Green Options » polymer

Growing Plastic: A New Use for Biomass

Lisa Wojnovich — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:00:10 +0000

In the constant push for ever newer and greener technology and energy, we sometimes forget that it is often both simpler and cheaper to revisit old techniques in new ways. And that’s exactly what a group of researchers in California has done.

Printing Power: The Latest in Solar Technology

Lisa Wojnovich — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:00:52 +0000

Imagine plugging your laptop into its case to charge the battery. Or your cell phone into a beach umbrella. Or simply slipping it into your shirt pocket. Konarka, a next generation solar energy startup, is currently promoting and raising R&D capital for its Power Plastic line, and while these solar cells, printed on sheets of plastic similar to camera film, can’t quite manage that last one, plans are definitely on the drawing board.

Scientists: Plastic Solar Cells Could be Hung on Wall Like Posters

Ariel Schwartz — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:26:29 +0000

What if you could walk into your local hardware store and buy a cheap solar panel to hang on your wall? That may not be such a far-fetched idea according to scientists at the UCLA Henri Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. A team of researchers has designed a new polymer (plastic) with greater sunlight absorption and conversion capabilities than any polymer seen before.

White House Gives Financial Backing To Growing Solar Tech Company

Michael dEstries — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 16:49:48 +0000

Who says President George Bush isn't green? Alright, well, most of you — but in a day and age when it's hip to be environmentally-friendly for all the right (and wrong) reasons, the current administration is making green headlines on a more consistent basis. From the Associated Press comes news this morning that Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman is set to announce funding from Bush's Solar America Initiative for growing technology company, Konarka.

Konarka is a leading developer of flexible plastic solar strips — technology that could be embedded in everything from your laptop computer case to clothing to the underside of an iPod. The U.S. military (a major initial backer of the six-year-old company) is especially interested in harnessing the material for field operations and uniforms.

While the award amount has yet to be announced, Konarka is sure to get some fantastic exposure on top of the already $60 million raised through venture capital funding. From the article,

"The company says its solar cells are efficient across a much broader spectrum of light than traditional cells, allowing them to draw energy from both the sun and indoor lighting.

Konarka says its material is lightweight and flexible so that it can be colored, patterned and cut to fit almost any device. The firm envisions embedding its material in cell phones, laptops and toys to provide power on the go. Clothing could be woven with the material to supply power for handheld electronics, and signboards, traffic lights and rooftops could be fitted with solar strips."

The only remaining question on the mind of industry experts is whether Konarka's technology can be mass-produced in sufficient, stable quantities. It would be great to see more jackets and other items come with a flexible solar option that doesn't break down within a year. Let's hope such advances become a reality and that the White House continues to support them. It would do well to clarify an environmental image so hotly debated over the past six years.

Source: Solar Technology Gets White House Boost