Solar Power
« Previous EntriesTen Million Solar Roofs bill moves forward in Senate
Saturday, July 24th, 2010Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ Ten Million Solar Roofs bill was approved this week by the Senate Energy Committee and now can move forward to a full Senate vote. With the Committee’s approval, Sen. Sanders has asked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to include the bill in the comprehensive energy legislation that Sen Reid [...]
One Block Off the Grid (1BOG) expands to Denver and Philadelphia
Monday, July 19th, 2010One Block Off the Grid (1BOG), the nation’s largest solar group purchase provider, is expanding. Just this week they’ve announced new launches in Denver and Philadelphia, so if you’re interested in getting a solar installation and you live in those areas (or any of the other cities that 1BOG currently covers), listen up!
1BOG is [...]
Lifehacker – Convert your cordless electric lawn mower to solar power
Sunday, July 18th, 2010Looking for a weekend project and want to dabble in solar power? If you have cordless battery powered lawn mower like those from Black and Decker, Toro, and other companies, Lifehacker.com shows you an easy way to convert that lawn mower to solar power so you never have to charge it again. All [...]
Solar energy market scores big gains in 2010
Monday, July 12th, 2010Solar cell and panel makers are showing large gains in sales for the second quarter of 2010 compared to 2009. Year over year comparisons the shipment of solar panels globally are 92% higher this yar. A total of 3.7 gigawatts of solar panels were shipped in the second quarter (that equals $7.1 billion [...]
Ink used in blue jeans may lead more efficient solar cells
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010Cornell University researchers are working on a way to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of solar cells by building an organic framework using the same type of dyes that are used in blue jeans. These common organic dyes, called phthalocyanines, are very similar in structure to chlorophyll, which is the compound in [...]
Combo wind / solar plant planned for Palm Springs, Calif
Saturday, June 12th, 2010AES Solar Energy is planning on developing a large scale combination wind and solar plant in Palm Springs, California. The new plant would place a 13 megawatt photovoltaic solar plant underneath the wind turbines being planned for a 77 acre site just south of Interstate 10 in California. By combining both types [...]
Solexant raises money, comes out of stealth mode
Saturday, June 5th, 2010Solexant, a Silicon Valley company that already is operating a pilot manufacturing line producing two megawatts of its thin-film solar cells., has just raised $41.5 million in new funding so it can build a larger facility. Solexant claims a cheaper way to make solar cells – their process involves taking raw semiconductor material and [...]
US Marines using solar thermal power at Camp Lejeune
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010The Marines are embracing solar thermal power at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Their entire base housing complex will have solar panels for hot water installed. Since there are about 900 houses on the compound at Camp Lejeune, this will make the Marine base one of the largest residential producers of solar [...]
Light pipes can double the efficiency of organic solar cells
Saturday, May 15th, 2010 FiberCell diagram
FiberCell, a company founded by Wake Forest University researchers, has been able to increase the efficiency of organic solar cells by adding what they call “light pipes” to their cells. The light pipes do just what they sound like – they bring more sunlight to the solar cell. The light pipes, which are [...]
16 really cool looking solar arrays
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010Dvice.com celebrated Earth Day 2010 by posting pictures of some really cool looking solar arrays currently in operation. You’ll need to go to their site to check out all 16 pictures and descriptions, but here’s a couple pictures to whet your appetite. So check out 16 spectacular solar arrays you MUST see!
Solar Station [...]
« Previous Entries