Zoom sur des films solaires autocollants | Chauffage Electrique Aterno Les énergies renouvelables ont, ces dernières années, le vent en poupe. Éoliennes, panneaux photovoltaïques, géothermies, etc. Ces nouvelles technologies font désormais partie intégrante du paysage. Leur rôle, hormis d’être esthétique, est de fabriquer de l’électricité propre. Plus respectueuses de l’environnement, elles apportent une solution durable pour à la fois faire face à la pénurie des énergies fossiles et endiguer le réchauffement climatique. Production d’électricité avec les énergies renouvelables L’énergie estampillée renouvelable est produite en utilisant les bienfaits de la nature dont le vent, le soleil et l’eau. Le vent Les éoliennes utilisent la force du vent pour produire de l’électricité. Le soleil Les panneaux photovoltaïques captent les rayons du soleil pour ensuite les transformer en électricité. 100 % écologique, l’énergie solaire offre plusieurs possibilités. La Terre La géothermie exploite les calories emmagasinées sous la surface de la Terre. Les matières organiques
Wilson Solar Grill Stores the Sun's Energy For Nighttime Grilling Many of us will be firing up our grills this weekend for some well-deserved barbecue time. After all, barbecuing is one of America’s greatest pastimes, but it certainly isn’t one of our most environmentally friendly. Whether you prefer charcoal, wood chips or propane, grilling releases emissions and contributes to poor air quality. Wilson’s technology harnesses the sun and stores latent heat to allow cooking times for up to an amazing twenty five hours at temperatures above 450 degrees Fahrenheit. “There are a lot of solar cookers out there,” says Wilson, “but surprisingly not many using latent-heat storage as an attribute to cook the food.” A group of MIT students are working with the technology to develop a prototype solar grill. + Solar Grill on Barbecue Lovers Via Treehugger Images ©Derek Ham
MIT creates solar cell from grass clippings A researcher at MIT, Andreas Mershin, has created solar panels from agricultural waste such as cut grass and dead leaves. In a few years, Mershin says it’ll be possible to stir some grass clippings into a bag of cheap chemicals, paint the mixture on your roof, and immediately start producing electricity. If you remember high school biology classes, you will hopefully remember a process called photosynthesis, whereby plants turn sunlight into energy. Mershin has found a process which extracts the photosynthesizing molecules, called photosystem I, from plant matter. Photosystem I contains chlorophyll, the protein that actually converts photons into a flow of electrons. These molecules are then stabilized and spread on a glass substrate that’s covered in a forest of zinc oxide nanowires and titanium dioxide “sponges.” So far so good — now time for the reality check. Read more at MIT
Unlocking nature's quantum engineering for efficient solar energy (Phys.org)—Quantum scale photosynthesis in biological systems which inhabit extreme environments could hold key to new designs for solar energy and nanoscale devices. Certain biological systems living in low light environments have unique protein structures for photosynthesis that use quantum dynamics to convert 100% of absorbed light into electrical charge, displaying astonishing efficiency that could lead to new understanding of renewable solar energy, suggests research published today in the journal Nature Physics. The research resolves an important mystery in the newly-emerging field of quantum biology – the origins and longevity of the quantum, wave-like properties that transport energy during the early stages of photosynthesis, phenomena unexpectedly observed in molecular complexes extracted from a variety of plants, algae and bacteria. Explore further: A new key to unlocking the mysteries of physics? Quantum turbulence
This solar power system makes electricity and clean water at the same time Most solar power systems are either photovoltaic or thermal — they work by collecting either electrical energy or heat energy. And they often use up tons of water. This system, designed by engineers in Switzerland, collects both electrical and thermal energy. And it desalinates water at the same time. The High Concentration PhotoVoltaic Thermal system — or HCPVT , which is pronounced by hiccuping and then blowing a raspberry — works on a basically the same principle as those giant fields of mirrors that concentrate sunlight at the tops of really, really tall towers. Only the HCPVT uses really small mirror facets and concentrates the energy in teeny tiny photovoltaic chips. That’s the electrical energy part. This is all about equivalent to patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time.
