Jun
27
Progress for Photovoltaic Solar Power
June 27, 2013 | Leave a Comment
The two-junction solar cell has reached a new milestone with a new world record of 31.1% conversion efficiency at the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). The previous record of 30.8% efficiency was held by Alta Devices. The new record may not last long. NREL Principal Scientist Sarah Kurtz, who leads the F-PACE project […]
May
20
A Better Solar Powered Hydrogen Generator
May 20, 2013 | 1 Comment
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers have new information on what may become a cost-effective way to generate hydrogen gas directly from water and sunlight. The NIST team used a powerful combination of microanalytic techniques that simultaneously image photoelectric current and chemical reaction rates across a surface on a micrometer scale. The target […]
Apr
25
A Better Simpler Flow Battery For the Grid
April 25, 2013 | 5 Comments
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have designed a low-cost, long-life battery that might make solar and wind energy major suppliers to the electrical grid. An electrical grid’s tolerate of large and sudden power fluctuations from wide swings in sunlight and wind power sources is a […]
Mar
19
Better Storage for Wind and Solar Power Found
March 19, 2013 | 4 Comments
Fraunhofer scientists have recently made an important breakthrough with their development of an improved Redox Flow Battery. Over the area of a half square meter, a bit over 4.5 square feet, the new redox stack battery holds 25-kilo watts. The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT in Oberhausen, Germany is intensely motivated. […]
Jan
29
Natural Geometry Makes More Efficient Solar Cells
January 29, 2013 | Leave a Comment
Researchers at Northwestern University’s McCormick Department of Mechanical Engineering have developed a new design for organic solar cells that could lead to more efficient, less expensive solar power. The battle on production expense for silicon cells has an estimated 10 times cost disadvantage to coal, transmission and distribution costs. So it’s a long climb. Organic […]
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