Update on Concentrating Photovoltaic Solar (CPV)

From Reuters comes an update of the latest in concentrating photovoltaic solar (CPV), which is a relatively new technology that focuses the sun’s rays to deliver additional power. It’s backers claim that CPV can be competitive without the need for government subsidies. Recently, a few new companies have invested a substantial amount of money in Related posts: Applied Materials completes largest US solar setup First EU commercial concentrating solar power tower opens in Spain Investors’ Business Daily Profiles SunPower’s Acquisition of Powerlight

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Update on Concentrating Photovoltaic Solar (CPV)

Researchers create working solar cell that harvest additional electrons

Researchers have created the first solar cells capable of harvesting more than one electron for every photon of light that hits it. Credit: Science/AAAS Solar cell researchers have long known that much of the energy in sunlight gets wasted instead of converted to energy when it hits a solar cell. This happens because the Related posts: Hot electrons can double solar cell efficiency Nanostructures will raise thin-film solar cell efficiency Solar cell paint

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Researchers create working solar cell that harvest additional electrons

U.S. has great year for new solar projects, but next year may be weaker

New U.S. Solar installations A recent research report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research showed that the U.S. is have a great year for new solar installations this year, with new installations totalling 449 megawatts of photovoltaic power generation in the third quarter alone. The new solar installation total so Related posts: Solar energy market scores big gains in 2010 U.S. Solar industry grew strongly in 2010 Wind power shows large increase in US – now 39% of all new electrical generation

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U.S. has great year for new solar projects, but next year may be weaker

More efficient solar cells actually emit light

Unconventional thinking by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has led to record breaking solar cell efficiencies for single layer solar cells. While most people would think that the key to getting solar cells more efficient would be to absorb more light, the researchers found that they could make Related posts: Inexpensive full-spectrum solar cells on the horizon New super thin solar cells absorb ten times the amount of light Light pipes can double the efficiency of organic solar cells

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More efficient solar cells actually emit light

Dow Powerhouse solar shingles may finally be available

Dow Powerhouse solar shingles They were supposed to be ready for sale in 2010, but now it looks like Dow Chemical’s widely anticipated Powerhouse Solar Shingles may finally be hitting the market. Dow’s marketing catchphrase for their shingles pretty much explains what they are - “It isn’t on the roof, it IS the roof.” Related posts: Dow Chemical says its solar shingles are coming soon Global Solar introduces flexible solar panels designed for roofs Colorado State University Professor improves solar panels’ efficiency

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Dow Powerhouse solar shingles may finally be available

$150m load guarantee to 1366 Technologies to drive down the cost of solar panels

The U.S. Department of Energy announced this week a new package of $231m to support the development of solar wafer technology, offshore wind, and geothermal energy. The largest initiative was for a $150m loan guarantee to 1366 Technologies – they’ve been developing a process that uses molten silicon to dramatically reduce the cost and the Related posts: A cheaper way to make silicon solar cells from 1366 Technologies Solyndra snags $535 million federal loan guarantee and boosts performance of its cylindrical solar panels IBM pioneers process to turn waste into solar energy

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$150m load guarantee to 1366 Technologies to drive down the cost of solar panels

SPG Solar Selected as One of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Share Inc. Magazine names SPG Solar to the 2011 Inc. 500|5000 List NEW YORK and NOVATO, CAAugust 23, 2011 Inc. magazine today added SPG Solar to its fifth annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The comprehensive list represents the most important segment of Americas economyindependent entrepreneurs. SPG Solar joins online retailer ideeli, who tops this years list, along with Spirit Airlines, television maker Vizio, Honest Tea, Dunkin Donuts and Metrokane, makers of the Rabbit corkscrew, among other prominent brands. In a stagnant economic environment, the median growth rate of this years Inc. 500|5000 companies remain at an impressive 94 percent. The listed companies have created 350,000 jobs in the past three years, with aggregate revenue of $366 billion, up 14 percent from last year. It is our customers, who recognize the importance of quality while developing solar power systems and the financial business case for solar that has fueled our growth for the past decade and helped us make this prestigious list, said SPG Solar CEO and President Chris Robine. SPG Solar, a leading national solar energy company, designs and builds solar power systems for Fortune 500 companies, utilities, schools and universities, agribusiness and the public sector. Additionally, the company has designed its own proprietary solar tracking technology for ground mounted arrays and another system that allows solar to float on water. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/5000. Bookmark our website and please come back and visit us soon. We have other articles, just like the one above, which will be sure to get your mind looking at solar in a completely different way. Why not sign up for our email notifications so that you can be informed immediately we post the latest information? Please share your feedback and add to the growing debate on solar : there are thousands of readers waiting to read your thoughts.

