Subscribe to Gizmag's RSS feed
Follow Gizmag on Twitter
Solar
Solar Impulse takes to the runway
By Jeff Salton
22:42 November 22, 2009 PST
Gizmag has followed closely the progress of Solar Impulse from back when it was just a dream through to it latest developments, which now include it’s recent runway test. For the first time, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA has ventured out under its own steam (solar power) and taxied down the runway. Entirely powered by the sun, the aircraft has a giant wingspan of 61m and is covered in almost 12,000 solar cells. Read More
The solar-powered school on stilts
By Jeff Salton
01:19 November 19, 2009 PST
It's almost as good as going to school in a treehouse. The recently opened Elleray Preparatory School in the Lake District National Park has three class pods standing on stilts connected by a center platform made from recycled materials, such as plastic milk bottles and wood shavings. Nestled amongst the trees, the complex is built to have a low environmental impact and therefore makes excellent use of solar power, rainwater collection, and has an energy-efficient heat pump. Read More
Shelf car sunshade generates solar power
By Jeff Salton
21:58 November 16, 2009 PST
As the motoring world moves ever-closer to the welcome infiltration of electrically-powered cars, one thing holding them back is the availability of charging stations to “refuel” the vehicles which so far have an average range of around 120 miles between charges. The Shelf, a concept by Chinese designer Leon Zhu, takes advantage of the sun’s solar energy and collects enough of the stuff on a hot day to power the car’s air conditioner, tail lights and other electronic equipment, therefore extending the life of the car’s onboard batteries. What’s more, the solar panel protects your vehicle’s expensive duco from long exposure to the sun. Just don’t try to extend the solar panel while you’re driving. Read More
New solar storage solution could be the key to home-brewed electricity
By Darren Quick
22:28 November 4, 2009 PST
Reports of new developments in the area of solar power are an almost daily event here at Gizmag. The main focus of research seems to be on improving the efficiency of solar cells, but others are working at developing an inexpensive method of locally storing the energy generated by solar systems. Because society relies on a continuous energy supply and solar energy is diurnal, storage systems are integral to what some see as an inevitable move towards the era of “personalized solar energy”, in which the focus of electricity production shifts from huge central generating stations to individuals in their own homes and communities. Read More
3-D photovoltaic systems go where the sun don’t shine
By Darren Quick
23:31 November 2, 2009 PST
The photovoltaic (PV) panels adorning the rooftops of buildings around the world have become a visible sign of the shift towards environmentally friendly solar power. Now researchers have developed a new type of three-dimensional PV system using optical fiber that promises solar generators that are foldable, concealed and mobile, meaning they could be hidden from view and leave rooftops panel-free. Read More
ReVerb's 3-foot tall, solar powered iPod dock
By Paul Ridden
19:09 October 29, 2009 PDT
Of the myriad of iPod docking stations available, the ReVerb iPod dock from Regen looks set to tower above the rest - literally. At just over 35 inches (90cm) in height, this dock is not going to fit on your bedside cabinet. It will kick out an equivalent of a room-filling 60 watts, includes a backlit LCD display and features an integrated photovoltaic panel to draw energy from the sun. Read More
Japanese solar car wins 2009 Global Green Challenge
00:28 October 28, 2009 PDT
Japan's Tokai Challenger solar vehicle has taken victory against a strong international field in the 2009 Global Green Challenge. After covering almost 1860 miles (3000km) in four days across Australia's baking red center, the entry from Japan's Tokai University crossed the finish line at 3.39pm local time. The team's run was nearly flawless, reporting only a single flat tire with just over 100 miles of the course to race and the win breaks a string of four consecutive victories by the Dutch Nuon team, which is currently battling it out for second place against University of Michigan Solar Car Team. Read More
Award-winning ReNu personal solar-powered storage system
By Mick Webb
20:51 October 27, 2009 PDT
Solar power is being harnessed and applied in ever more interesting and creative ways, and the ReNu personal power generation and storage system is certainly no exception. The device features a freestanding modular solar panel that, once charged, can be slotted into a number of extensions to make use of the collected energy, including an iPod dock and an LED desk lamp. Read More
Sharp sets highest solar cell efficiency
By Paul Ridden
05:39 October 27, 2009 PDT
The Sharp Corporation has developed a compound solar cell that has achieved a conversion efficiency of 35.8 percent. Developing a new base layer for its triple-junction compound solar cell has improved on Sharp's previous conversion efficiency by almost four percent. Read More
Zegna Sport’s Ecotech Solar Jacket is made from recycled plastic
By Jude Garvey
04:41 October 20, 2009 PDT
With winter fast approaching, it’s time to think about appropriate protective clothing. The Ecotech Solar Jacket, a new clothing piece from Zegna Sport, ticks all the right boxes for winter gear. Made almost entirely from recycled plastic, it is not only environmentally friendly but also solar-powers your MP3, keeps you protected from the elements and has Italian good-looks to boot. Read More
Solar Decathlon 2009 results are in, and the winner is...
