Solar Cells Mimic Insect Eyes

Posted on January 23, 2011 by quest

Anti-reflective film based on moth eyes increases efficiency of photovoltaics The eyes of moths, which allow them to see well at night, are also covered with a water-repellent, antireflective coating that makes their eyes among the least reflective surfaces in nature and helps them hide from predators in the dark. Mimicking the moth eye’s microstructure, a team of researchers in Japan has created a new film, suitable for mass-production, for covering solar cells that can cut down on the amount of reflected light and help capture more power from the sun.

In a paper appearing in Energy Express, a bi-monthly supplement to Optics Express, the open-access journal published by the Optical Society (OSA), the team describes how this film improves the performance of photovoltaic modules in laboratory and field experiments, and they calculate how the anti-reflection film would improve the yearly performance of solar cells deployed over large areas in either Tokyo, Japan or Phoenix, Ariz. “Surface reflections are an essential loss for any type of photovoltaic module, and ultimately low reflections are desired,” says Noboru Yamada, a scientist at Nagaoka University of Technology Japan, who led the research with colleagues at Mitsubishi Rayon Co. Ltd. and Tokyo Metropolitan University.

The team chose to look at the effect of deploying this antireflective moth-eye film on solar cells in Phoenix and Tokyo because Phoenix is a “sunbelt” city, with high annual amount of direct sunlight, while Tokyo is well outside the sunbelt region with a high fraction of diffuse solar radiation.They estimate that the films would improve the annual efficiency of solar cells by 6 percent in Phoenix and by 5 percent in Tokyo. Yamada and his colleagues found the inspiration for this new technology a few years ago after they began looking for a broad-wavelength and omnidirectional antireflective structure in nature. The eyes of the moth were the best they found. The team is now working on improving the durability of the film and optimizing it for many different types of solar cells. They also believe the film could be applied as an anti-reflection coating to windows and computer displays.

Habitat for Humanity Partners to Create Its First Eco-Tourism Village in the World

Project will make Indonesian history, culture accessible to international visitors
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia -Habitat for Humanity Indonesia today announced it is partnering with Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) to create Habitat’s first eco-tourism village of more than 420 homes and guest accommodations near some of Indonesia’s most picturesque ancient temples.
“This unique program not only improves housing for most of the community, it also allows Soran villagers to economically benefit from the art and culture they have preserved for centuries, and to share it with the world.”
The development will take place in the village of Soran, located near the famous Prambanan Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built around 850 AD. The village is also located near Mount Merapi, the nation’s most famous volcano, which erupted last year. Read more in

ECOTOURISM

Obama’s Visit to GE Highlights Role of Clean Energy

Posted on January 23, 2011 by quest

“It is a great honor to host President Obama at our historic Schenectady facility,” said GE CEO Jeff Immelt. “Our investments and commitment to innovation drive everything we do. The work done in Schenectady and across the Capital Region is key to our continued business success, enabling us to make a significant contribution to America’s manufacturing growth.” The Schenectady facility is the birthplace of GE and home to GE Energy’s Power & Water division, which develops and manufactures steam turbines, generators, wind turbines and solar technology. It also is the future home of GE’s advanced battery manufacturing facility. The Schenectady campus employs approximately 4,000 people who develop and manufacture the GE power generation technologies that are helping to provide more than a quarter of the world’s electricity.

The presidential visit highlights the company’s history of innovation in the Capital Region, which traces back to 1887 when Thomas Edison moved his Edison Machine Works to Schenectady, forming the General Electric Company in 1892. GE today is the nation’s second largest exporter and employs 300,000 employees world-wide, operating locally in more than 100 countries.

While touring the facility, Immelt also spoke to the president about GE’s commitment to America’s clean energy future. GE is one of the leading providers of renewable energy equipment in the world, with more than 14,500 wind turbines installed in more than 21 countries providing enough power to operate more than 7.25 million homes. GE recently opened its global renewable energy headquarters on the Schenectady campus. Through its ecomagination campaign, the company has approved more than 100 products and services across its broad portfolio of energy, aviation and transportation solutions.

GREEN NEWS WALL

$1 Billion in Solar Costs Could Be Saved SunRun Reports

Posted on January 21, 2011 by quest

Well-meaning local governments make home solar $1 billion more expensive
San Francisco: SunRun, the nation’s leading home solar company, today released an official report on how local governments can save $1 billion over the next five years and make solar affordable for 50 percent of American homes. The report, “The Impact of Local Permitting on the Cost of Solar Power,” reveals that inconsistent local solar permitting and inspection processes add an average of over $2,500 per home installation. A direct response to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) request for granular data on non-equipment solar costs, the report specifies how the DOE can take immediate action to solve local permitting problems and reduce unnecessary costs. SunRun CEO and Co-founder Edward Fenster said, “Every city and town has its own set of regulations and requirements for solar installations. Our research identifies inconsistencies in local permitting as one of the most critical roadblocks to a sustainable, subsidy-free solar industry,” said SunRun CEO and Co-founder Edward Fenster. “To tackle this challenge head-on, the DOE can use existing guidelines it has already funded to standardize local permitting and deliver the equivalent of a new $1 billion solar subsidy over five years. Policymakers need to recognize that these additional costs put an undue burden on new, clean technologies like solar that are trying to create jobs in the U.S.”

In the report, solar installers nationwide say repeatedly that local permitting is the most stubborn cost they face, preventing them from making solar affordable for millions of Americans. By comparison, countries such as Germany have simpler processes that keep solar installation costs 40 percent lower than in the United States. Germany reports about one million new home solar power installations in the past two years alone, whereas the total number of homes ever to go solar in the United States has just broken 120,000. SunRun’s report recommends the DOE lead a new Residential Solar Permitting Initiative, starting with high-volume cities that impact more than 50 percent of the solar market. The recommendations include a contest with grant rewards for cities that make the most effective and comprehensive improvements.

