Solar Daily 14 11 2018

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November 14, 2018

Ultra-thin transparent silver films for solar cells Bochum, Germany (SPX) Nov 14, 2018 - A new fabrication process for transparent ultra-thin silver films has been developed by researchers at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum and the University of Wuppertal. The material may help build highly efficient solar cells and light-emitting diodes. However, traditional chemical methods have not been able to produce ultra-thin and pure silver films. A team headed by Professor Anjana Devi and Nil ... more

Stretchy solar cells a step closer Houston TX (SPX) Nov 14, 2018 - Organic solar cells that can be painted or printed on surfaces are increasingly efficient, and now show promise for incorporation into applications like clothing that also require them to be flexible. The Rice University lab of chemical and biomolecular engineer Rafael Verduzco has developed flexible organic photovoltaics that could be useful where constant, low-power generation is suffici ... more

New records in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells through improved light management Berlin, Germany (SPX) Nov 14, 2018 - Tandem solar cells made of silicon and metal halide perovskite compounds can convert a particularly large portion of the solar spectrum into electrical energy. However, part of the light is reflected and is thus lost for purposes of energy conversion. Using nanostructures, the reflection can be reduced significantly ensuring that the solar cell captures more light. For example, pyramid-sha ... more

Wind and solar power forecasting innovation London, UK (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - Leading renewable energy and infrastructure consultancy, Natural Power, is to collaborate with the University of Strathclyde and The Data Lab to jointly sponsor Rosemary Tawn for a PhD in Short-Term Wind and Solar Power Forecasting. The three and half year PhD will focus on improving power forecasting for renewable energy assets, and it is anticipated that work on upgrading Natural Power's ... more

Stanford researchers develop a rooftop device that can make solar power and cool buildings Stanford CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - Stanford electrical engineer Shanhui Fan wants to revolutionize energy-producing rooftop arrays. Today, such arrays do one thing - they turn sunlight into electricity. But Fan's lab has built a device that could have a dual purpose - generating electricity and cooling buildings. "We've built the first device that one day could make energy and save energy, in the same place and at the ... more

See-through film rejects 70 percent of incoming solar heat Boston MA (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - To battle the summer heat, office and residential buildings tend to crank up the air conditioning, sending energy bills soaring. Indeed, it's estimated that air conditioners use about 6 percent of all the electricity produced in the United States, at an annual cost of $29 billion dollars - an expense that's sure to grow as the global thermostat climbs. Now MIT engineers have developed a he ... more

High-performance solar cells: Physicists grow stable perovskite layers Halle, Germany (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - Crystalline perovskite cells are the key to cutting-edge thin-film solar cells. Although they already achieve very high levels of efficiency in the laboratory, commercial applications are hampered by the fact that the material is still too unstable. Furthermore, there is no reliable industrial production process for perovskites. In a new study published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry ... more

MPOWERD launches its first smart solar light with Luci New York NY (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - MPOWERD has released its newest innovation-Luci Smart Solar Light + Mobile Charger, Luci Connect -as an exclusive first-to-market offer with specialty outdoor US retailer REI. The global roll out to the brand's e-commerce site and other retail partners is scheduled for January 2019. As part of the Luci family, Luci Connect harnesses the power of the sun, storing solar energy in a 7.4Wh lit ... more

Largest solar power study finds 25 percent power loss across UK Huddersfield UK (SPX) Nov 12, 2018 - Researchers at the University of Huddersfield have undertaken the largest study to date into the effectiveness of solar panels across the UK and discovered that parts of the country are suffering an overall power loss of up to 25% because of the issue of regional 'hot spots'. Hot spots were also found to be more prevalent in the North of England than in the south. Dr Mahmoud Dhimish, a lec ... more

Materials scientist creates fabric alternative to batteries for wearable devices Amherst MA (SPX) Nov 12, 2018 - A major factor holding back development of wearable biosensors for health monitoring is the lack of a lightweight, long-lasting power supply. Now scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst led by materials chemist Trisha L. Andrew report that they have developed a method for making a charge-storing system that is easily integrated into clothing for "embroidering a charge-storing patte ... more

Nantenergy acquires Sharp's energy systems and services business Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - NantEnergy has announced that it has acquired Sharp Electronics Corporation's Energy Systems and Services business, which develops and delivers innovative energy management products for the U.S. market. Included in the acquisition is the award-winning SmartStorage behind-the-meter energy storage system. NantEnergy has also retained the entire Energy Systems and Services team, including Car ... more

Batteryless smart devices closer to reality Waterloo, Canada (SPX) Nov 08, 2018 - Researchers at the University of Waterloo have taken a huge step towards making smart devices that do not use batteries or require charging. These battery-free objects, which feature an IP address for internet connectivity, are known as Internet of Things (IoT) devices. If an IoT device can operate without a battery it lowers maintenance costs and allows the device to be placed in areas th ... more

Extending the life of low-cost, compact, lightweight batteries Boston MA (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - Metal-air batteries are one of the lightest and most compact types of batteries available, but they can have a major limitation: When not in use, they degrade quickly, as corrosion eats away at their metal electrodes. Now, MIT researchers have found a way to substantially reduce that corrosion, making it possible for such batteries to have much longer shelf lives. While typical rechargeabl ... more

Recurrent Energy signs build-transfer agreement with Entergy on 100 MWac Mississippi solar project Guelph, Canada (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - Canadian Solar Inc. reports its wholly owned subsidiary Recurrent Energy, LLC has signed a build-transfer agreement for a base purchase price of approximately $138.4 million with Entergy Mississippi on a 100 megawatt solar photovoltaic project. One of the first solar BTAs to be signed in the U.S., this agreement is expected to provide Entergy with the largest utility-owned solar facility i ... more

Harvesting renewable energy from the sun and outer space at the same time Stanford CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2018 - Scientists at Stanford University have demonstrated for the first time that heat from the sun and coldness from outer space can be collected simultaneously with a single device. Their research, published November 8 in the journal Joule, suggests that devices for harvesting solar and space energy will not compete for land space and can actually help each other function more efficiently. Ren ... more

Powered by windows: enhanced power factor in transparent thermoelectric nanowire materials Osaka, Japan (SPX) Nov 08, 2018 - A research group led by Professor Yoshiaki Nakamura of Osaka University successfully developed a methodology for enhancing thermoelectric power factor while decreasing thermal conductivity. By introducing ZnO nanowires into ZnO films, the thermoelectric power factor became 3 times larger than that of ZnO film without ZnO nanowires. For the development of high-performance thermoelectric mat ... more

Shortening the rare-earth supply chain via recycling Kanazawa, Japan (SPX) Nov 05, 2018 - Modern life is closely intertwined with a set of 17 elements at the foot of the periodic table. Known as rare earths (REs), many of these metals are highly magnetic, and find use in computing, green power and other technologies. However, because of rising prices, legal issues and the difficulty of mining, safeguarding their supply is a major scientific and political challenge. Several REs, ... more

E-magy Silicon enhances Lithium Ion Batteries, targeting for 50% additional capacity
Broek op Langedijk, Netherlands (SPX) Nov 05, 2018 - RGS has announced the launch of its E-magy nano-porous silicon to improve lithium-ion batteries, mostly for the electric vehicle market. This special silicon is used in the anode of Li-ion batteries to enhance their capacity. E-magy can increase the capacity of Li-ion battery anodes to meet industry targets by up to fifty percent (50%) additional capacity. This translates into electric veh ... more