Japanese homes are already familiar with solar panels and technology thanks to the warm spring, summer and autumn seasons in the country. Still with so many solar panels installed in the country, it still contributes 12% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. But now a new innovation by Sharp will drastically change these statistics. The company has partnered with Eliiy Power to create the world’s first storage battery for household electricity systems.
These cells will store the electricity that is generated by normal roof top solar panels and will be so efficient that they will be able to run the house for a day and a half. With this system Sharp has addressed the main problem with solar panels that they themselves cannot store any electricity and hence provide power just for half of the day. Sharp’s new lithium-ion cell based system, which costs about ¥500,000 (£2,350) will surely refine solar technology. This system is expected to debut next year.
Something that truly lends you an eye and lights your path as you go are these solar wall lights, as philosophical as the introduction may sound, the utility is as practical as it can get. Stuck on the wall along the staircase or on the fence, these not only add a touch of aesthetics they also prevent you from tripping over in the dark. Operating on solar power, once fully charged, the white energy-saving LEDs come on automatically at dusk to provide up to six hours of light. The quality integral solar panel and replaceable rechargeable Ni-MH batteries ensure years of service and are very easy to install. So light up the darkness with the power of sun, intended literally.
We all know that the world is slowly but steadily moving towards the day when the oil reserves will be over and our civilization will be in need of energy sources that can sustain the human kind. Talking about renewable energy sources the first thing that strikes our mind is the Sun. According to a research the sun showers enough energy on our planet in an hour that if harnessed can provide power to the entire human race for more than a year. Still we cannot simply put solar panels on every square inch of the surface of Earth, so the best option is to develop highly efficient solar cells that can make the most out of the sun.
Cool Earth Solar is one such company that knows the value of solar energy and is continuously working to develop cells that can yield the most out of the sun. The California-based company has now raised at least $21 million to further develop a solar generator which will make use of a technique called concentrated solar photovoltaics. The idea is to magnify the light onto solar cells in an effort to increase the electricity output.
In the 21st century humanity will have to evolve through a more efficient way of life as our resources are beginning to be insufficient for our needs. This Human Electric Hybrid Vehicle uses the power of your muscles as well electricity stored in the batteries. It allows smooth and constant velocity both uphill (with the help of the electric motor), as well as downhill (when the wheel acts as a generator and charges the batteries). The vehicle can turn 360 degrees maintaining stability all the time. Additional power is acquired from photovoltaic placed on top of the vehicle as well as during de-acceleration from regenerative braking. Elderly and handicapped people that are unable to provide enough kinetic energy can also charge the batteries directly from the grid. A vehicle such as this makes extensive use of renewable energy possible and lead to a more sustainable fossil fuel future. Video after the jump.
The catamaran “sun21″ successfully made the first motorized crossing of the Atlantic with solar power. This definitely goes to prove the great potential of solar power for ocean navigation.
Sun21 arrived in New York City on 8 May 2007, after having traversed about 7000 sea miles. Sun21’s historic journey was made possible because of the sponsorship of the Swiss transatlantic21 Association.
The association has now donated the solar boat to the WWF Adena/Madrid, so that it can be used as a scientific research vessel.
I am sure with this amazing journey of Sun21, which not only successfully harnessed renewable energy but was also able to defy wind, waves and storms to reach its destination safely, more and more people will be motivated to use solar power. (more…)
The Devonshire building in the heart of the campus of University of New Castle has all the ingredients for it to be called the greenest building around. Going by the university’s commitment to the environment, the construction has everything in it from recycled materials to renewable energy.
The six storey building has solar panels on the glazed southern elevation, in order to allow as much natural light inside the building as possible. The blinds help manage the heat. An intelligent system allows these shades to be opened and closed automatically to allow the right amount of sunlight entering the windows. The system not only adjusts according to the time of the day but also according to the season.
A floating wind turbine that its makers claim could significantly boost the renewable energy sector was officially launched at a trade show in the German capital. Wind turbines at sea are nothing new, but until now they have had to be sited in shallow waters so the bases could be fixed to the seabed. This not only means complicated and costly construction but also visual pollution, as the rotating blades can be seen from the shore. Unlike normal offshore wind turbines it does not need to be anchored to the seabed and can be used in waters deeper than 50 meters (164 feet), depths at which installation costs for fixed turbines become exorbitant. It will soon go into operation off the coast of Puglia in southern Italy.
