Wireless Power May Cut the Cord for Plug-In Devices, Including Cars

New technology that allows for wireless charging of electronic devices could make a rarity of cord jungles like the one in this image, captured this year at a power generation station in New York City during the blackout caused by Hurricane Sandy.

A mobile phone that charges in your pocket, a flat-screen TV that needs no power cord, a car fueled by a cordless panel in the floor: In a nondescript building just outside Boston, these and other applications of wireless electricity signal a future with fewer snaking cables.
WiTricity, a company spun off from research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), aims to redefine how people use energy, making it possible to power devices without ever plugging them into an outlet. In WiTricity's lab, various devices run on power transmitted via electric coils through the air.

Read more ...

Devin Coldewey , NBC News Record set in solar cell efficiency - with the light of a thousand suns

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy have created a solar cell that can convert 44 percent of sunlight hitting it into electrical energy, setting a new record for solar cell efficiency. But it was only achieved by multiplying the power of the sun by nearly 1,000.

The ongoing research is being done at the III-V Multijunction Photovoltaics group at the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where the previous record of 43.5 percent was set. So while it's not a huge leap in efficiency, it's still a record.

Read more ...

The 2012 solar year in review and what lies ahead in 2013

During 2012, many PV manufacturers endured a long, uphill battle, staggering under steep price cuts, excess inventory, shrinking margins and political headwinds; and all the while, jostling for position with other technologies. However, those that have demonstrated the stamina to survive, and that can hold their ground in 2013, have a chance at remaining in top demand for years to come.

Read more: http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/the-2012-solar-year-in-review-and-what-lies-ahead-in-2013_100009692/#ixzz2GMktXhOS

Manipulating Light to Double Solar Power Output

An ARPA-E project will use advanced, nanostructured materials to make solar cells that convert far more of the energy in sunlight into electricity.

• By Kevin Bullis on December 28, 2012

Why It Matters

Increasing the amount of electricity a solar panel produces is one of the most effective ways to reduce the cost of solar power.

Most solar panels convert less than 20 percent of the energy in the sunlight that falls on them into electricity. A new $2.4 million project funded by the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy aims to greatly increase the amount of sunlight that becomes electricity. Its goal is a conversion efficiency of more than 50 percent, which would more than double the amount of power generated by a solar panel of a given size. This would cut the number of solar panels needed in half and potentially make solar power more competitive with fossil fuels.

In the new research effort, Harry Atwater, a professor of applied physics and materials science at Caltech, plans to use precisely structured materials to sort sunlight into eight to 10 different colors and direct those to solar cells with semiconductors that are matched perfectly to each color. As a result, more of the solar spectrum will be absorbed, and the energy contained in each slice of the spectrum will be converted mostly to electricity, rather than heat.

Read more ...

Lab building test centers for solar power across U.S.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- One of the National Security Administration's three national laboratories is building regional testing centers around the country to field-test hardware for solar companies before their multimillion-dollar solar systems are installed in buildings. 

The Sandia National Laboratory is building test centers in Albuquerque, Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando, Fla., and Burlington, Vt., the Albuquerque Journal reported.

Read more ...

Wind, solar power paired with storage could be cost-effective way to power grid

Renewable energy could fully power a large electric grid 99.9 percent of the time by 2030 at costs comparable to today’s electricity expenses, according to new research ("Cost-minimized combinations of wind power, solar power and electrochemical storage, powering the grid up to 99.9% of the time") by the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical Community College.

A well-designed combination of wind power, solar power and storage in batteries and fuel cells would nearly always exceed electricity demands while keeping costs low, the scientists found.

