Spray On Solar Windows Generating Energy

Posted on December 14, 2011 by quest

New Energy Technologies, recently announced that researchers developing SolarWindow, capable of generating electricity on see-through glass, have successfully fabricated its latest working window prototype using a faster, rapid scale-up process for applying solution-based coatings. The prospect of rapidly scaling up the size of SolarWindow while applying electricity-generating coatings onto glass at faster speeds, are important technical advancements in New Energy’s drive to aggressively advance the world’s first-of-its-kind technology towards commercial launch. Among other commercial considerations, researchers developing New Energy’s SolarWindow have been vigilant in their efforts to improve transparency and keep manufacturing costs low. For example, last year, scientists undertaking advanced SolarWindow research achieved the ability to ‘spray’ the Company’s electricity-generating coatings onto glass also, at room temperature and pressure.

John A. Conklin, President and CEO of New Energy Technologies, Inc said,“Today’s faster and improved scale-up application breakthrough marks a significant leap forward in our SolarWindow evolution from advanced research towards commercial product development.Importantly, this new and improved processing method still allows for the application of our novel electricity-generating coatings to be applied at room temperature and pressure. We’re not at the mercy of cumbersome and expensive temperature and pressure sensitive systems often utilized in the manufacture of conventional and thin-film solar photovoltaic products.”The new solution-coating method announced today provides an alternative to spray and allows for rapid scale-up to larger glass surface areas. This improved process also generally provides for more uniform application of SolarWindow electricity-generating coatings than conventional methods.

New Energy Technologies, Inc., together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a developer of next generation alternative and renewable energy technologies. Among the Company’s technologies under development are MotionPower roadway systems for generating electricity by capturing the kinetic energy produced by moving vehicles.

First Zero Net Solar Energy Classrooms Now In LA

A Look Into Our Climate: Past To Present To Future -Video

Electric Vehicles Picking Up Speed

Posted on December 8, 2011 by quest

Electric vehicle trendsetter Tesla Motors got dinged just a bit based on a new assessment of softer market demand from Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas. None the less the company continues forward with plans to role out their new premium-electric Model S sedan. The new car is being pre- introduced around the country and will sell for $50,000, half the price of their Roadster. According to a recent report from Pike Research, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) combined will represent 3.1% of worldwide auto sales by 2017. Thanks to higher penetration rates in the United States, HEVs and PEVs will account for 5.1% of total U.S. vehicle sales in 2017.

Within the United States, the PEV market is currently led by two key models, the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf. However, Pike Research anticipates that Ford’s model diversification and recharging equipment strategy will shake up the market. Ford will likely take the market lead by 2017 with 23.6% PEV market share. Toyota (with a plug-in version of its popular Prius) and General Motors will likely find themselves fighting for second with 21.1% and 20.7% market share, respectively. The early market for electric vehicles is proving that demand for the vehicles exists across the globe. The combination of consumer purchase incentives, rising fossil fuel costs, and exciting new vehicle models is fueling a strong early adopter market. Production of electrified vehicles is gearing up all over the world, and automakers are planning to launch an increasing variety of new models over the next few years.

Overall, the Asia Pacific region is expected to experience the most rapid growth in the number of plug-in electric models, followed by Europe and North America. There will be 26 models of PEVs available in Asia Pacific by the end of 2011, compared to 23 models in Europe and ten in North America. However, strong demand for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in North America will lead to the availability of 40 models by the end of 2012, versus 14 HEV models in Asia Pacific.

Solar Embedded Fashions Energizing Mobile Devices

Solar Energy To Power UN Climate Conference

Posted on November 29, 2011 by quest

A newly built 500 kW solar-energy facility will power the United Nations Climate Change COP17 global gathering, and will be officially inaugurated by South African President Dr. Jacob. G. Zuma on December 4. Soitec a world leader in generating and manufacturing for the electronics and energy industries, has built a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) power plant next to Durban, South Africa, as the flagship project for the 17th annual Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), being held November 28 to December 9. More large scale commercial and utility scale projects are being started or switched on around the globe. Bloomberg New Energy Finance is reporting,”that for the first time in history, investments in renewable energy installations surpassed investments in fossil fuel plants. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, last year $187 billion was invested in renewable energy installations, which exceeded the $157 billion that was invested in new natural gas, oil and coal plants.”

“CPV offers South Africa huge potential for its natural resource and climate protection,” said André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé, president and CEO of Soitec. “After proving our Concentrix™ technology’s performance in the region with last year’s installation of a 60 kW power plant at the Aquila Private Game Reserve in Touwsrivier, we are proud to continue supporting the country’s young but growing renewable-energy sector. Sustainable energy, as we all know, is a prerequisite for a sustainable future.”

Soitec worked closely with the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs (DEA) of South Africa and the local eThekwini Municipality to build the CPV solar plant, which feeds into the area’s power-supply grid. The CPV plant was constructed in just one month using the combination of Soitec’s international expertise and the local work force. Group Five, an integrated construction services, materials and infrastructure investment group operating in Africa, was the local construction partner for the project.

