Transluscent solar cells

Solar technology and research continues to help find more efficient and less expensive ways of generating solar electricity.

One option may be transluscent solar cells (transparent).  Solar panels made using this solar technology, which consists of translucent crystal like cell with transparent backside, are now available for consumer purchase.

Switching to solar power via transluscent solar cells will help you save money in a number of ways.  First, it is only an initial cost investment.  After you pay for the solar panels, you can enjoy free electricity thereafter.  From watching TV, running your refrigerator and heating water with solar energy, you don’t have to rely on grid-based electricity any longer.  This means that you can save money on your utility bills, as well as feel good about the fact that you are not relying on polluting coal-based electricity.

On the downside, transluscent solar cells with this technology require consumers to buy fans and lights for the specialized solar panels.  The energy draw for these operations will reduce efficiency of the panels.  In addition, the upfront costs of switching to solar power are often cost-prohibitive.  You will also need back-up systems to store generated solar energy.

What do you think about transluscent solar cells and solar technology in general?

Cutting PV panel costs by 26%

Breakthrough solar research and development from Silicon Solar Solutions, an Arkansas-based research firm will be featured at the prestigious Cleantech Open business competition.  Solar technology developed by Silicon Solar Solutions eliminates processing steps and materials needed to create photovoltaic solar cells.  As a result, the new technology could reduce PV panel costs by 42 cents per watt.

Having been selected as a finalist for its breakthrough solar research and development, Silicon Solar Solutions will compete for the grand prize at the Cleantech Open National Awards Gala and Expo, scheduled for today (November 17, 2010) in San Jose, California.  The 2010 Cleantech Open competition offers more than $1 million in prizes for competitors.  In addition, the event seeks to create 100,000 green-collar jobs in America by 2015 with its “100K Jobs Challenge.”

This year, 22 states are participating in the Cleantech Open program.  In 2011, 30 states are expected to enter.

Here’s a clip from the 2009 Cleantech Open:

Criteria used in judging the Cleantech Open submissions includes investment potential.

Both the private and public sector have praised the breakthrough solar research of Silicon Solar Solutions.  In fact, it recently won the Grand Prize in the Energy Track at the 2010 Oakridge National Labs Venture Challenge.

Douglas Hutchings, CEO of Silicon Solar Solutions, looks forward to the CleanTech Open awards tonight:

“Being selected as a Cleantech Open finalist is a tremendous honor. Beyond the monetary aspect of the award, we value the coveted opportunity to present our venture to a large group of industry experts and motivated funding sources. Our team is really excited about participating in the Awards Gala and having the chance to emerge as the National winner.”

Stay tuned!

Solar power from Jellyfish?

When you think of jellyfish, what comes to mind?  Renewable energy?  Probably not, but researchers have discovered a way to get solar power from jellyfish.

Jellyfish are some of the Earth’s most ancient organisms – even older than sharks.  Floating through the oceans without any internal organs, the creatures can reach sizes of more than 7 feet in diameter, with tentacles extending 120 feet into the depths below.  What use could these gelatinous bodies have for us?

Glad you asked!

A group of scientists from Sweden have discovered that jellyfish create a substance that can be used to increase the efficiency of solar cells.  More efficient solar cells mean a lower cost for solar panels, which could bring the renewable resource to more people worldwide.

Proteins in jellyfish bodies can increase solar panel efficiency

The bodies of jellyfish include a bioluminescent protein that includes a key ingredient, green fluorescent protein (GFP) which has the amazing ability to generate power.  In fact, a single drop of GFP placed on aluminum electrodes and then exposed to ultraviolet light (sunlight is comprised of UV rays) can produce measurable electrical current.

According to a related article:

Called biophotovoltaic nanodevices by their creator, these light-powered cells could replace Grätzel cells, which duplicate plant photosynthesis via chemicals like titanium dioxide, iodine and sensitizer dyes to produce a photoelectrochemical form of energy.

Like algae, GFP can be a useful, natural substance to help boost the conversion rate of solar cells.  Lest you worry about the harvesting of innocent jellyfish, researchers are developing artificial GFP in the laboratory.

No jellyfish were harmed in the writing of this article!

Carbon nanotubes are used to create solar antennas

For most of us, switching to solar energy is usually a question of cost.  Most people and businesses can make the transition from fossil-fuel based power with the help of rebates and falling solar panel costs.  If you don’t want to purchase panels outright, you may want to consider a solar panel lease or solar power purchase agreement.

But what if you don’t have enough roof space to install a solar panel array?  Researchers at MIT are working on technology that can maximize your ability to generate clean electricity with minimum space.  Using carbon nanotubes to concentrate solar energy about 100x that generated by a standard photovoltaic cell, experimental solar antennas  – called solar tunnels – have been created by MIT’s chemical engineering professor Michael Strano and his students.