Read more: http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/green/newsid=27965.php#ixzz2Egwwswm6
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High-Voltage DC Breakthrough Could Boost Renewable Energy

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/12/121206-high-voltage-dc-breakthrough/

Grid Parity In Sight for New Low-Cost Solar Cell

Grid Parity In Sight For New Low-Cost Solar Cell (via Clean Technica)

  That light barreling down upon us from the end of the tunnel is solar power as cheap as fossil fuels. The latest breakthrough is a low-cost solar cell manufactured with the help of Gallium Arsenide, a compound of the “poor metal” gallium and arsenic. It definitely does not sound like something…

Global Photonic Energy Corporation Develops Potential Grid Parity Solar Cell

Media Contact: Phil Allen

Global Photonic Energy Corporation

877-750- (GPEC) 4732

303-898-0625

philallen@globalphotonic.com

www.globalphotonic.com

Global Photonic Energy Corporation Develops
Potential Grid Parity Solar Cell

Research Partner University of Michigan Produces 20% Efficient,
ultra-lightweight and flexible Gallium Arsenide Solar Cell
at a Potential $0.45 per watt

 MEDFORD LAKES, N.J., December 7, 2012 – Global Photonic Energy Corporation (“GPEC”), a leading developer of a sustainable Organic Photovoltaic (OPV™) technology that enables ultra low-cost solar power generation and exciting new product capabilities, announces the demonstration of a thin-film solar cell that can potentially provide electricity at grid parity, or the cost of traditionally provided electricity.

Dr. Stephen R. Forrest of the University of Michigan said the breakthrough, presented at the Fall Meeting of the Materials Research Society, is the result of substantially reduced production costs.  It is based on a patent-pending invention that reuses the same Gallium Arsenide wafer multiple times to produce solar cells. This unlimited wafer reuse approach to conventional “epitaxial lift off” technology that typically leads to wafer damage, and hence only a very limited number (1 to 2) of wafer reuses, has the potential to reduce the cost of a typical Gallium Arsenide solar cell to below $1 per Watt (peak).

“This exciting development implies that ultra-high efficiency solar cells based on Gallium Arsenide can eventually produce electricity at or below grid parity.” Dr. Forrest stated.  “Using integrated solar concentrators and our adhesive-free, cold-weld bonding technology to plastic substrates, we estimate electricity could be produced as low as $0.45 cents per Watt, compared to traditional grid parity of $1 per Watt.”

“This is a historic development for GPEC,” stated Dean Ledger, President and CEO of GPEC. “In addition to its dramatically reduced cost structure, this demonstration in the University of Michigan laboratories can be used for numerous applications because these high-efficiency solar cells, deployed on roll-up plastic sheets, are ultra-lightweight and flexible. These applications include use in off-grid locations, spot powering of vehicles, mobile military equipment and satellites.” Mr. Ledger said GPEC will commercialize its technology through licensing of its intellectual property, becoming part of its foundational portfolio of more than 425 patents.

About Global Photonic Energy Corporation

Global Photonic Energy Corporation (GPEC) is the world leader in developing sustainable molecular Organic Photovoltaic (OPV™) technologies, holding more than 425 patents issued and pending. GPEC is collaborating with world-class organizations to transform the energy and photovoltaic markets. GPEC has research partnerships with the University of Southern California, the University of Michigan and Princeton University. Global Photonic Energy Corporation is located in Medford Lakes, N.J. To learn more, visit www.globalphotonic.com

Imec and Solvay Announce World Record Efficiency for Organic Photovoltaic Module

Imec and Solvay Announce World Record Efficiency for Organic Photovoltaic Module

(Nanowerk News) Imec and the chemicals company Solvay have announced an organic photovoltaic module with a world-record certified efficiency of 5.5 percent (certified by Newport). An optimum performance at module-level is a crucial step towards upscaling the production process and successful commercialization of organic photovoltaic cells. This result was achieved using a novel inverted bulk heterojunction architecture developed by imec in close collaboration with Solvay and a proprietary ActivInkTMsemiconductor from Polyera.

Organic solar cells hold the potential for integration into building facades and windows, due to their optical translucency and ability to be manufactured on large areas at high-throughput. The efficiency of organic solar cells is less dependent on the intensity and the angle of the incoming light; however, to become a relevant industrial solution, upscaling towards an industrial process is necessary, as is a further increase in performance and longer lifetime.

Imec’s research program on organic solar cells tackles all the challenges to make the organic photovoltaic technology ready for market introduction. Imec developed a dedicated inverted bulk heterojunction architecture for polymer-based solar cells. This architecture simultaneously optimizes cell light management and increases device stability. After demonstrating excellent efficiency results at the cell level in 2011, imec and Solvay developed a process to integrate inverted bulk heterojunction solar cells in an efficient module that uses 95 percent of the aperture area to generate electricity. A module efficiency as high as 5.5 percent on a 16cm² aperture area was achieved, a world-record for organic photovoltaic modules.

