Completely Off The Grid Mike Strizki says he’s figured out how to store solar energy in a way that could provide the world with an infinite source of year-round, emissions-free power, but also says no one is listening to him. For more news and information on the rapidly evolving energy industry, please sign up for the Breaking Energy newsletter. For the quickest updates, follow us on Twitter @AOLEnergy. At his house in the woods of western New Jersey, the civil engineer turned green energy evangelist uses fuel cells to convert the power generated by about 150 solar panels so that it can be stored in 11 hydrogen tanks about 100 yards from the house. For eight or nine months of the year, the photovoltaic cells mounted on Strizki’s workshop roof and scattered around his yard generate more than enough electricity for a full range of domestic appliances including energy-guzzlers like a hot tub and a big-screen TV in his white-sided suburban home. A Dream No More Government Support Fades The Inevitable Question
Top 10 Solar Technologies to Watch Out For Solar Energy Published on October 11th, 2009 | by Derek Markham Solar power technology is moving forward by leaps and bounds, with some new advancements being built out into usable installations virtually every day. While it may be some time before you see some of these solar technologies in use, chances are it will be sooner rather than later, so keep your eyes on these: 1. 2. “The idea is to use solar panels to power the electrolyzer to produce hydrogen which would be stored in tanks. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. As a bonus solar technology to watch out for, CoolEarth’s solar balloons are made with metallic plastic films, with half of the balloon being transparent, which lets the sunlight in to be concentrated on a small high-efficiency solar panel. Tags: solar technology About the Author Derek Markham lives in southwestern New Mexico and digs bicycles, simple living, organic gardening, sustainable lifestyle design, slacklining, bouldering, and permaculture.
The Egg Author's Note: The Egg is also available in the following languages: The Egg By: Andy Weir You were on your way home when you died. It was a car accident. And that’s when you met me. “What… what happened?” “You died,” I said, matter-of-factly. “There was a… a truck and it was skidding…” “Yup,” I said. “I… I died?” “Yup. You looked around. “More or less,” I said. “Are you god?” “Yup,” I replied. “My kids… my wife,” you said. “What about them?” “Will they be all right?” “That’s what I like to see,” I said. You looked at me with fascination. “Don’t worry,” I said. “Oh,” you said. “Neither,” I said. “Ah,” you said. “All religions are right in their own way,” I said. You followed along as we strode through the void. “Nowhere in particular,” I said. “So what’s the point, then?” “Not so!” I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders. “You’ve been in a human for the last 48 years, so you haven’t stretched out yet and felt the rest of your immense consciousness. “Oh lots. “Wait, what?” “Sure. “Just me?
BREAKING: Solar Power Breakthrough Could Render Photovoltaic Cells Obsolete Researchers at the University of Michigan have made a discovery about the behavior of light that could change solar technology forever. Stephen Rand, a professor in the departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Physics and Applied Physics and William Fisher, a doctoral student in applied physics, discovered that light, when traveling at the right intensity through a material such as glass that does not conduct electricity, can create magnetic fields that are 100 million times stronger than previously thought possible. In these conditions, the resulting magnetic field is strong enough to rival a strong electric effect. The result is an “optical battery, which could lead to “a new kind of solar cell without semiconductors and without absorption to produce charge separation”, according to Rand. Rand revealed the research in a paper published in the Journal of Applied Physics. Via PhysOrg
Think Big! Arizona Solar Tower 2X Taller Than the Empire State Building Will Produce 200 Megawatts Image: Enviromission 2625 Feet Tall! Solar towers, which are kind of big funnels that generate electricity by using the fact that hot air rises, are too often forgotten when we discuss solar energy. How a Solar Tower Works There are 3 main components. -The Tower The Tower is the thermal engine of the Solar Tower technology. -The Canopy The canopy converts a large percentage of the insulation into heat, which in turn, heats the air trapped under the canopy roof or is stored in the ground soil thermal storage system. -The Turbines The Turbines transform the energy from the heat and pressure of the air into mechanical energy and the generator converts it into electricity. The beauty is that there are very few moving parts, so it doesn't cost much to operate, and because the area under the canopy heats up so much and there's still going to be a significant temperature differential between the bottom and the top of the tower, it can continue to produce power at night.
Scientists Develop Affordable Solar Panels That Work In The Dark It's about damn time, don't you think? Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced Wednesday that they have been able to confirm a new high-efficiency solar cell design that utilizes nearly the entire solar spectrum. Translation: They figured out a way to make solar panels generate electricity in the dark. CleanTechnica says , In earlier trials, the researchers used different alloys that achieved full spectrum responses but involved very high production costs. The advantage of gallium arsenide nitride is that it is very similar to a conventional semiconductor, gallium arsenide, and it can be produced with a commonly used fabrication method involving chemical vapor deposition. The Lawrence Berkeley breakthrough represents just one path to increasing the efficiency and lowering the cost of solar cells. In the meantime, you could just turn any metal surface into solar panels with photovoltaic spray paint . [Photo: Norby /Flickr]
HERO: Man Lives on cliff and talks down suicide jumpers...for last 50 years // Current To Our Faithful Current.com Users: Current's run has ended after eight exciting years on air and online. The Current TV staff has appreciated your interest, support, participation and unflagging loyalty over the years. Your contributions helped make Current.com a vibrant place for discussing thousands of interesting stories, and your continued viewership motivated us to keep innovating and find new ways to reflect the voice of the people. We now welcome the on-air and digital presence of Al Jazeera America, a new news network committed to reporting on and investigating real stories affecting the lives of everyday Americans in every corner of the country. Thank you for inspiring and challenging us. – The Current TV Staff
NextGen Announces Cheap Solar Paint on the Horizon NextGen Solar has announced that their new breed of cheap solar paint is closer than ever now that the company has raised half of the $1 million it needs to move out of the lab and into the real world. The company’s solar paint is expected to provide up to 40% efficiency at a third of the cost of traditional photovoltaic panels. That’s partially because the paint captures more wavelengths of light than traditional cells. The material, which forms small connected solar cells as it dries, can be applied to nearly any surface–windows, walls, roofs, and more. Plenty of organizations are working on solar paint and spray-on solar cells — the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of Texas, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, to name a few. However NextGen‘s secret weapon is Len Batterson, a tech investor who has backed successful startups for 27 years. That’s a big “if”, of course — the solar paint has yet to prove itself in a commercial setting. + NextGen