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SPG Solar Selected as One of Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Solar Panels for Sale – All That You Should Know About Residential Solar Energy Systems

Solar cells for sale are available in a multitude of locations these days – from local Do-it-yourself stores to the web. A lot of people are slowly realizing the advantages and importance of alternative energy and are thinking about switching to solar energy. What are solar cells? How do they work? What are the advantages of using these cells? All of us check out the answers to these types of concerns and plenty much more in this article. How They Work for home solar power systems consist of a number of solar cells which convert sunlight into electricity via a procedure called photovoltaic impact. The power made by these systems is generally dependent on the actual concentration of sunlight. So, they produce much more energy upon bright, sunny days and fewer in cloudy, cloudy conditions. They can be accustomed to power all the home appliances that we use on regularly. The Advantages The Solar Cells For Sale That May Be Present In Various Stores Have Many Inherent Benefits. A solar power system, once setup, continues to produce energy for several years. So, when you recover your initial investment, you’re able to appreciate free energy for a long period. It is a great way to cut your energy expenses and save a lot of money. Financialincentives are available in the government for people who make use of solar energy systems. If your cell generates much more energy than you need, you can sell this for your power company as well. So, the solar panel can be a great long-term investment for you personally. One of the greatest advantages of solar energy is the fact that is actually renewable and thoroughly clean. It does not affect the environment by any means. Exactly the same cannot be stated regarding fossil fuel, gas, or even oil. Moreover, professionals state that solar energy could be a great solution for our energy needs and may decrease the reliance upon non-renewable fuels. This really is one of many reasons why environmentalists encourage people to change to renewable energy. Home solar power systems can be set up anywhere you want, as long as there is enough space accessible. They don’t have to be attached to an electrical or perhaps a gas grid. So, they can be setup even in remote places, such as campsites and holiday log cabins, exactly where standard energy sources are not accessible. Purchasing Solar Energy Systems There are a variety of locations, both online and offline, where you can find solar cells for sale . If you are a Do-it-yourself enthusiast, you can purchase all the supplies and set upward the solar power system on your own. If not, you can purchase the cell through companies that provide set up services. Discover the best tips & guide about home solar power systems at: http://www.home-solarpowersystems.net.

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Solar Panels for Sale All That You Should Know About Residential Solar Energy Systems

Agua Caliente Solar Project

Share Department of Energy Finalizes a $967 Million Loan Guarantee to Support the Agua Caliente Solar Project Arizona Project Expected to Generate Approximately 400 Solar Related Jobs Washington D.C. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the Department of Energy finalized a $967 million loan guarantee to Agua Caliente Solar, LLC. The loan guarantee will support the construction of the Agua Caliente Solar project , a 290-megawatt photovoltaic solar generating facility in Yuma County, Arizona that will use thin film solar panels manufactured by First Solar, Inc. The project sponsor, NRG Solar LLC, estimates the photovoltaic generation facility will fund approximately 400 construction jobs and 10 full time operating jobs, and will be one of the largest plants of its kind in the world when completed. The Agua Caliente Solar project will bring hundreds of jobs to Arizona, while helping increase the reliability of renewable solar power, said Secretary Chu. “Todays announcement, in addition to several recent offers of conditional commitments for loan guarantees to solar manufacturing and generation projects, demonstrates the Administrations ongoing commitment to creating clean energy jobs while bringing innovative renewable energy technologies to the market.” The Agua Caliente Solar project will deploy fault ride-through and dynamic voltage regulation, innovative technologies that are new to photovoltaic solar power plants in the United States. These technologies will improve the reliability and predictability of the electricity supplied to the electricity grid. Pacific Gas & Electric Company will purchase power generated from the project and will deliver clean, renewable electricity to California consumers. The Department of Energys Loan Programs Office administers three separate programs: the Title XVII Section 1703 and Section 1705 loan guarantee programs, and the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program. The loan guarantee programs support the deployment of commercial technologies along with innovative technologies that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gas emissions, while ATVM supports the development of advanced vehicle technologies. Including all three programs, DOE has issued loans, loan guarantees or offered conditional commitments for loan guarantees totaling over $40 billion to support 42 clean energy projects across the U.S. DOE has issued conditional commitments or loan guarantees to support numerous projects, including several of the worlds largest solar generation facilities, three geothermal projects, the worlds largest wind farm, and the nations first new nuclear power plant in three decades. For more information, please visit http://www.lpo.energy.gov. Bookmark our website and please come back and visit us soon. We have other articles, just like the one above, which will be sure to get your mind looking at solar power in a completely different way. Why not sign up for our email notifications so that you can be informed immediately we post the latest information? Please share your feedback and add to the growing debate on solar power : there are thousands of readers waiting to read your thoughts.