Tom Aernouts, R&D group leader of organic photovoltaics at imec, noted: “We are excited to have achieved these excellent results at module level. They are an important step towards upscaling organic solar cell technology to high-volume production. With further device and module structure optimizations and optimization of the photo-active material of the cell, we will continue increasing efficiency and lifetime, which are essential advancements for developing an industry-relevant technology for organic solar cells.”

Imec’s organic photovoltaics activities are currently part of Solliance, a cross-border R&D cluster that leverages the know-how of key players in thin film solar energy technology in the Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen triangle (ELAT region) to strengthen the position of the region as a world player in thin film photovoltaics.

Organic photovoltaic module with a world-record certified efficiency of 5.5 percent.>.

Franck Delahaye, product manager solar at RENA: “This excellent cell result shows the maturity of RENA’s InPolish for rear-side polishing and InOxSide for junction isolation for next generation cell concepts as i-PERC”.

Roger Görtzen, Co-founder and manager marketing and sales at SoLayTec:”The excellent rear-side passivation results show the properties of SoLayTec’s ALD Al2O3 process. The lab process is scalable to volume production. Together with the low TMAl consumption, it results in the lowest cost of ownership. This is the first choice passivation layer for high efficiency and thin p-type PERC silicon solar cells.”

The results were achieved within imec’s silicon solar cell industrial affiliation program (IIAP), a multi-partner R&D program that explores and develops advanced process technologies aiming a sharp reduction in silicon use, whilst increasing cell efficiency and hence further lowering substantially the cost per Watt peak.

About imec

Imec performs world-leading research in nanoelectronics and photovoltaics. Imec leverages its scientific knowledge with the innovative power of its global partnerships in ICT, healthcare and energy. Imec delivers industry-relevant technology solutions. In a unique high-tech environment, its international top talent is committed to providing the building blocks for a better life in a sustainable society. Imec is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Taiwan, US, China, India and Japan. Its staff of close to 2,000 people includes more than 600 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2011, imec's revenue was about 300 million euro. Further information on imec can be found at www.imec.be.

Imec is a registered trademark for the activities of IMEC International (a legal entity set up under Belgian law as a "stichting van openbaar nut”), imec Belgium (IMEC vzw supported by the Flemish Government), imec the Netherlands (Stichting IMEC Nederland, part of Holst Centre which is supported by the Dutch Government), imec Taiwan (IMEC Taiwan Co.) and imec China (IMEC Microelectronics (Shangai) Co. Ltd.) and imec India (Imec India Private Limited).

About Solvay

SOLVAY is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a clear focus on innovation and operational excellence. It is realizing over 90% of its sales in markets where it is among the top 3 global leaders. Solvay offers a broad range of products that contribute to improving the quality of life and the performance of its customers in markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics. The Group is headquartered in Brussels, employs about 31,000 people in 55 countries and generated EUR 12.7 billion in net sales in 2011 (pro forma).

Source: imec (press release)

Gas guzzler no more: Bloomington couple installing solar panels to power car, reap savings

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Jim and Tomi Allison's new Chevy Volt runs mostly on coal-powered electricity. But not for long.

When they install solar electric, aka photovoltaic (PV), panels behind their house, their car will be running on sunshine — mostly.

The car can travel 46 miles exclusively on its lithium ion battery, and after that, an on-board gasoline-powered generator kicks in to recharge the battery, extending the driving range to around 400 miles.

"There's no range anxiety," said Jim, an emeritus professor of psychology at Indiana University.
"This is a brilliant car," he said. "GM has really wowed me with their engineering."

read more  http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/17b27ed950714073a52835597d986aac/IN--Exchange-Running-on-Sunshine

Solar cell efficiency receives a transparent boost

By Jeannie Kever

Updated 9:48 p.m., Tuesday, August 21, 2012

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  Kathy Woody, associate scientist for the Phillips 66 alternative energy team, examines an organic photovoltaic cell. Photo: Courtesy Photo / HC

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Think about this during these dog days of summer: Researchers are working to capture the sun's rays more efficiently and turn them into electricity, using a see-through solar panel no thicker than a plastic grocery bag.