“Local permitting red tape keeps solar off of millions of American homes and businesses and seriously jeopardizes our ability to be competitive with entrenched fossil fuels,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. “Policymakers need to recognize that these additional costs put an undue burden on new, clean technologies like solar that are trying to create jobs in the U.S.” Endorsements for SunRun’s report underscore the industry’s sense of urgency when it comes to standardizing the permitting process. A coalition of 22 leading installers from across the country endorses this paper, as well as industry organizations such as The Sierra Club, SolarTech, and Vote Solar.

UNDERSTAND CLIMATE CHANGE

Solar Leader Marks Shipment Milestone

Posted on January 19, 2011 by quest

Microinverter leader tripling capacity in 2011
Enphase Energy, the global leader in solar microinverter systems, today announced that it has shipped more than 500,000 microinverters to date and plans to triple production capacity in 2011 to meet accelerating demand within residential and commercial solar projects.Enphase Energy provides solar energy management systems for residential and commercial markets. The systems increase energy harvest, improve system reliability and simplify design, installation and management.

Paul Nahi, CEO of Enphase Energy said “Not only are we shipping more inverters than any other company in the world, but we’re also actively monitoring more of them through our monitoring service, Enlighten. The pace at which Enphase Microinverters are gaining traction is substantially altering the makeup of today’s solar market.” Enphase’s unique approach to solar inverters utilizes design and manufacturing approaches more commonly seen in the high tech electronics industry. For example, Enphase Microinverters are digitally controlled by a custom semiconductor chip, which also provides built-in monitoring and networking capabilities.

Enphase’s growth was also recently cited in an analysis by Stifel Financial Corp., a full-service regional brokerage and investment bank, as picking up substantial market share in California solar installations. The analysis of over 74,000 solar project applications recorded in the California Solar Initiative (CSI) database reveal Enphase reached over 13 percent market share in 2010 residential installations up to 10kW, up from 5.3 percent in 2009. Results also show growth in commercial systems ranging from 10-100kW, with Enphase capturing 9.3 percent in 2010, up from 3 percent in 2009.

VISIT THE SOLAR WALL

Jersey Gardens To Build Largest Roof Top Solar System

Posted on January 18, 2011 by quest

Glimcher Realty Trust, one of the country’s premier retail REITs, today announced plans for the largest single-roof top solar system in North America to be built on the roof of Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The 4.8MW solar array will generate enough power to offset 11 percent of the electrical consumption of the mall. Jersey Gardens, with 1.3 million square feet of leasable space, is one of the largest properties in Glimcher’s regional mall portfolio, with tenants including Gap Outlet, H&M, Lord & Taylor Outlet, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Nike Factory Store and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th.

Throughout its portfolio, Glimcher has been a leader in implementing various techniques resulting in environmentally friendly methods to conserve energy, manage or reduce waste and recycle used materials. The addition of a solar array to Jersey Gardens was made possible through a partnership with Gerding Edlen Development, Inc. , the nation’s leading expert in creating a future in green buildings, and Gerding Edlen Sustainable Solutions, a subsidiary of Gerding Edlen and expert in sustainable development, renewable energy and financing.

Marshall Loeb, president and COO, Glimcher Realty Trust said “Jersey Gardens is already known as a premier international shopping destination and has been an innovator in sustainability. We are proud to be working alongside Gerding Edlen to create a model for clean and effective energy development and management,” said Marshall Loeb, president and COO, Glimcher Realty Trust. To realize this initiative, Glimcher entered into a power purchase agreement with Clean Focus Corporation.The Jersey Gardens solar system will be designed, installed, and maintained by SunPower Corporation.

FOLLOW ECO FASHION

LA Boost Power From Clean Renewable Energy

Posted on January 16, 2011 by quest

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, joined by environmental leaders and representatives from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), to announce the achievement of a major milestone — providing 20% of the City’s power from renewable energy sources in 2010. Mayor Villaraigosa said, “When I became Mayor, I set a goal to generate 20% of the City’s power from renewable energy sources by 2010 and I am proud to say that we have achieved that goal. We went from worst to first and quadrupled our renewable energy portfolio in a few short years while also keeping our rates lower than other major utilities. Today’s announcement illustrates that the DWP is a national leader in cost-effective, environmentally responsible and reliable energy.” “This is a historic and substantial accomplishment for the Department of Water and Power and the City of Los Angeles,” said Austin Beutner, LADWP General Manager. “We need to continue to reduce the impact of DWP operations on the environment and do it in an economically sustainable manner.”

The 20% by 2010 goal has been achieved through a combination of major projects and power agreements made during the Mayor’s administration. In June 2009, LADWP began full operation of the Pine Tree Wind Power Plant — the nation’s largest wind farm owned by a municipal utility, in the Tehachapi Mountains. Wind power comprised nearly 50% of all LADWP’s renewable energy in 2010 with small hydro-electric contributing 30%, geothermal/biofuels, 22%, and solar, 1%.

Reaching this milestone is the latest in a series of significant achievements by LADWP to meet the goals of Mayor Villaraigosa’s GREEN LA Action Plan to lead the national fight against global warming. In conjunction with increasing renewables and energy efficiency, a key factor in reducing greenhouse gases and promoting a cleaner environment is ending reliance on coal-generated power. LADWP is currently making this transition away from coal and in 2010, only 39% of its power portfolio came from coal. LADWP is in the process of divesting of the Navajo Generating Station in Arizona by 2014, which will reduce carbon emissions by an additional 26%.