By Carol Gulyas •
April 6, 2008
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From time to time the National Renewal Energy Lab (NREL) reminds us that the US used to be a leader in innovation. This time it’s in the area of solar thin film technology. The goal with solar thin film technology is to surpass the efficiency level of silicon solar cells. Efficiency refers to the rate at which sunlight falling on a solar cell is converted to electricity. Silicon has been the most efficient material, but it is is expensive and limited, so the world is seeking alternatives. (Picture above from the Dept. of Energy shows thin film manufactured by Iowa Thin Film Technologies.)
NREL has set a new world record using CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide) thin film, which in tests has reached 19.9 percent efficiency, coming very close to the 20.3 percent level of multicrystalline solar cells.
By Carol Gulyas •
March 5, 2008
Schott, AG has just broken ground on a facility that will manufacture solar PV cells and receivers. Governor Bill Richardson celebrated the creation of 350 jobs in the short term and 1,500 jobs when the plant is running to capacity. New Mexico has a Renewable Portfolio Standard, requiring that a portion of the state’s energy production must come from renewable sources. Renewable Energy World estimates that there are currently [...]
By John Ivanko •
February 15, 2008
All businesses have “variable expenses” related to energy, right?
Not always. There’s nothing in the IRS tax code preventing businesses from investing in renewable energy systems (and energy conservation/efficiency) that allow these businesses to operate more efficiently, sustainably, and green. In fact, often there are tax credits and other incentives to encourage these kinds of investments. Some businesses, like ours, generate a surplus of energy, essentially wiping out energy costs not to mention cutting carbon emissions (more on this another day). Taking such an approach to business, boosts our bottom line profitability.
Around the Summer Solstice every year (this June 20 - 22 in 2008), the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, or MREA, hosts the world’s largest and longest-running “Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair” in Custer, Wisconsin, a fifteen minute drive from Stevens Point in the central part of the state. It’s one of the places where we learned the basics to transform our business, Inn Serendipity, into an independent power producer by harvesting the wind and solar energy with a 10 kW Bergey wind turbine and .7 kW photovoltaic system, respectively.
By Carol Gulyas •
February 13, 2008
Problems with silicon-based solar electricity (PV)
In the world of solar electricity generation, the price and shortage of silicon have been barriers to wider adaptation of solar photovoltaic (PV), especially as demand continues to rise. Solar PV’s efficiency in converting sunlight to electricity has also been criticized. That’s why non-silicon-based alternatives are especially attractive. I spoke with Gregg Clevenger, CFO of Infinia Corporation, on Monday (February 11) to find out what his company is up to and why renewable energy advocates are all atwitter about it.
According to Gregg, “We set out to address climate change and went back to ground zero with our Stirling engine product, to develop it into a design that is simple enough to be mass-produced widely and to generate solar electricity at 20-30% of the cost of solar PV.”
That’s an intriguing lede to an article. Many of you may be suspicious that I’m going to be talking about CitizenRE and their alleged "free solar energy" offer, but this isn’t about that program. (And if you aren’t familiar with CitizenRE, I recommend that you take a look at the three-part series from Mike Taylor that discusses the program starting here.) Instead, I’m refering to an intriguing point that
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By EcoGeek Blog •
July 12, 2007
Dear Mr. EcoGeek,
I've heard that it takes more energy to produce photovoltaic cells than the cells will ever produce throughout their lifetime. Is there any truth to that, or are those naysayers just saying nay?
David
Spokane, WA
Short Answer:
Those naysayers are just saying nay! But that doesn't mean there's not more to this story.
Long Answer:
This myth was probably perpetuated by studying solar panels created for NASA. If
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By Maria Surma Manka •
February 10, 2007
Installing solar energy on your home or business can be a daunting task, and even the process of gathering information can be overwhelming. Part 1 of this series discussed the basics of solar energy, but even more detailed information can be found at the Green Options wiki. In particular, the solar entry and the photovoltaic (PV) facts sheet are good introductions.
Welcome to Green Options! To help you begin greening your good life, my blog will feature a 3-part series on the basics of solar power. I’ll start today with a simple background and history of solar energy, then on Friday I’ll cover why we may be at the dawning of the Solar Age, and then finally on Saturday I’ll plug this all into Green Options and how we can help you take advantage
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