Officials with Phillips 66 said Tuesday that their partnership with California startup Solarmer Energy and a Chinese university has yielded the most efficient polymer-based organic solar cell yet, a milestone that puts them closer to marketing the technology.

Byron Johnson, manager of sustainability technologies at Houston-based Phillips 66, said the work reflects the company's commitment to renewable technologies, even though its core business remains rooted in the oil industry.

"Most of our work involves petrochemicals," he said. "That is our business. But we want to understand all energy sources and also participate in them."

His division works with biofuels, along with other renewable energy sources, including solar.
Vishal Shrotriya, a spokesman for Solarmer, said the partnership with Phillips 66 and South China University of Technology began two years ago, before Phillips 66 split from ConocoPhillips.
Solarmer, based in El Monte, Calif., originally licensed the organic solar cell technology from the University of California at Los Angeles, Shrotriya said.

Unlike conventional silicon solar panels, polymer-based organic solar cells are thin and flexible. They're also far less expensive to manufacture, Shrotriya said.

But they also are less efficient at converting sunlight to electricity.

The partnership announced Tuesday that its technology had been certified by the Newport Technology & Application Center's Photovoltaic Lab in Long Beach, Calif., as achieving 9.31 percent efficiency - that is, the percent at which the technology converts photons, or sunlight, to electrons, or electricity.

Commercially viable?
That's a record for power conversion efficiency for polymer-based photovoltaic cells, although Johnson said the technology will have to reach 12 percent to 15 percent efficiency to become commercially viable.

Silicon solar panels typically operate at about 20 percent efficiency, Shrotriya said.
He and Johnson said organic solar cells offer some advantages over silicon solar panels, despite being less efficient.

They're cheaper, for one thing.

Silicon panels typically cost three to five times as much to make, Johnson said.

Light-weight, flexible
Silicon panels also are more fragile, while organic solar cells are light-weight and flexible.
Johnson suggested they could be taken to remote locations, for camping or military use. Ultimately, he said, they may be used to power buildings, rolled across the windows like tinted film.

"They're transparent, and sunlight could come through and generate enough electricity for the building itself," Johnson said.

Andrew Barron, a professor of chemistry and materials science at Rice University, said the 9.31 percent efficiency rate is an achievement.

But he said organic solar technology also has some inherent drawbacks. It degrades far more quickly than silicon solar technology, he said, giving it a relatively short lifespan.

And silicon technology is becoming cheaper, making the cost differential less important, Barron said.
"It's a nice technical advance," he said. "It sets a benchmark for other people to try to improve. But it's not going to be a commercial reality anytime soon unless they have a significant change in performance."

jeannie.kever@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/business/article/Solar-cell-efficiency-receives-a-transparent-boost-3805462.php

Physics researcher develops nanoparticle coating for solar panels

A University of Houston (UH) researcher has developed a nanoparticle coating for solar panels that makes it easier to keep the panels clean, which helps maintain their efficiency and reduces the maintenance and operations costs.

The patent-pending coating developed by physics professor Seamus "Shay" Curran, director of UH's Institute for NanoEnergy, has successfully undergone testing at the Dublin Institute for Technology and will undergo field trials being conducted by an engineering firm in North Carolina.

Curran said the June testing in Ireland and the field trials being done at Livingston & Haven in Charlotte, N.C., represent significant steps forward in moving the coating and a related technology to the marketplace. A demonstration of the coating was conducted Friday (Aug. 10, 2012) at Livingston & Haven.

Read More

Nano Breakthrough Paves Way For Super Cheap Solar Panels

A new breakthrough will enable manufacturers to make efficient photovoltaics using almost any semiconductor, including cheap and abundant materials like metal oxides, sulfides, and phosphides.

A typical photovoltaic cell is built with silicon and treated with chemicals. This treatment is called “doping,” and it creates the driving force needed to extract power from the cell. Photovoltaics can also be built with cheaper materials but many of these can’t be doped chemically. But a method developed by Professor Alex Zettl’s research group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California at Berkeley makes it possible to dope nearly any semiconductor by applying an electric field instead of chemicals. The method is described in a paper published in the journal Nano Letters.

