Solar
[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Set New Efficiency Benchmark with Low-Volatility and Solvent-Free Electrolyte
October 29, 2008
Researchers in China and Switzerland are reporting efficiencies as high as 10% from new practical dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs, or Grätzel cells) with low volatility and solvent-free electrolyte. In addition to the higher efficiencies, the new cells also showed greater stability at high temperatures than previous formulas, retaining more than 90% of their initial output after 1,000 hours in full sunlight at 60°C. Their study is scheduled for the 13 November issue of ACS’ The Journal of Physical Chemistry C.
The research, conducted by Dr. Peng Wang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and colleagues—including Dr. Michaël Grätzel, inventor of the first dye-sensitized solar cell—involves photovoltaic cells composed of titanium dioxide and a new type of ruthenium-based dye that helps boost the light-harvesting ability.
More... | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Researchers Develop Bio-Inspired Photo-Oxidizing Catalyst for Solar Water-Splitting to Produce Hydrogen
August 17, 2008
 |
| A manganese-oxo complex catalyzes the electro-oxidation of water when suspended within the aqueous channels of a Nafion membrane. Click to enlarge. |
An Australian-US research team led by Monash University has developed a bio-inspired water photo-oxidizing catalyst for the splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen using solar energy. A paper on their work is published online in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
Professor Leone Spiccia, Robin Brimblecombe and Dr Annette Koo from Monash University teamed with Dr Gerhard Swiegers at the CSIRO Division of Molecular Science, Melbourne and Professor Charles Dismukes at Princeton University to develop a system that uses an anode coated with Nafion impregnated with a manganese-oxo complex with a cubic {Mn4O4}7+ core.
More... | Comments (21) | TrackBack (0)
DOE to Invest up to $24M to Advance Integration of Solar Energy Systems; Plug-in Project Included
August 12, 2008
The US Department of Energy (DOE) will invest up to $24 million in Fiscal Year 2008 and beyond—subject to the availability of funds—to develop solar energy products to significantly accelerate penetration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States.
The Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems (SEGIS) funding opportunity was announced on 15 November 2007. The projects selected for negotiation of awards focus on collaborative research and development by US industry teams to develop products that will allow PV to become a more integral part of household and commercial smart energy systems. One team, lead by VPT Inc., is developing products that facilitate interaction between solar energy systems and plug-in hybrid vehicles, to provide a secure back-up power source during outages.
More... | Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)
Researchers at MIT Develop New Water-Splitting Catalyst That Works Under Benign Conditions; a “Giant Leap”
July 31, 2008
Researchers at MIT—Prof. Daniel Nocera and Dr. Matthew Kanan—have developed a new water-splitting catalyst that is easily prepared from earth-abundant materials (cobalt and phosphorous) and operates in benign conditions: pH neutral water at room temperature and 1 atm pressure. A report on their discovery was published online 31 July 2008 in the journal Science.
The cobalt-phosphorous catalyst targets the generation of oxygen gas from water—the more complex of the two water-splitting half-cell reactions required (H2O/O2 and H2O/H2). Another catalyst generates the hydrogen. Although the new catalyst requires further work, it opens a very promising pathway for the development of systems that use artificial photosynthesis to store solar energy on a large scale in the form of O2 and H2 for subsequent use in a fuel cell.
More... | Comments (82) | TrackBack (0)
Gore’s Challenge to the US: 100% Zero-Carbon Electricity in 10 Years
July 17, 2008
In a major speech given today at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington DC, former Vice President Al Gore challenged the US to end its reliance on carbon-based fuels and to “commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years.”
While the primary focus of his speech was on power generation, Gore noted that the value and efficiency of an advanced, unified national power grid could be further increased by helping the auto industry switch to the manufacture of plug-in electric cars. “An electric vehicle fleet would sharply reduce the cost of driving a car, reduce pollution, and increase the flexibility of our electricity grid.”
More... | Comments (116) | TrackBack (0)
Lotus to Introduce Eco Elise Demonstrator at British Motor Show
July 09, 2008
 |
| The Eco Elise, with rooftop solar panels. Click to enlarge. |
Lotus will unveil its “Eco Elise” technology demonstrator at the upcoming British International Motor Show, 23 July - 3 Aug in London. Unlike some of Lotus’ other initiatives, this demonstrator focuses less on tailpipe CO2 and more on materials, manufacturing and design.
Renewable materials. Sustainable hemp technical fabrics have been used as the primary constituent in the composite body panels and spoiler. The hemp fibers have also been used in the manufacture of the lightweight Lotus designed seats. An additional benefit of using hemp is that it is a natural resource that requires relatively low energy to manufacture. The hemp material is used with a polyester resin to form a hybrid composite. Lotus hopes that a fully recyclable composite resin will be viable in the short-term future.
More... | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Solartaxi World Tour Coming to US and Canada
June 05, 2008
Swiss adventurer Louis Palmer, who is driving around the world in his three-wheeled, solar-powered Solartaxi EV (earlier post), will be arriving in North America at the end of June. The round-the world tour started in Lucerne, Switzerland, in July 2007, and will finish there later this year after a swing through through Maroc and Western Europe.
The Solartaxi is an electric trike (two wheels up front, one in the rear) with a five-meter solar trailer covered with 6 m2 of solar cells generating 850W. The car and the trailer each have a 14 kWh Zebra (sodium nickel chloride) battery pack. If Solartaxi is driving slowly, the trailer also charges the battery, but on normal driving, the solar power goes directly to the motor.
More... | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Researchers Develop and Synthesize Stable Inorganic Catalyst for Artificial Photosynthesis
March 25, 2008
 |
| A tetraruthenium polyoxometalate cluster (Ru blue, O red, Si yellow, W black) catalyzes the rapid oxidation of H2O to O2 in water at ambient temperature, and shows considerable stability under turnover conditions. Click to enlarge. |
A team of researchers from Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany and Emory University in the US have synthesized a stable inorganic metal oxide cluster which catalyzes the fast and effective oxidation of water to oxygen. The work, a step toward artificial photosynthesis and the efficient production of hydrogen through solar energy, is published online in the journal Angewandte Chemie and is rated as a “very important paper”.
One of the barriers to achieving artificial photosynthesis is the formation of aggressive substances in the process of water oxidation. Plants solve this problem by constantly repairing and replacing their green catalysts. Artificial photosynthesis, however, depends on more stable catalysts.
More... | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Penn State Researchers Develop Proof-of-Concept Device for Direct Photolytic Production of Hydrogen
February 18, 2008
Penn State researchers have developed a proof-of-concept device for the photolytic splitting of water to produce hydrogen.
Although solar cells can now produce electricity from visible light at efficiencies of greater than 10%, solar hydrogen cells have been limited by the poor spectral response of the semiconductors used. In principle, molecular light absorbers can use more of the visible spectrum in a process that is mimetic of natural photosynthesis. Photosynthesis uses chlorophyll and other dye molecules to absorb visible light.
More... | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Solar Hydrogen Company Secures $4.7M in Series A Round
January 16, 2008
 |
| Second-generation prototype Solar Hydrogen Generator with solar concentrator. |
Nanoptek Corporation, a renewable energy company that produces hydrogen directly from water using sunlight and its proprietary photocatalyst, has closed a $4.7 million Series A equity financing round led by The Quercus Trust, a California fund with multiple investments in clean technology and renewable energy.
Ardour Capital Investments, LLC served as financial advisor in the transaction. Series A investors also included the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) and private investors. With this investment, Nanoptek expects to complete the development of its field-deployable Solar Hydrogen Generator, develop pilot manufacturing capability, and install its first pilot plant for producing carbon-free hydrogen.
More... | Comments (16) | TrackBack (0)
New Nanostructured Thin Film Shows Promise for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion; Potential Application in Hydrogen Production and CO2 Conversion to Hydrocarbon Fuels
January 09, 2008
A team of researchers from California, Mexico and China have combined two nanotech methods for engineering solar cell materials to create a material that performs better than expected.
Two methods for engineering solar cell materials that have shown particular promise are the use of thin films of metal oxide nanoparticles, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2), doped with other elements, such as nitrogen; and the use of quantum dots that strongly absorb visible light. These tiny semiconductors inject electrons into a metal oxide film, or sensitize it, to increase solar energy conversion. Both doping and quantum dot sensitization extend the visible light absorption of the metal oxide materials.
More... | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0)
Sandia Applying Solar Thermochemical Hydrogen Technology to Recycling CO2 to Liquid Fuels
December 09, 2007
 |
| The CR5 thermochemical engine is the basis of the Sunshine to Petrol project. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are extending work on the development of a device for the solar thermochemical production of hydrogen from the splitting of water to recycling CO2 into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
The prototype device—the Counter Rotating Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator (CR5)—will be applied to breaking the carbon-oxygen bond in carbon dioxide to produce carbon monoxide and oxygen. Combining the CO stream with the hydrogen resulting from the splitting of water by a CR5 device, an integrated “Sunshine to Petrol” (S2P) system could then synthesize a liquid combustible hydrocarbon fuel.
