Mike Bloomberg, billionaire mayor of New York City, wants the city to invest heavily in a push to develop renewable energy The plan, still in its early stages, suggests placing wind turbines on buildings and bridges as well as in coastal waters near the city. Yesterday afternoon, the city issued a formal request for proposals to companies around the country for energy projects based on wind, solar and water resources in New York.
Whether or not the plan sees any action remains to be seen, and could be in doubt. Bloomberg is known for his ambitious proposals that later collapse. In addition, any plans would take years or decades to complete, and Bloomberg has only 18 months left in his term.
The plan also includes widespread use of solar panels, possibly by allowing companies to rent rooftops for solar panels and sell the energy to residents.
Showing posts with label solar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label solar. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
California to Gain Two Gargantuan PV Plants
Two companies in California have announced plans to construct new photovoltaic (PV) power plants in that sunny state, each vastly larger than any photovoltain power facilities anywhere in the world. The plants together will cover 12.5 square miles of central California and will generate, at peak, 800 megawatts of power. While the actual capacity will be somewhat lower than that (because they won't always produce at their peak and at night won't produce power at all), they will be peaking during the part of the day when demand is the highest and energy the most expensive.
Both plants will supply power to Pacific Gas & Electric, which is under a California state mandate to deliver 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010. PG&E says that the two plants will help it reach a total of 24 percent of its energy from renewable sources, but not until they care completed, which should be around 2013.
Both plants will be in San Luis Obispo County. One, built by OptiSolar, will generate 550 MW of peak energy. The other, built by SunPower, will generate 250 MW of peak energy. The largest existing PV installation in the U.S. is a 14 MW facility at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The largest in the world currently in use in Spain is a 23 MW facility. There are larger facilities under construction in several areas, but none that come close to matching these two new facilities.
The plants will not come close to the efficiency and pricing of fossil fuel-based power plants, but should be competitive with wind and solar thermal plants and far more cost-effective than existing PV installations, due to economies of scale.
Both plants will supply power to Pacific Gas & Electric, which is under a California state mandate to deliver 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010. PG&E says that the two plants will help it reach a total of 24 percent of its energy from renewable sources, but not until they care completed, which should be around 2013.
Both plants will be in San Luis Obispo County. One, built by OptiSolar, will generate 550 MW of peak energy. The other, built by SunPower, will generate 250 MW of peak energy. The largest existing PV installation in the U.S. is a 14 MW facility at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The largest in the world currently in use in Spain is a 23 MW facility. There are larger facilities under construction in several areas, but none that come close to matching these two new facilities.
The plants will not come close to the efficiency and pricing of fossil fuel-based power plants, but should be competitive with wind and solar thermal plants and far more cost-effective than existing PV installations, due to economies of scale.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Is Solar Energy's Time Finally Near?
Yale's environment 360 thinks that solar energy's time is now (or at least in the next couple of decades). And while I think wind and nuclear will probably surge before solar, some recent advances in solar energy make me think that Yale might be right.
A couple of weeks ago, researchers at MIT announced that they had developed efficient new solar concentrators that could lower costs and increase efficiency by 10 to 15 percent. And today, New Scientist reports on new materials for solar cells that may increase the theoretical maximum efficiency of solar panels to 63% of the energy striking the panel.
The new materials achieve these results by embedding titanium and vanadium atoms into conventional semiconductors. These atoms can absorb photons in the lower-energy infrared range and have their electrons jump to a level that is half-way to what the visible light photons are reaching. Then, when another infrared photon strikes the material, the electrons make it the rest of the way to the higher energy state that is needed for producing photovoltaic electricity. In this way, panels made from the new material are capable of generating electricity from both the visible light and the infrared light striking them.
The 63% efficiency figure is, however, a theoretical maximum, and any panels actually made from this material will likely produce energy with lower efficiency levels. Additionally, some experts believe it may prove difficult to get enough titanium and vanadium into the silicon in order to properly reach the intermediate level without inhibiting the silicon's ability to do its job. So don't look for these new high-efficiency solar panels right away.
That said, when they figure out how to put this technology into SunSlatesTM, it might be time for my house to get a new roof....
A couple of weeks ago, researchers at MIT announced that they had developed efficient new solar concentrators that could lower costs and increase efficiency by 10 to 15 percent. And today, New Scientist reports on new materials for solar cells that may increase the theoretical maximum efficiency of solar panels to 63% of the energy striking the panel.
The new materials achieve these results by embedding titanium and vanadium atoms into conventional semiconductors. These atoms can absorb photons in the lower-energy infrared range and have their electrons jump to a level that is half-way to what the visible light photons are reaching. Then, when another infrared photon strikes the material, the electrons make it the rest of the way to the higher energy state that is needed for producing photovoltaic electricity. In this way, panels made from the new material are capable of generating electricity from both the visible light and the infrared light striking them.
