Solar is getting cheap fast—Very Serious People should pay attention. I hope everyone has read Kees Van Der Leun’s post about the rapidly falling cost of solar PV. I want to draw out one quick point that Kees leaves implicit. He argues that PV will be the cheapest source of electricity for most of the world some time around 2018, and for the rest of the world soon after. That could be off by a few years in either direction. It depends on whether the cost curve for silicon solar cells continues as it has the past and, as Alan says in his comment, whether the cost curve for “balance of system” costs (steel, glass, installation, etc.) declines as well. Let’s say it could be off by five years either way. Let’s just assume it’s 2023 before solar PV crosses grid parity and becomes cheaper than coal. Here’s the thing: 2023 isn’t that far off. But in terms of energy infrastructure, 12 years is nothing.
This is also true of nuclear plants (the oldest is 42 years) and to a lesser extent natural-gas plants. Silicon Valley developers gather to create apps for people with autism. CUPERTINO, Calif. (KGO) -- An unusual event is unfolding on a satellite Hewlett-Packard campus in Cupertino. More than 40 developers have gathered to create applications to help people with autism. They are all volunteers with a desire to use technology. They are breaking into teams of eight to 10 people. The genesis for Tuesday's hackathon came from Rich Silverstein of the San Francisco advertising agency Goodby, Berlin & Partners and HP and its efforts to inspire its employees to innovate. Over time, with input from autism experts, families and other stakeholders, it was decided to solicit ideas to create applications for a variety of computer devices. HP solicited volunteers from other Silicon Valley companies and from the developer community. The applications will take about three to four months to complete, so Tuesday's hackathon is only the start of the process.
The work each team is doing could typically cost from $50,000 to $175,000. (Copyright ©2014 KGO-TV. Tags: 'Artificial leaf' makes fuel from sunlight (w/ video) Researchers led by MIT professor Daniel Nocera have produced something they’re calling an “artificial leaf”: Like living leaves, the device can turn the energy of sunlight directly into a chemical fuel that can be stored and used later as an energy source. The artificial leaf — a silicon solar cell with different catalytic materials bonded onto its two sides — needs no external wires or control circuits to operate. Simply placed in a container of water and exposed to sunlight, it quickly begins to generate streams of bubbles: oxygen bubbles from one side and hydrogen bubbles from the other. If placed in a container that has a barrier to separate the two sides, the two streams of bubbles can be collected and stored, and used later to deliver power: for example, by feeding them into a fuel cell that combines them once again into water while delivering an electric current.
The creation of the device is described in a paper published Sept. 30 in the journal Science.
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What Is Solar PV? Solar PV or photovoltaic systems convert light from the sun into electricity that can be used to power lighting and other appliances. Light from the sun generates electricity. Is My Property Suitable? There are several points to consider before installing Solar PV. Solar PV Photovoltaic Application Form.
SOLYNDRA. California's Struggle To Add Solar To New Homes. JA SOLAR. SUNTECH. LDK Solar = B1G.