Sybac Solar 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]
Personal and Historical Perspectives of Hans Bethe Japanese breakthrough will make wind power cheaper than nuclear NOTE: Some major wind projects like the proposed TWE Carbon Valley project in Wyoming are already pricing in significantly lower than coal power -- $80 per MWh for wind versus $90 per MWh for coal -- and that is without government subsidies using today's wind turbine technology. The International Clean Energy Analysis (ICEA) gateway estimates that the U.S. possesses 2.2 million km2 of high wind potential (Class 3-7 winds) — about 850,000 square miles of land that could yield high levels of wind energy. This makes the U.S. something of a Saudi Arabia for wind energy, ranked third in the world for total wind energy potential. The United States uses about 26.6 billion MWh's, so at the above rate we could satisfy a full one-third of our total annual energy needs. Now what if a breakthrough came along that potentially tripled the energy output of those turbines? You see where I'm going. Well, such a breakthrough has been made, and it's called the "wind lens." Editor's note: Want more info?
blog – Golden Ratio in logo designs Golden Ratio in logo designs. Beauty and aesthetics have been praised from time immemorial. But little did people know that the most effective, perfectly balanced, and visually compelling creations followed the tid-bits of mathematics. At least not until 1860, when German physicist and psychologist Gustav Theodor Fechner proposed that a simple ratio, an irrational number defines the balance in nature. The Golden Ratio! Fechner’s experiment was simple: ten rectangles varying in their length-to-width ratios were placed in front of a subject, who was asked to select the most pleasing one. Golden Ratio Golden Mean, Golden Section, Divine Proportion are all common names for what is known as the Golden Ratio which is based off the number phi (φ) = 1.61803398874… discovered by Italian Mathematician Fibonacci. the ratio between these numbers soon become very close to φ (1.618). What’s so amazing about this number? Logos with golden ratio National Geographic Pepsi Apple iCloud Toyota Grupo Boticário
How to build a Solar Panel - Home Geothermal Installation by the Numbers in Pennsylvania | Geothermal Genius A lot of friends and neighbors ask why we switched to geothermal; here is the answer to that question by the numbers. All numbers used are verified averages, they are not estimates. In August of 2009 we installed a 5 ton geothermal heating and cooling system to replace our propane furnace and central air conditioner. The chart to the left shows the system cost. $3,000 - $4,000 per year to Heat with Propane Our family burned 1,550 gallons of propane on average per winter over the past 7 years. Geothermal replaced our propane furnace and central air conditioner. Our electric rate is 12¢/kwh, therefore we paid an additional $512 in electric throughout the course of the entire year with geothermal. Annual Savings of $2,820 - No Fossil Fuels Assuming the price of propane is always $2.15/gallon (its already $3.33 as of 4/1/2011) and our cost per kwh remains at 12 cents we will be saving $2,820 annually with geothermal relative to what we would have paid by keeping our old system.
Physics Flash Animations We have been increasingly using Flash animations for illustrating Physics content. This page provides access to those animations which may be of general interest. The animations will appear in a separate window. The animations are sorted by category, and the file size of each animation is included in the listing. Also included is the minimum version of the Flash player that is required; the player is available free from In addition, I have prepared a small tutorial in using Flash to do Physics animations. LInks to versions of these animations in other languages, other links, and license information appear towards the bottom of this page. The Animations There are 99 animations listed below. Other Languages and Links These animations have been translated into Catalan, Spanish and Basque: En aquest enllaç podeu trobar la versió al català de les animacions Flash de Física. These animations were written by David M.
Hydrogen produced by earth friendly WINDHUNTER Maritime Hydrogen Generation System - Alternative Energy That Works 6 Habits of True Strategic Thinkers In the beginning, there was just you and your partners. You did every job. You coded, you met with investors, you emptied the trash and phoned in the midnight pizza. Whatever that means. If you find yourself resisting "being strategic," because it sounds like a fast track to irrelevance, or vaguely like an excuse to slack off, you're not alone. This is a tough job, make no mistake. After two decades of advising organizations large and small, my colleagues and I have formed a clear idea of what's required of you in this role. Anticipate Most of the focus at most companies is on what’s directly ahead. Look for game-changing information at the periphery of your industrySearch beyond the current boundaries of your businessBuild wide external networks to help you scan the horizon better Think Critically “Conventional wisdom” opens you to fewer raised eyebrows and second guessing. Interpret Ambiguity is unsettling. Decide Many leaders fall prey to “analysis paralysis.” Align Learn
How to Make Inexpensive DIY Home-Built Solar Panels with Damaged Solar Cells from Ebay Mike Davis is an astronomer. To practice his hobby away from the light pollution of cities, he bought some land in a remote part of Arizona. But there was a problem: No electricity. But he's a resourceful fellow. Read on for more photos and some technical details to give you an idea of how he did it. I bought a couple of bricks of 3 by 6 mono-crystalline solar cells. A solar panel is really just a shallow box. Next I cut two pieces of masonite pegboard to fit inside the wells. I laid out the cells on that grid pattern upside-down so I could solder them together. I used a low-wattage soldering iron and fine rosen-core solder. Here's what the solar panel looks like from the front. Here I am testing first half panel outside in the sun. I drilled a hole in the back of the panel near the top for the wires to exit. [...] Here is the finished product, producing 18.8 volts and 3.05 amps in the sun. How much did it cost? This is just a quick overview of the project.
Our 13 Best Recipes For Pomegranates Pomegranates have been savored in the Middle East for centuries , and today they're finally getting their due in the West. It's no wonder the secret's out: the ruby-colored fruits have a distinctly tart flavor that pops in both sweet and savory dishes. (Plus, they're good for you, brimming with healthy antioxidants , vitamins, potassium, folic acid and even iron.) De-seeding a pomegranate takes some time and skill, but the effort is worth it. Once you've got your pomegranate seeds (or arils, as they're technically known) -- or just buy the seeds in packets -- you can make any of the recipes from around the web in the slideshow below. What's your favorite way to use pomegranates? Want to read more from HuffPost Taste? Loading Slideshow Related on HuffPost: