Wednesday, August 29, 2012

ADVANCEMENTS IN SOLAR CELL TECHNOLOGY


Microwave ovens may help produce lower cost solar cell technology



The same type of microwave oven technology that most people use to heat up leftover food has found an important application in the solar energy industry, providing a new way to make thin-film photovoltaic products with less energy, expense and environmental concerns.

Engineers have for the first time developed a way to use microwave heating in the synthesis of copper zinc tin sulfide, a promising solar cell compound that is less costly and toxic than some solar energy alternatives. All of the elements used in this new compound are benign and inexpensive, and should have good solar cell performance.
Several companies are already moving in this direction as prices continue to rise for some alternative compounds that contain more expensive elements like indium. With some improvements in its solar efficiency this new compound should become very commercially attractive.

These thin-film photovoltaic technologies offer a low cost, high volume approach to manufacturing solar cells. A new approach is to create them as an ink composed of nanoparticles, which could be rolled or sprayed - by approaches such as old-fashioned inkjet printing - to create solar cells.

To further streamline that process, researchers have now succeeded in using microwave heating, instead of conventional heating, to reduce reaction times to minutes or seconds, and allow for great control over the production process. This "one-pot" synthesis is fast, cheap and uses less energy, researchers say, and has been utilized to successfully create nanoparticle inks that were used to fabricate a photovoltaic device.
This approach should save money, work well and be easier to scale up at commercial levels, compared to traditional synthetic methods. Microwave technology offers more precise control over heat and energy to achieve the desired reactions.

Keep checking back for more information on the non-stop improvements being made almost daily in all of the renewable energies.


Monday, August 27, 2012

MANY TYPES OF SOLAR INSTALLATIONS ARE AVAILABLE


Solar Energy Systems Come In A
Variety Of Installation Types


The type of racking or mounting systems impacts how well your solar panels function. When shopping for solar for your business, or home these are the most common mounting options you’ll find on the market:

Flat Roof Solar Panel Installation  

A flat roof installation is the easiest way to go solar on your building. It offers flexibility for orienting and tilting the solar panels for ideal solar collection. This installation type is more common on commercial installations and is perhaps one of the least complicated. These are the three most typical mounting options in flat roof installations:

Ballasted Mount:

Some solar systems use weights (called ballasts) to hold the solar array to the roof instead of bolting it down. Ballasted systems are often preferable because they do not penetrate the roof, but only work for large system in low-wind zones.


Mechanically Attached:

Traditional rooftop systems are mounted to the posts secured in the roof beams. Special roof leak protection is added to each penetration to stop leaks. These attached systems work for any size, and hold tight even in windy areas.


Hybrid Mount:

Often referred to as a minimally attached system, the hybrid mount uses some structural attachments combined with typical ballasted design. This results in minimal roofing penetrations but a little more security where needed.




Pitched Roof Solar Panel Installation 

Perhaps the most common type of solar panel installation seen in residential solar systems, the pitched roof mounting option means installing panels on non-flat (or angled) roofs. Due to the angle and complexity of solar equipment used to keep solar panels in place on a pitched surface like a residential roof, makes this type of installation the most difficult.



Ground Mount Solar Panel Installation: 

Some buildings are not well-suited to solar installations because of location, size, or orientation. In these cases, where surface area permits, a ground-mounted system is an option. The installation for these types of systems involves a wedge structure made of steel that anchors the solar panels to a concrete foundation.

Electrical Systems and Services, Inc can work with you to determine which of the installation techniques would be best for your type of roof or property, and provide your system with the best results. Contact ESS to set up free, no obligation, building and property survey.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

WINDOWS CAN GENERATE ELECTRICITY


Transparent solar cells for windows that generate electricity




Scientists are reporting development of a new transparent solar cell, an advance toward giving windows in homes and other buildings the ability to generate electricity while still allowing people to see outside.

There has been intense world-wide interest in so-called polymer solar cells (PSCs), which are made from plastic-like materials.
PSCs are lightweight and flexible and can be produced in high volume at low cost. That interest extends to producing transparent PSCs. However, previous versions of transparent PSCs have had many disadvantages.

They describe a new kind of PSC that produces energy by absorbing mainly infrared light, not visible light, making the cells 66 percent transparent to the human eye. They made the device from a photoactive plastic that converts infrared light into an electric current.

Another breakthrough is the transparent conductor made of a mixture of silver nanowire and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, which was able to replace the opaque metal electrode used in the past.

This composite electrode also allowed the solar cell to be fabricated economically by solution processing. The suggestion is that the panels could be used in smart windows or portable electronics.