Read more

How The Most-Efficient Solar Module Gets Made

Semprius' the North Carolina-based company utilizes a breakthrough micro-printing process to produce the solar cells en masse and load them onto specially designed large arrays to collect power from the sun.

The printing process allows Semprius to print Solar Junction's cells at a size no larger than a dot from a pen, the world's smallest solar cell. This is good for a few reasons.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-most-efficient-solar-module-gets-made-2012-7#ixzz22JDMfZtB

Premiere Solar Energy Tech Training School Offers Out-of-State Applicants Special Opportunities to Learn a New Career in a Rapidly Growing Industry

Premiere Solar Energy Tech Training School Offers Out-of-State Applicants Special Opportunities to Learn a New Career in a Rapidly Growing Industry

 

PHILADELPHIA, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Infinite Solar, Inc., with classroom and lab facilities located in historic Philadelphia, PA, and Newark, NJ, is attracting utility professionals from all over the United States and Canada to receive innovative hands-on training in advanced solar power technology. 

Solar power has been expanding rapidly in the past ten years, growing at an average pace of 40% per year. By 2025, solar power's contribution could grow to 10% of the nation's power needs.

The Solar Foundation estimated that the largest growth in the solar industry will be in occupations in solar installation, including photovoltaic installers, and electricians and roofers with experience in solar installation. 

Whether you're an electrician, plumber, roofer or other general contractor, Infinite Solar, Inc. provides its trainees with all the skills and knowledge to build successful careers in solar energy implementation. 

INFINITE SOLAR, INC. IS THE GO-TO SCHOOL FOR SOLAR TRAINING 

No matter where you reside, with Infinite Solar's choices of out-of-state packages you can experience the best solar training in the country. 

We offer special 5-day training packages for out-of-state applicants, as well as fully customizable corporate solar training and workshops. For applicants who can't afford to be away that long, interactive online training for select courses is available, which can be applied to our 2-day hands-on solar workshop. 

Our students can earn college credits after completing Infinite Solar courses, while their employers get tuition reimbursement tax benefits. 

Here are a few more reasons why Infinite Solar, Inc. is the industry leader in solar training in North America: 

We provide the most exhaustive and expert instruction in the design, installation, upgrading and maintenance of renewable energy power systems. 

We boast the first and only indoor grid-tied PV system on the East Coast. 

Our state-of-the-art facility includes an in-house workshop featuring a full-size mock roof to provide the most effective hands-on solar training. 

We are among the few solar training providers approved by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). 

All of our courses are Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) accredited. 

Infinite Solar, Inc. takes pride in its ongoing mission to promote renewable energy for a better world, and to train the solar energy professionals to build it. 

ABOUT INFINITE SOLAR, INC.

Infinite Solar, Inc. is the premier solar training and continuing education provider on the East Coast, offering IREC accredited solar panel installation training, solar thermal training, solar sales training, NABCEP exam prep course, custom corporate and online solar training. Infinite Solar's renewable energy training programs and certificate programs provide professionals with practical skills necessary to expand their businesses and succeed in the solar energy market.

Contact:

Ivan Svedov (215) 464-6460ivan@infinite-solar.com

SOURCE Infinite Solar, Inc.

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

 

Solar cell industry in free fall

Crashing prices for solar energy products are pushing most world manufacturers to the brink of destruction, and stiff tariffs the United States recently imposed on China are not reversing the trend.

Low prices for solar cells — used to assemble the panels — are a windfall for installers and consumers, but global manufacturers are calling foul as the price for the cells has fallen 66 percent since third quarter 2010. And Boston-based analyst firm GTM Research said it does not expect to see solar product prices increase anytime soon because of a worldwide glut.

Read more

Christie Signs Solar Bill Increasing N.J. Energy Requirement

New Jersey developers added 174 megawatts of photovoltaic panels in the first quarter, surpassing California as the largest solar state with 34 percent of all U.S. installations, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. The legislation will spur additional solar development, Christie said at a press conference in Trenton today.

Read more

Researchers Invent Transparent Solar Panels

Researchers at UCLA have invented a "high-performance solar cell" that is mostly transparent, opening the possibility of skylights and windows that generate electricity, the school announced on Sunday.