Professor Strano noted that:

“Instead of having your whole roof be a photovoltaic cell, you could have little spots that were tiny photovoltaic cells, with antennas that would drive photons into them…”

The solar technology is still under development, but indicates great promise for the future of solar energy.  Read more about solar antennas at MIT’s website, MIT News.

Federal funding for solar photovoltaic research

Its budget time for the federal government.  While the news has been buzzing about the deficit and cuts in funding, the Department of Energy announced that approximately $12 million has been allotted for solar R&D.  The federal funds will largely be provided to several solar photovoltaics (PV) projects that are undertaken in conjunction with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The goal of the solar technology research – and the provision of federal funds – is to help bring cutting-edge solar tech out of the laboratory to commercial production.

Bringing solar power from the laboratory to consumers

The Department of Energy’s Photovoltaic Incubator Program will receive about $10 million of the funds through the Recovery Act.  According to the web site:

The goals of the projects include exploring the commercial potential of new manufacturing processes and products; fostering innovation and growth in the domestic PV industry; establishing an efficient and cyclic funding opportunity; and expanding and diversifying domestic “market-ready” PV technologies.

In short, the DOE aims to take prototype solar tech to demonstration or full-scale projects.

Of the total $12 million in solar research funding, about $3 million will be awarded in 2010 to each of four companies under subcontracts with the Department of Energy.  This is the fourth year in a row that funding awards have been presented by the DOE to solar tech companies.

The 2010 funding recipients were announced in January, as follows:

• Alta Devices Inc. of Santa Clara, California will work on developing a solar module with a conversion efficiency better than 20 percent.  The new solar panels could be sold commercially next year, in 2011.
• Solar Junction Corp., based in San Jose, Calif. is developing a manufacturing process for high-efficiency multi-junction solar cell which can be used in concentrating photovoltaics (CPV).
• Tetra Sun, also based in California, is working on back-surface passivation, which helps protect a semiconductor from contamination, for crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells. The result should be high-efficiency, low-cost c-Si solar cells, which are already the most efficient and durable solar cells on the market.
• Semprius Inc., of Durham, North Carolina, will develop a “massively parallel,” microcell-based CPV receiver. The company will combine manufacturing techniques unique to solar power with the inherent benefits of CPV.

With important funding from the Department of Energy/NREL, solar R&D will be able to continue to develop new technologies that are practical, efficient and affordable, and to bring them to the public for actual use!

We’ve got to agree that investing in a clean energy future is worth every dollar.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development in the United States.  Based in Golden, Colorado and with offices in Washington D.C., NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.  It is operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy.

NREL has been operating since 1977, initially as the Solar Energy Research Institute. In 1991, the name was changed to NREL when it was designated a national laboratory by the DOE.

Solar research is one of the primary programs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.  Its Solar Energy Technologies Program advances research and development in several major solar technologies.

NREL's laboratory in Golden, Colorado

NREL’s Solar Energy Technologies Program includes research on photovoltaics (PV), solar thermal, and solar radiation.

Perhaps the technology with which most people are familiar is photovoltaics.  Say the term “solar power,” and the first thing that comes to mind is usually silicon-based PV cells, or solar panels.  At NREL, advancements are being made with respect to performance and reliability of PV cells.  It is developing standardized tests and performance models to help the industry, and working to accelerate manufacturing capacity of PV technologies.

This research can only be helpful if it can be transferred to the marketplace.  As described on the official NREL website:

“A critical part of the Lab’s mission is the transfer of NREL-developed technologies to renewable energy markets. NREL’s Technology Transfer Office supports laboratory scientists and engineers in the successful and practical application of their expertise and the technologies they develop. NREL’s world-class R&D staff and facilities are recognized and valued by industry, as demonstrated through hundreds of collaborative research projects and licensed technologies with public and private partners.”

Another area of solar research at NREL is focused on solar thermal.  Concentrating solar power is an alternative way to generate solar electricity that uses mirrors to superheat water to create steam, which then turns generators.  Also known as parabolic trough technology, CSP is used in Spain, Portugal and at some California and Nevada locations to generate utility-scale solar energy.

On a smaller scale, NREL is also working to improve efficiency and lower cost of solar hot water systems.  These can be installed on homes and businesses to provide hot water, without the use of electricity.  At NREL, researchers are working to develop new polymer (plastic) systems for solar water heating.

Solar radiation research is necessary to determine the optimal siting of solar panels or parabolic trough technologies.  At NREL, data on solar radiation and other meteorological information is collected at the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory and provided to certain organizations, universities and governmental agencies.  That information is then used for climate change models, testing renewable energy conversion systems and general atmospheric research.

Research at NREL spans the range of renewable energy options, beyond just solar power.  For more information about what is happening at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, click here.