Electric Vehicles Hitting The Road In South Africa

UN Climate Conference Opening In Durban South Africa

Posted on November 27, 2011 by quest

The streets of Duran are buzzing as delegates from nearly 200 countries gather to cop17 icc banner 533 20111 300x112 UN Climate Conference Opening In Durban South Africa meet in Durban, South Africa from 28 November 2011 to 9 December 2011 at COP 17, for major talks on climate change and other related issues. Advocate Leslie Sedibe, CEO of Proudly South African said.”Many countries, rich and poor, are also taking steps to curb gas emissions as part of a global fight against climate change. These range from carbon trading schemes, policies that support renewable energy investment, to tougher energy efficiency and car fuel standards and carbon intensity targets. COP 17 holds the future of our nations on their shoulders and would lay the foundation for Proudly South African businesses to tackle the issue of Environmental Responsibility within South Africa going forward.”

Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres-Press Briefing

“Environmental Responsibility is one of Proudly South African’s guiding member principles for promoting “adherence to environmental standards through energy efficiency, management of carbon emissions, waste management, effluent management, water safety, recycling, reduce and re-use in South Africa, along with the principles of job creation, fair labour practises and a support for local procurement,”says Sedibe. “We all need to change the way we live and how we conduct business on a daily basis. We need to ensure that jobs that are created are sustainable and not detrimental to the environment around the globe and in South Africa. If not displayed the seriousness of the climate change and global warming problem in its entirety, we know that scientists have warned that it is impossible to find the solution that requires a 360degree turnaround. COP 17 is fundamental to every person, business and country.”

But all who attend the COP 17 event do not support it. Senator James Inhofe recently met with Representatives of CFACT and invited CFACT to co-sponsor a press conference at COP17, tentatively scheduled for Monday, December 5th. Senator Inhofe has for years questioned the direction of U.S. and world global warming policy in the Senate. CFACT’s delegation to Durban will also feature Lord Christopher Monckton, Dr. Kelvin Kemm, Dr. Leon Louwe, CFACT Executive Director Craig Rucker and staff.

Solar Energy Turned To Ice

Environmentalist RFK Jr Calls Out Sock Puppets

Posted on November 26, 2011 by quest

Robert F Kennedy Jr has been on the vanguard of the environmental movement long before it began moving toward the mainstream. In his weekly radio show Ring of Fire he along with Mike Papantonio and Sam Seder have been chronicling the exploits of coal, oil and nuclear polluters for years. Robert has a reputation as a resolute defender of the environment which stems from a litany of successful legal actions. He was named one of Time magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” for his success helping Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson River. The group’s achievement helped spawn more than 130 Waterkeeper organizations across the globe.

In his just published article in the Huffington Post,”Big Carbon’s Sock Puppets Declare War on America and the Planet” Robert Kennedy lays out an incredibly accurate analysis of Americas environmental, energy and business based challenges. He begins the article, “It’s now become de rigueur among the radical right wing rhetoricians to characterize any government support of America’s green energy sector as wasteful, fruitless, and scandalous. They greeted with glee the collapse of the government supported solar company, Solyndra, America’s first major casualty in our race with China to dominate the “new energy” economy. With Solyndra dying on the battlefield — its marketplace choking on inexpensive Chinese solar panels — the right wing’s response was to hoist the white flag and declare defeat in the war for global cleantech leadership. That brand of “Can’t Do” cowardice is a boon to the carbon and nuclear power incumbents who fund so much of the right wing’s activities — but it’s bad for America.”

Speaking at Solar Power International in 2009 as keynote speaker his address was called, A vision for Energy Independence, Jobs and National Wealth. It’s interesting to look at his talk now through the lens of some history thats paseed and the what’s been going on most recently in the multi billion global solar industry. His article is quite timely as some 60,000 protesters from across Japan including a Nobel-prize-wnning author Kenzaburo Oe, gathered in central Tokyo for an anti-nuclear rally recently, urging the Japanese government to cut reliance on atomic power. So far Germany is one of the few countries that has agreed to stop building nuclear power plants.

News & Community: Green News Wall

Electric Vehicles Hitting The Road In South Africa

Posted on November 25, 2011 by quest

South Africa has been responding to the need for clean energy. Recently a mobile solar school was introduced. Now for the first time ever, a fleet of mass-produced, zero-emission vehicles will take to the streets of Africa. A dozen electric cars from the Renault-Nissan Alliance will highlight the benefits of green transportation and will provide zero-emission* shuttle services for delegates at the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, Nov. 28-Dec. 9. The 17th annual Conference of Parties (better known as COP17) aims to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.”

Nissan has already sold more than 20,000 LEAFs on three continents, making it the most popular EV in the world. Renault just began selling Kangoo Z.E., a light commercial vehicle. The Fluence Z.E. family sedan will go on sale shortly followed by Twizy, an urban 2-seater, and ZOE, a compact hatchback, next year. Electric vehicles, which can be charged from purely renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, will play a critical role in achieving COP17‘s goals and reducing the impact of climate change.

Solar technology is particularly useful throughout the African continent both in urban and rural areas. In September The SunPower Foundation, announced the donation of high efficiency SunPower photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to Greenpeace Africa. The panels were installed by 30 local youth during a two week solar training course in Durban, South Africa, led by Greenpeace. Students learned more about solar PV and other renewable energy technologies as well as completed course modules covering social entrepreneurship and Greenpeace’s Energy (R)evolution report. The Greenpeace Africa solar powered headquarters will be showcased at the upcoming UN climate talks in Durban.