Solar Energy - Inventions, Research, Innovations, Breakthroughs

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Breakthroughs, Inventions, Discoveries & Pioneering Efforts in the Field of Solar Energy

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Solar Energy

Solar Energy - Inventions, Research, Innovations, Breakthroughs

Solar Breakthrough will Help Spur Viability of Alternative Energy – Science Daily, Oct 2005 - While traditional solar panels are made of silicon, which is expensive, brittle and shatters like glass, organic solar cells being developed by this team are made of plastic that is relatively inexpensive, flexible, can be wrapped around structures or even applied like paint. These techniques make use of concepts in Nanotechnology. Read more from the Science Daily article.
The promise of artificial photosynthesis - A promising new contender is emerging: the harnessing of photosynthesis, the mechanism by which plants derive their energy. The idea is to create artificial systems that exploit the basic chemistry of photosynthesis in order to produce hydrogen or other fuels both for engines and electricity. May 2004, Energy Bulletin
Invention Heralds Advances In Solar Technology, Optical Computing - by Lockergnome, Jan 2007 - Physicists at Boston College have beamed visible light through a cable hundreds of times smaller than a human hair, an achievement they anticipate will lead to advances in solar power and optical computing.
Nanotech solar breakthrough will help spur viability of alternative energy - October 07, 2005 - Researchers from New Mexico State University and Wake Forest University achieve 5.2 percent energy conversion with organic solar development. This means less expensive more durable solar panels available in four to five years. From PhysOrg
New plastic can better convert solar energy - Jan. 9 2005 – CTV - Researchers at the University of Toronto have invented an infrared-sensitive material that's five times more efficient at turning the sun's power into electrical energy than current methods. The discovery could lead to shirts and sweaters capable of recharging our cellphones and other wireless devices, said Ted Sargent, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the university. Sargent said the new plastic composite is, in layman's terms, a layer of film that "catches'' solar energy. He said the film can be applied to any device, much like paint is coated on a wall.
Material Discovered For Full Spectrum Photovoltaic Cell - November 20, 2002 - A new discovery raises the prospect of a more efficient photovoltaic cell for lower cost solar energy. Two layers of indium gallium nitride in a solar cell design could convert sunlight to electricity at 50% efficiency. Researchers in the Materials Sciences Division (MSD) of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, working with crystal-growing teams at Cornell University and Japan's Ritsumeikan University, have learned that the band gap of the semiconductor indium nitride is not 2 electron volts (2 eV) as previously thought, but instead is a much lower 0.7 eV. The discovery means that a single system of alloys incorporating indium, gallium, and nitrogen can convert virtually the full spectrum of sunlight -- from the near infrared to the far ultraviolet -- to electrical current. More from this Future Pundit blog entry

Photo Voltaics

UCLA Engineering Announces Breakthrough in Silicon Photonics Devices, July 01, 2006, B2B Energy - Building on a series of recent breakthroughs in silicon photonics, researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a novel approach to silicon devices that combines light amplification with a photovoltaic – or solar panel – effect. In a study to be presented today at the 2006 International Optical Amplifiers and Applications Conference in Vancouver, Canada, UCLA Engineering researchers report that not only can optical amplification in silicon be achieved with zero power consumption, but power can now be generated in the process.
Solar Breakthrough Will Help Spur Viability Of Alternative Energy - While traditional solar panels are made of silicon, which is expensive, brittle and shatters like glass, organic solar cells being developed by a University of New Mexico team are made of plastic that is relatively inexpensive, flexible, can be wrapped around structures or even applied like paint, said physicist Seamus Curran, head of the nanotechnology laboratory at NMSU. Read more from this Science Daily Oct 2005 article
NanoHorizons Patents Cost and Efficiency Breakthrough for Solar Cells and Organic LEDs - NanoHorizons, Inc., an emerging leader in applied nanoscale materials and solutions, announced today that it has received a notice of allowance from the US Patent Office for its innovative nanoscale photovoltaic cell design. NanoHorizons' design enables dramatic improvements in solar cell efficiency and breakthrough reductions in fabrication costs. Brighter, more efficient Organic LEDs (OLEDs) are also made possible. Read more from this Nano Tech Wire June 2005 article
In a scientific breakthrough that has stunned the world, a team of South African scientists has developed a revolutionary new, highly efficient solar power technology that will enable homes to obtain all their electricity from the sun. The unique South African-developed solar panels will make it possible for houses to become completely self-sufficient for energy supplies. The panels are able to generate enough energy to run stoves, geysers, lights, TVs, fridges, computers - in short all the mod-cons of the modern house, says this Feb 2006 article from ZP Energy

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