By Darren Quick
23:23 October 19, 2009 PDT
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Solar Decathlon has wound up in Washington, D.C. with Team Germany taking the top honors, followed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in second place, and Team California taking out third. As we reported last week the competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and efficient solar-powered home saw 20 university-led teams from around the world competing in ten contests, ranging from subjective elements such as architecture, market viability, communications, lighting design, and engineering, to technical measurements of how well the homes provided energy for space heating and cooling, hot water, home entertainment, appliances, and net metering. Read More
Is there something in the hair? The tale of a solar cell made with human hair
By Paul Ridden
11:37 October 15, 2009 PDT
Debate is good. Debate is healthy. Debate is currently raging after an article recently appeared on the UK's Daily Mail website announcing a revolutionary solar cell that's made using human hair. A group of teenage students from Nepal claim to have replaced expensive doped silicon used in conventional solar panels with cheap and readily available human hair to produce a cell capable of generating 9V (18W) of electricity. Curiosity got the better of Gizmag's Paul Ridden, who contacted one of the team to find out more. Read More
Solar e-book reader demo from LG
By Paul Ridden
04:06 October 14, 2009 PDT
E-readers are a welcome alternative to lugging around paper-bound tomes when on holiday, as they can store volumes of reading material in one handy, pocket-sized (well almost) device, and offer users the possibility of hours and hours of uninterrupted reading pleasure. That is, of course, until the battery runs out. LG Display has developed a solar cell capable of extending the battery life of an e-reader, possibly making the anxiety of a blank screen on the last page of that captivating thriller less likely. Read More
World’s first commercial application of DSSC solar technology is in the bag
By Jeff Salton
19:54 October 13, 2009 PDT
The first commercial shipment of low-light, ultra thin, solar cell technology called DSSC (dye-sensitized solar cells), created by G24 Innovations, has been sent to Hong Kong-based consumer electronics bag manufacturer, Mascotte Industrial Associates for use in backpacks and bags. Ideal for clothing and portable applications, DSSCs are less than 1mm thick, inexpensive, don’t contain silicon or cadmium and can even operate indoors, making them ideal for powering cell telephones, cameras and portable electronics. The company says DSSCs also can be embedded into tent material to power LED lighting systems for camping. Read More
Solar Decathlon solar house competition heats up
By Darren Quick
00:45 October 12, 2009 PDT
Competition is underway in the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Solar Decathlon, in which 20 teams of college and university students compete to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house. The house designs entered in the competition not only capture heat and light from the sun, but also integrate design features to take advantage of cooling breezes and shading. By combining these proven energy efficient designs with the latest off-the-shelf technology, the teams aim to create homes that reduce utility bills and meet all their energy needs, while providing all the comforts of home. Read More
Global Green Challenge kicks off later this month
By Alan Brandon
06:28 October 10, 2009 PDT
This month dozens of competitors will gather in Darwin, Australia, for the start of the Global Green Challenge. This 1860 mile (3000km) showcase of state-of-the-art transport technologies pits environmentally friendly vehicles against the heart of the Outback as they race south towards the finish line in Adelaide. The event has evolved from the famous World Solar Challenge and now includes two classes: one for solar-powered vehicles and an "Eco Challenge" for other types of electric, hybrid and alternative fuel production and experimental vehicles. Read More
Color matters: GreenSun Energy colored solar technology
By Paul Ridden
17:22 September 24, 2009 PDT
One of the most common ways to turn the sun's energy into electricity is by persuading silicon to give up some of its electrons. But it's also quite expensive, so any innovation that helps reduce the cost of solar cell production is welcome. Researchers in Israel have come up with a cell that uses only 20% of the silicon in a standard cell yet yields similar amounts of electricity. It does this by diffusing any light that falls on its surface and sends it off to photovoltaic collector strips on each of its sides. And it doesn't even need bright sunlight to operate. Read More