The 63% efficiency figure is, however, a theoretical maximum, and any panels actually made from this material will likely produce energy with lower efficiency levels. Additionally, some experts believe it may prove difficult to get enough titanium and vanadium into the silicon in order to properly reach the intermediate level without inhibiting the silicon's ability to do its job. So don't look for these new high-efficiency solar panels right away.
That said, when they figure out how to put this technology into SunSlatesTM, it might be time for my house to get a new roof....
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Solar Power from Your Windows
Researchers at MIT have developed a window coating that allows people to see through, while also collecting solar energy. The coating channels photons striking a pane of glass into solar collectors around the edge of the window.
The coatings are not perfectly transparent, but they can get pretty close. Alternatively, they are available in bright colors. However, you should expect to run out to Home Depot and buy new window coatings right now... the coatings are not yet commercially available. However, they are made from inexpensive materials and can be added to existing solar panels.
The technology could be commercially available in as little as three years.
The coatings are not perfectly transparent, but they can get pretty close. Alternatively, they are available in bright colors. However, you should expect to run out to Home Depot and buy new window coatings right now... the coatings are not yet commercially available. However, they are made from inexpensive materials and can be added to existing solar panels.
The technology could be commercially available in as little as three years.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The Pope Gets It
The Vatican announced today that some Holy See buildings will start using solar energy, reflecting Pope Benedict XVI's concern about conserving the Earth's resources.
The first building upgraded to solar will be the Paul VI auditorium which, starting next year, will have its 6,000-square-yard flattened vaulted roof, currently covered with aging cement tiles in need of repair, replaced with photovoltaic tiles that will be capable of providing heat, cooling, and light to the auditorium. When the building is not in use (which is most of the time), that power will be redirected to other buildings in Vatican City.
The Vatican is considering the installation of photovoltaic cells on roofs of other Holy See buildings, although centuries-old landmarks like St. Peter's Basilica won't be touched.
I'm happy to see a world leader, like the Pope, taking the initiative to drive installation of solar power. I would like to see other world leaders, and other governmental bodies, drive toward alternative energy in a sustainable manner. There are a lot of roofs on government buildings and churches around the world, and it's time to put some of those to good use.
The first building upgraded to solar will be the Paul VI auditorium which, starting next year, will have its 6,000-square-yard flattened vaulted roof, currently covered with aging cement tiles in need of repair, replaced with photovoltaic tiles that will be capable of providing heat, cooling, and light to the auditorium. When the building is not in use (which is most of the time), that power will be redirected to other buildings in Vatican City.
The Vatican is considering the installation of photovoltaic cells on roofs of other Holy See buildings, although centuries-old landmarks like St. Peter's Basilica won't be touched.
I'm happy to see a world leader, like the Pope, taking the initiative to drive installation of solar power. I would like to see other world leaders, and other governmental bodies, drive toward alternative energy in a sustainable manner. There are a lot of roofs on government buildings and churches around the world, and it's time to put some of those to good use.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
3D Solar Cells Boost Efficiency, Reduce Size and Weight
A team of researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute has designed new three-dimensional solar cells that absorb almost all of the light that hits them and could boost the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems while reducing their size, weight and mechanical complexity.
The GTRI photovoltaic cells trap light between their tower structures, which are about 100 microns tall, 40 microns by 40 microns square, 10 microns apart -- and built from arrays containing millions of vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes. Conventional flat solar cells reflect a significant portion of the light that strikes them, reducing the amount of energy they absorb.
Because the tower structures can trap and absorb light received from many different angles, the new cells remain efficient even when the sun is not directly overhead. That could allow them to be used on spacecraft without the mechanical aiming systems that maintain a constant orientation to the sun, reducing weight and complexity – and improving reliability.
The researchers caution that there is still some work to be done on improving the designs. However, at least two efforts to commercialize this technology are already in the works.
The GTRI photovoltaic cells trap light between their tower structures, which are about 100 microns tall, 40 microns by 40 microns square, 10 microns apart -- and built from arrays containing millions of vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes. Conventional flat solar cells reflect a significant portion of the light that strikes them, reducing the amount of energy they absorb.
Because the tower structures can trap and absorb light received from many different angles, the new cells remain efficient even when the sun is not directly overhead. That could allow them to be used on spacecraft without the mechanical aiming systems that maintain a constant orientation to the sun, reducing weight and complexity – and improving reliability.
The researchers caution that there is still some work to be done on improving the designs. However, at least two efforts to commercialize this technology are already in the works.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Rent-A-Solar?
Through a series of links today, I stumbled upon this site, where you will apparently be able to lease a solar energy system for your home. It doesn't do me much good at the moment (I live in an apartment), but if you own a home and you want to improve your energy efficiency while helping make the world a cleaner, healthier place, check out the Citizenrē REnU program at this website.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