A team of UCLA chemists and biochemists said their "high-performance, visibly transparent polymer solar cells'' opens up new possibilities for energy generation and architecture.

We are excited by this new invention on transparent solar cells, which applied to our recent advances in transparent conducting windows to fabricate these devices," said Paul S. Weiss, the director of the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara.

The study's co-authors are Weiss, post-doctoral researcher Rui Zhu, and doctoral students Chun-Chao Chen, Letian Dou, Choong-Heui Chung, Tze-Bin Song and Steve Hawks.

Read more

Study: Solar Tax Credits Generate Tax Revenue

Under the the Solar Investment Tax Credit program, created by the Bush administration in 2005, small- to medium-scale solar installations on residential or commercial property can receive a tax credit equal to 30% of their installation costs. This subsidy has, understandably, been a huge boon to solar installations. According to US PREF, 90% of the U.S.'s solar generating capacity, which now stands at about 5,000 megawatts, has been installed since the Bush administration created the credit. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the solar industry's main trade group, calls the Solar Investment Tax Credit "the cornerstone of continued growth of solar energy in the United States."


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New report card for solar projects identifies risks early-on, reducing transaction costs and making more projects financially feasible

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- For some time, solar investors have been required to hire third party engineers and legal counsel to perform initial project due diligence (costing $10,000-30,000 for engineering analysis and upwards of $50,000+ for legal services) before even finalizing a term sheet. These high transaction costs make many small commercial projects financially unfeasible and many larger projects unattractive. 

Now, investors who are considering whether to invest in a commercial or small utility-scale project can spend just $2,000-4,000 and receive "SolSnapshot" an initial fatal flaw analysis of risks that gives them the confidence to push forward - or the evidence they need to put the brakes on a project before committing significant amounts of their firm's time and capital. 

The overall aim of SolSnapshot is to reduce the costs of investing in solar, broaden the pool of potential investments, and increase the velocity of the solar industry. 

Yuri Horwitz, CEO of Sol Systems, commented, "We see hundreds of projects come through SolMarket, and one of the consistent barriers to financing is an efficient way for investors to review a project's engineering and business components. By reducing these costs through standardization, SolSnapshot provides investors and developers with an affordable fatal flaws analysis for a given project for a few thousand dollars - instead of a hundred thousand, and in a few days - instead of a few weeks." 

SolSnapshot is part of Sol Systems' broader diligence services for investors and developers and adds a layer of depth to the project underwriting provided on SolMarket, Sol Systems' project finance arm. It advances Sol System's larger goal of standardizing and streamlining financing for the solar community. 

Webinar: How to Diligence Your Solar Project Affordably - July 24th

Please join Sol Systems for a webinar on July 24th, 2012 at 3:30 PM EDT. Sol Systems CEO, Yuri Horwitz, and solar industry veteran, Joe Song, will discuss tips for investors and developers to diligence their solar projects cost-effectively, while reducing their risks. This webinar will be helpful for investors and developers who are involved with projects that will soon commence a due diligence process. 

About Sol Systems: Sol Systems is a solar finance firm and a leader in financial innovation in the renewable energy industry. Since its inception in 2008, Sol Systems has partnered with 350 installers and developers to bring over 3,000 solar projects from conception to completion by offering innovative financing solutions for residential, commercial, and utility-scale projects.

SolMarket, Sol Systems' financing arm, catalyzes investments for a broad set of solar projects by simplifying the origination, diligence, and financing processes. Developers seeking financing for projects can access over $2.5 billion in capital through the Sol Systems investor network. 

To participate in the webinar, please visit www.SolMarket.com/events .

SolMarket Inquiries: Sudha Gollapudi 888-765-1115 info@solmarket.com www.solmarket.com

Media Inquiries: Natacha Kiler 202-588-6455 pr@solsystemscompany.com

SOURCE Sol Systems, LLC 

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Soaring sustainability: Eagles sign with solar-power giant at Phila. stadium

Posted: Fri, Mar. 2, 2012, 3:01 AM

A year and a half after first announcing plans for solar power at the Eagles' stadium, the franchise announced Thursday that it had teamed up with a new partner - solar giant NRG of Princeton.
NRG will design, build, and operate an array of more than 11,000 solar panels and 14 micro wind turbines that, over the course of a year, will provide six times the power used during all Eagles home games at Lincoln Financial Field, the team said.

