system aims to achieve efficiencies of 50% or more, potentially leading to lower energy storage costs.
A new study by NREL found that CSP with thermal energy storage can lower peak net loads, displacing natural gas-fired generators and reducing the need for coal, adding significant value to utility companies. The report suggests that CSP with six-hour storage capacity can increase operational value by up to $35.80 per megawatt hour.
Experts predict solar power prices will continue falling through 2025, expanding greatly in the process. Continued commitment to research and development is crucial for long-term trends to sustain themselves.
Researchers are exploring ways to improve solar power forecasting, grow algae for biofuel sustainably, and model the environmental effects of tidal power. PNNL scientists have developed new approaches to predict clouds, analyzed resources needed for algal biofuel production, and created a computer model to study tidal energy extraction.
Researchers are working on a space-based solar power system that can beam energy back to Earth through microwaves or lasers, providing a constant delivery of solar energy. The project aims to target remote areas difficult to reach by traditional means, such as disaster zones or outlying regions.
A new tool developed by Sandia National Laboratories helps the nation's real estate industry with standardized appraisals of homes and businesses equipped with PV installations. The tool, PV ValueTM, uses real-time lending information and market fluctuations to determine the worth of a PV system.
Threats to biodiversity and endangered species exist due to planned solar power installations in the desert Southwest of the United States. The region's unique ecosystem and habitat fragmentation caused by roads and power lines may impact wildlife biologists, including Agassiz's desert tortoise.
Researchers used NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data to create a model that takes elevation into account, improving predictions of solar power output in California. The model, made available publicly, provides more realistic estimates for utility companies and homeowners.
The Precourt Institute and TomKat Center are funding eight faculty seed grants for innovative renewable energy technologies, including lithium-air batteries and solar thermal energy systems. Researchers will explore ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and make large-scale solar power more competitive.
A new study by University of Tennessee, Knoxville engineers finds that the solar industry can release up to 2.4 million tons of lead pollution in China and India due to reliance on lead batteries. The researchers recommend investments in environmental controls and battery take-back policies to mitigate this impact.
Dr. John Rogers has developed revolutionary products in human health, fiber optics, semiconductor manufacturing, and solar power, with many currently in commercial use. He is also a mentor to students at University of Illinois, encouraging future inventors to think ingeniously and pursue solutions to grand challenges.
Researchers at University of Michigan discovered a way to harness the magnetic component of light to generate electricity, potentially leading to more efficient and cheaper solar power. The technology uses optical rectification to store energy in a material's magnetic moment, eliminating the need for semiconductors.
Researchers have mixed nanoparticles into heat-transfer oils to increase the efficiency of solar collectors. This could lead to significant revenue gains for solar power plants. The use of nanoparticles also has potential applications in filtering out pollutants from coal power plants.
The AQUASUN project develops a new paradigm in energy production by floating solar panels on water, reducing the need for land-based installations. The technology combines solar cells with a cooling system using water to increase efficiency and reduce costs, while maintaining environmental sustainability.
A team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that adding just 9% selenium to zinc oxide boosts the material's efficiency in absorbing light. This breakthrough potentially addresses both cost and efficiency needs for sustainable solar power conversion.
The USGS has developed an energy-efficient system to measure snowfall in remote areas of Maine, using a bucket, small windmill, and solar panels. This innovative solution helps predict floods from spring snowmelt and saves lives by providing accurate information.
A new NOAA study warns that injecting particles into the stratosphere could inadvertently decrease peak electricity generated by large solar power plants. This is due to the reduction of direct sunlight, which is crucial for these systems to function efficiently.
Concordia University has unveiled a world-first in solar technology, combining heat and power in its new John Molson School of Business building. The innovative system will generate electricity and provide fresh air during heating season, setting a new standard for construction.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have successfully induced slower cooling of electrons in nanocrystals, a breakthrough that could improve laser devices and photovoltaic technology. This effect is expected to increase bandwidth for communication satellites and lead to more efficient solar power generation.
University of Utah engineers have developed a new way to slice thin wafers of germanium for use in high-efficiency solar cells. The new method, wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM), reduces waste and breakage of the brittle semiconductor, making it more economical to produce such cells.
MIT scientists have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power by developing an inexpensive and highly efficient process for storing solar energy. Inspired by plant photosynthesis, they've created a system that can split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, producing carbon-free electricity.
A UK-based research project aims to create mass-market organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) that could revolutionize lighting and display technology. The devices, made from thin, flexible plastic, could be integrated into clothing, packaging, and other materials to display electronic information.