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Agua Caliente Solar Project

Removing the Rare Element Shackles from Solar Energy

By Daryl J. Ehrmantraut Our future energy requirements depend on reaching the holy grail of electricity generation Finding a cheaper alternative to coal and other fossil fuels. The availability of an alternative energy source would also contribute significantly to energy self-sufficiency in North America. Every hour more energy from the sun hits the earth than the worlds entire population consumes in a single year. Given this abundance, solar energy is our worlds most obvious energy choice. Why then, is less than 1% of our global electricity supply powered by solar energy? Because the industry has been unable to harness the three critical success factors for global solar deployment high efficiency, low cost and high materials availability for deployment on a global scale. Current solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies generate electrical power by converting solar radiation into an electric current using semiconductor material. The process involved is called the photovoltaic effect (PV). Today, solar PV cannot be realized on a worldwide scale because neither of the two main technologies presented today; crystalline silicon PV and thin-film PV, completely address the three critical success factors. Crystalline silicon PV possesses high efficiency using abundant materials but they are very expensive to manufacture. It wins on two of the 3 critical success factors. Thin-film PV on the other hand is cheap to manufacture but has low efficiency and relies on rare and toxic elements in its manufacture. It wins on one critical success factor. Furthermore most thin-film technologies use dangerous, toxic materials including cadmium telluride and indium among others. Despite the challenges, the global market for solar PV technology is growing very rapidly. Some analysts predicting solar PV could contribute as much as 10-15% of our global electricity by 2050. As we seek to move solar energy into the mainstream, we need to retain the industrys green integrity and bypass the pitfalls of electronic waste. Creating safe, affordable solar energy solutions requires research and development that eliminates the sectors reliance the scarce and dangerous elements that are in limited supply, toxic, difficult to mine, or found only in select, sometimes geopolitically unfriendly regions of the world. At Quantum Solar Power Corp., we are developing NGD a solar PV device which we believe will address all 3 critical success factors high efficiency, low cost and high scalability through the use of abundant non-toxic materials. We believe Quantum will win on all three critical success factors. Quantums revolutionary approach to solar PV design will revolutionize the solar power market. We invite other solar technology companies and manufacturers to join our quest to create safe, affordable solar technology solutions that will literally light up the lives of people across the world. There is no doubt that our predicted energy needs have a sunny future. According to the American Solar Energy Society, U.S. manufacturing of PV components wafers, cells, and modules has increased substantially year-over-year, with growth rates demonstrated at 97%, 81%, and 62% respectively. In 2009, the U.S. solar industry grew 36% to nearly $4 billion and supported the addition of 17,000 new jobs. It is important for our geopolitical future that we create a clean energy economy along with a strong energy policy. A sunny future for our children demands that we continue to create green sector jobs that replace our dependency on fossil fuels with renewable energy through wind turbines, hydro-electric power and solar photovoltaic technologies that make solar energy a globally deployable, environmentally smart energy source. # # # About the author: Daryl J. Ehrmantraut is Chief Executive Officer, President & Director of Quantum Solar Power Corporation , which is developing a “Next Generation Device” (NGD) photovoltaic technology. Mr. Ehrmantraut lives and works in Vancouver, Canada. He can be reached at info@quantumsp.com

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Removing the Rare Element Shackles from Solar Energy

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