Read more

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Eagles rep at White House sustainability event today

Solar Module Price Erosion Slows

"Despite the persistent overcapacity situation that continues to undermine pricing throughout the entire solar supply chain, the PV market is finally showing some signs of improvement,” said Stefan de Haan, principal analyst, photovoltaics for IHS. “Not only is the outlook on 2012 global installations rising continuously, Taiwanese cell makers in June [2012] also reported growing demand. Together, these factors are helping to bring some stability and slow the pace of price declines.”

Read more

PowerBoost Solar Panel Cleaner

Solar panels need to be clean and free of debris to provide maximum output, dirty solar panels can reduce your performance by up to 20%! Designed specifically for solar panels; the proprietary PowerBoost® formula cleans quickly and easily for just pennies a panel and leaves an invisible coating which repels dust, dirt, and air-born pollution for a long-lasting clean. The hi-foaming, touchless cleaning solution contains high-quality, biodegradable surfactants.

PowerBoost Solar panel cleaner residential cleans up to 5 kW of panels and comes in a cost-effective applicator designed for use on solar electric systems. The applicator hooks up to any garden hose and is fast and easy to use.

 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/gogreensolar-com-7121/products/powerboost-solar-panel-cleaner

New Solar Panels Get Their Power From Light We Can’t See

Researchers at MIT have captured he near-infrared part of the solar spectrum.  Their first "all-carbon" solar cells, reported in Advance Materials this month, uses carbon instead of silicon as the primary material. The cells work by employing carbon nanotubes and C60--also known as buckyballs--to turn infrared light into an electric current.

There is a lot of the light spectrum that doesn’t register to the human eye (or to conventional solar panels). A new device which could go right on top of existing panels, helps get more of the energy from the sun.

Read more

Solar Cells Printed on Aluminum Foil Cost Less

Nanosolar has completed a 1-megawatt, ground-mounted solar panel installation at a military base in California. The company's management are the inventors of a solar technology that prints metallic, nanoparticle inks on huge rolls of aluminum foil.

The high-throughput, roll-to-roll silkscreen-like printing process coats aluminum foil with a proprietary ink made of copper, indium, gallium, and selenium (CIGS). This process avoids the vacuum deposition that has been characteristic of many thin-film implementations and kept their cost high. The Nanosolar Utility Panel is, the company claims, the first solar panel to be developed for utility-scale deployment. Panels are longer, have higher power output, install faster, and require less cabling and mounting material. Nanosolar claims that its panels cost as much as 40 percent less per watt compared to conventional thin-film panels.

Read more

Plastic solar panels for cars, buildings close to production

Flexible organic photovoltaic panel.

LONDON – Heliatek GmbH, a 2006 startup company pioneering the development and manufacture of flexible, organic photovoltaic cells, is about to begin production of the first such products at its Dresden factory.

"We are finishing the manufacturing line; we will be in production in the next few weeks," Thibaud Le Seguillon, CEO of Heliatek, told EE Times in a phone interview.

The Heliatek organic photovoltaic (OPV) uses small molecule organics applied roll-to-roll but using vacuum processes. In this regards it differs to some alternative OPV technologies that use printing of long-chain polymers.

Read more

For Downtown Taunton property owner, solar panels pay off Read more: http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x1425378654/For-Downtown-Taunton-property-owner-solar-panels-pay-off#ixzz20nvxz7hO

A year and a half ago DeSantis installed dozens of photovoltaic panels, designed to convert sunlight into electricity, on the roofs of both properties.

The initial investment was significant, more than $60,000 for the Taunton Green building alone. But he says state and federal renewable-energy rebates and tax credits have enabled him to recoup as much as half.

He says he used to pay Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant up to $300 a month for electricity at 1 Taunton Green. Now he generates a surplus each month.