Nanostructure films for more efficient solar cells and better eyeglasses
By Jude Garvey
00:08 September 20, 2009 PDT
Nanotechnology applications are increasingly diverse - ranging from being used to acquire fingerprints, to their use in the field of spintronics or even to help in the fight against cancer. Now a team of chemical engineers at Oregon State University has invented new technology that allows them to coat various surfaces with “nanostructure films”, which could be used to make cheaper, more effective eyeglasses and eventually, more efficient solar cells. Read More
Carbon nanotubes used to build a near-ideal efficiency solar cell
04:34 September 14, 2009 PDT
Today's photovoltaic technology, while certainly promising, offers very poor efficiency because of inherent issues in its working mechanism. Using carbon nanotubes, however, Cornell University researchers now hope to lead the way to the next generation of highly efficient solar panels. Read More
Solar panel roads to power our homes
By Jeff Salton
01:09 September 10, 2009 PDT
Idaho-based Solar Roadways founder Scott Brusaw is excited that his company has a received a USD$100,000 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant to develop further his prototype that turns roads in giant electricity-generating solar panels. Apart from providing energy to power our homes, street lighting and so on, the roads could contain thousands of embedded LEDs to provide better street signage and make driving safer. He also believes the solar panel roads could last up to three times longer than the current petroleum-based asphalt surface and even be heated in winter to discourage dangerous ice build ups. Read More
First Suncatcher solar dishes to be used in Arizona
By Paul Ridden
15:56 September 2, 2009 PDT
Tessera Solar and Salt River Project have just announced that they'll partner to construct a 1.5 megawatt solar generation installation in Peoria, Arizona. The proposed output from the Maricopa Solar LLC project might not sound too impressive, but when combined with the news that the 60 dish installation represents a template for much bigger operations to come and will be the first commercial plant to use Suncatcher technology - things just got interesting. Read More
New solar battery technology offers household power at 2.5c per kWh
By Jeff Salton
00:14 September 2, 2009 PDT
As part of man's ongoing quest to extract the greatest benefits from solar power, Salt Lake City-based company Ceramatec, the R&D arm of CoorsTek, has made what it believes to be a massive breakthrough in batteries for storing energy harnessed from the sun. The company is making impressive inroads on the prototype of a deep storage battery, the size of a small refrigerator, that safely operates at room temperature, consists of everyday materials, and can output household power at 2.5c per kWh. What’s more, Ceramatec says it will be cheap to purchase. Read More
Concept bracelet phone leaves electricity behind
By Jeff Salton
20:53 August 25, 2009 PDT
For fashionable folk who enjoy the simple life but still need to be in contact with the rest of the world, comes the Leaf wearable bracelet phone concept. Great if you’ve run out of pockets or don’t want to carry a handbag, the Leaf is a wearable bracelet phone that incorporates solar cells for power on its front panel. Inspired by photosynthesis, the Leaf is pretty basic - good for making calls and texting only. However, designers Seungkyun Woo and Junyi Heo say it’s main objective is to “remind people that they can contribute to energy efficiency.” Read More
Plan to turn rooftops, walls and windows into cheap solar cells
By Jeff Salton
19:23 August 25, 2009 PDT
Cheaper solar cells – roughly one-tenth the cost of current day prices – could be available within three to five years thanks to a manufacturing procedure that uses nanoparticle ‘inks’ to print them like newspaper or to spray-paint them onto the sides of buildings or rooftops. Even windows could become solar cells thanks to the semi-transparent inks. 'Painting' solar cells on buildings has been an idea in the making for some time – Gizmag investigated the possibilities of 'solar paint' in 2008. Read More
Arty sunflowers look good and provide power, too
By Paul Ridden
17:38 August 24, 2009 PDT
A boring and unattractive loading area at the rear of a retail development in Austin, Texas is now hidden from view by a collection of 15 huge blue sunflowers, the petals of which collect energy from the sun to power the artwork's LED lighting and generate funds to help towards costs. Whether driving past or walking through the Electric Garden, onlookers will be treated to an awe-inspiring panorama where art meets functionality. Read More
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