72 A grade 3x6 solar cell kit for DIY solar panel DIY solar cells are the cheapest way to generate electricity from the sun for small projects. Building panels from solar cells is highly educational - both electrically and mechanically - and provides days of fun in the sun for those of us who like to build for the sheer pleasure of it. They are also versatile, as you can customise your voltage/current to suit your needs in a way that is impossible with pre-assembled panels. PV cells have a rated lifetime of +20 years if they are maintained and housed correctly. We recommend that you mount the cells effectively to ensure a long lifetime, low corrosion and cracking. If you are looking for bigger installations please don't hesitate to contact us, we also have a wide range of solar panels, inverters, batteries and much more available at very competitive prices. Average Power (Watts): 1.8 W Average Current (Amps): 3.6 Amps Average Voltage (Volts): 0.55 V (up to 0.6 v in sunny conditions) Dimensions: 3 inches x 6 inches, or 80 mm by 150 mm
This glass sphere might revolutionize solar power on Earth German architect André Broessel, of Rawlemon, has looked into his crystal ball and seen the future of renewable energy. In this case it’s a spherical sun-tracking solar energy-generating globe — essentially a giant glass marble on a robotic steel frame. But this marble is no toy. It concentrates both sunlight and moonlight up to 10,000 times — making its solar harvesting capabilities 35 percent more efficient than conventional dual-axis photovoltaic designs. André Broessel was a finalist in the World Technology Network Award 2013 with the globe’s design and afterward produced this latest version, called Betaray, which can concentrate diffuse light such as that from a cloudy day. André Broessel’s latest invention looks like something out of a superhero movie. In reality, though, it’s a stand-alone solar energy generator. But Broessel’s invention may be more than just aesthetically pleasing. “We can squeeze more juice out of the sun,” Broessel says. Source: NewsDiscovery
Green sulfur bacteria Green sulfur bacteria are nonmotile (except Chloroherpeton thalassium, which may glide)[1] and occur in spheres, rods, and spirals.[citation needed] Photosynthesis is achieved using bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c, d, or e, in addition to BChl a and chlorophyll a,[1] in chlorosomes attached to the membrane.[citation needed] They use sulfide ions, hydrogen or ferrous iron as an electron donor and the process is mediated by the type I reaction centre and Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex. Elemental sulfur deposited outside the cell may be further oxidized. By contrast, the photosynthesis in plants uses water as the electron donor and produces oxygen.[1] Chlorobium tepidum has emerged as a model organism for the group; although only 10 genomes have been sequenced, these are quite comprehensive of the family's biodiversity. A species of green sulfur bacteria has been found living near a black smoker off the coast of Mexico at a depth of 2,500 m in the Pacific Ocean. Phylogeny[edit] See also[edit]
Les panneaux solaires chinois taxés à 47% Mise à jour du 12/06/2013 : La Commission européenne a finalement décidé de mettre en oeuvre des droits anti-dumping provisoires de 11% pendant 2 mois sur les panneaux solaires photovoltaïques chinois. Cette mesure « transitoire » servira à éviter une éventuelle rupture d’approvisionnement. Par contre, la taxe sera bien portée à 47% dès le 6 août 2013. Bruxelles a déclaré une guerre commerciale à la Chine : après une vaste enquête sur les pratiques de la Chine jugées anticoncurrentielles, la Commission a en effet proposé aux 27 pays membres de l’Union de taxer de manière temporaire les importations de panneaux solaires chinois à hauteur de 47% en moyenne ! Cette mesure sera soumise aux députés européens qui devraient la voter d’ici la fin du mois. Cette proposition est née pour faire face à l’importance de la Chine sur le secteur solaire en Europe. Une bataille difficile C’est une bataille difficile que s’apprête à mener Bruxelles puisque la Chine est son deuxième partenaire commercial.
Solar panel roads 'could solve energy crisis' Asphalt roads and car parks would be torn up and replaced with glass solar cell panels capable of generating enough power to support local communities, under the scheme. A US firm is currently working on a prototype panel that could be embedded into existing roads, having won a $100,000 grant from the US Department of Transportation. The panels would also be covered with a mosaic of small lights, which could be illuminated to provide road markings and warning messages to drivers. They could also be embedded with heaters to keep the road clear by melting snow and ice. With each 12 ft by 12 ft panel capable of producing 7.6 kilowatt hours of power each day, the company Solar Roadways calculates that resurfacing the entire US interstate highway network would meet the country's energy needs three times over. A four-lane, one-mile stretch of road made from the panels could generate enough power for 500 homes, it claims.
New Material Converts Sunlight to Steam Researchers from MIT have developed a new material that converts sunlight into steam much more efficiently than currently available alternatives. This material acts sort of like a two-way sponge: it can attract and hold sunlight for heat and can also continually draw up water in order to create a constant supply of steam. The research was led by Hadi Ghasemi and the results were published in Nature Communications. “Steam is important for desalination, hygiene systems, and sterilization,” Ghasemi said in a press release. “Especially in remote areas where the sun is the only source of energy, if you can generate steam with solar energy, it would be very useful.” The system works in layers. “On the left, a representative structure for localization of heat; the cross section of structure and temperature distribution. When it is exposed to sunlight, the graphite flakes heat up. Solar-powered steam generation isn’t anything new, but this material is markedly more efficient.
New additive offers near-perfect results as nucleating agent for organic semiconductors (Phys.org) —Pixie dust may be the stuff of fanciful fiction, but for scientists at UC Santa Barbara's Department of Materials, a commonly used sugar-based additive has been found to have properties that are near magical. By adding minute amounts of it during the fabrication of organic semiconductors, they have been able to dramatically increase yield and control crystallization, which could, in the near future, make the technology not only cheaper and more accessible, but also enhance its performance. Results of their study are published in the recent issue of the journal Nature Materials. "We have developed a new method to utilize low-cost, environmentally friendly materials from the commodity chemical industry to control the performance of organic semiconductors," said Michael Chabinyc, associate professor of materials. "The electrical properties of organic semiconductors depend critically on the way in which molecules pack together—the crystallinity.
[L’expert répond à vos questions] Comment recycler les panneaux solaires « Les panneaux photovoltaïques « usés » : que peut-on en faire ? Sont-ils recyclables ? » Cette semaine, c’est Véronique L. qui nous pose une question sur le recyclage des panneaux solaires. Les panneaux solaires photovoltaïques permettent de faire d’importantes économies sur la facture d’électricité grâce aux revenus qu’il est possible de tirer de la production d’électricité. Le recyclage des modules Un panneau photovoltaïque est composé essentiellement de verre, d’aluminium et de semi-conducteurs. Pour ce qui est des modules photovoltaïques à base de silicium cristallin, après séparation mécanique des câbles, boîtes de jonction et cadres métalliques, le recyclage de ces modules peut suivre deux voies : Une fois séparées des modules, les cellules subissent un traitement chimique qui permet d’extirper les contacts métalliques et la couche anti-reflet. Et la loi ? La législation européenne qui s’applique en termes de gestion des déchets s’appuie essentiellement sur 4 directives :