Read more: http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x1425378654/For-Downtown-Taunton-property-owner-solar-panels-pay-off#ixzz20nwGvucQ

Q&A: Why Union City Homeowners Should Convert to Solar Energy 

Solar energy is a clean and efficient way to supply your home with the energy it needs on a daily basis. As long as you have just a few hundred square feet of unshaded south, west, or east facing roof space, you have the potential to generate solar power!

Solar electric systems can be sized to offset a portion or all of your electricity bill! While solar PV panels continue to improve in efficiency a little bit every year, solar electric systems installed as far back as the 1970s continue to produce electricity today in exactly the same way current systems do. The State of California still provides rebate money to help reduce the upfront cost, and there is a Federal Income Tax Credit available to all homeowners to the amount of 30 percent of the post-CSI system cost for the installation of both solar electric and solar thermal systems.

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New Solar Power Supergroup: U.S., Germany and Japan

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems and Japan’s Research Center for Photovoltaic Technologies join forces for collaborative research efforts. Source: Clean Technica http://cleantechnica.com/2012/07/12/u-s-germany-and-japan-form-gaseri-solar-project/

Into Thin Air: The Disappearance of Dozens of Chinese Solar Companies

The bankruptcies of roughly two dozen U.S. and European photovoltaic manufacturers have framed much of the story about an oversupply of solar panels and crashing prices over the past year. What's less known is the impact on the PV manufacturing industry in China, where over 50 companies also have closed, said John Lefebvre, president of Suntech Power's American operations, during Intersolar in San Francisco on Wednesday. 

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Comprehensive Solar Project Insurance Offering Now Available Nationwide

SAN FRANCISCO, July 11, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- GCube Insurance Services, Inc., the leading provider of insurance for the renewable energy industry and Assurant, Inc., a premier provider of specialty insurance, today announced they have signed a distribution agreement to provide U.S. commercial solar project developers greater access to a comprehensive insurance bundle and warranty management program at affordable prices.

 http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gcube-and-assurant-partner-to-protect-more-commercial-solar-projects-2012-07-11

Apple Wins their Sixth Solar Power Related Patent & More

Apple has received a Granted Patent relating to techniques for operating devices with solar power. More particularly, this invention relates to portable electronic devices having multiple power interfaces. Report analyzes and discusses new patent.

Patent issued for monitoring Solar Arrays

A complex monitoring systems to help manage solar arrays.  Carlton Warren, along with Solar Sentry CEO Gordon Presher were named as co-inventors on patent no. 8,204,709, issued last month for the technology in their monitoring system.  Read more

How to Clean Solar Panels

Solar panels generally require very little maintenance. A few times a year, the panels should be inspected for any dirt or debris that may collect on them. Most manufacturers recommend the cleaning of solar panels every six months. Typically they should be cleaned in March/April when the rainy season has passed and August/September, towards the end of summer. The cleaning services are a necessary part of the system maintenance and also to maintain its warranty.

How to Clean Solar Panels

Novel Power Plant Promises to Generate Renewable Energy Twice as Efficiently as Standard Solar Panel Technology

Researchers at the University of Arizona is putting the final touches on a novel power plant that promises to generate renewable energy twice as efficiently as standard solar panel technology with highly competitive costs and a very small environmental impact.

"By using mirrors to focus on small but super-efficient photovoltaic cells, we have the potential to make twice as much electricity as even the best photovoltaic panels," Prof. Roger Angel,

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White LEDs directly on paper

Imagine a white luminous curtain waving in the breeze. Or wallpaper that lights up your room with perfect white light. In his doctoral thesis, Gul Amin shows how white LEDs can be manufactured directly on paper.

New Solar Photovoltaic Thermal System Developed, Generates Electricity and Heat More Efficiently

Significant Breakthrough:  Researchers have created a new solar photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system that more efficiently generates both electricity and heat.  Read more.

Create your own electricity at home-it's easy

Electrician shows you step by step how top build your own solar cells for under $100.  Easy to follow guide and videos.  Cut your electric bills by 75% or more.

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Cut your Power Bill by 75%

Cut your power bill by 75%

Electrician Reveals Secrets

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Siliconrepublic.com Solar Power in Germany Increases 40 Percent

PRNewswire/ -- Solar power accounted for 10 percent of Germany's total electricity production in May, an increase of 40 percent from the previous year, as reported by the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry.

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