First Solar has entered into a 25-year power purchase agreement with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., a wholesale electric power supplier serving more than 1.4 million consumers through 44 electric cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.
"This photovoltaic (PV) power plant is another demonstration of our ability to provide affordable, utility-scale solar solutions," said John Carrington, First Solar executive vice president of marketing and business development. "In addition to being cost-effective, the plant will create 120 to 140 construction jobs, significantly reduce green house gas emissions and provide enough power to serve the equivalent of approximately 9,000 homes."
The agreement, which represents the largest PV contract by an electric cooperative in the U.S., calls for First Solar to engineer, procure and construct (EPC) a 30 megawatt AC (MW) ground-mounted PV power plant in northeastern New Mexico.
“Our partnership with First Solar further diversifies our resource mix and brings value to our member cooperatives across our four-state service territory,” said Ken Anderson, Tri-State executive vice president and general manager. “This project in New Mexico demonstrates how electric cooperatives can effectively bring utility-scale solar projects to the rural areas they serve.”
The project will be the first utility-scale solar power plant in the region and is expected to be complete by the end of 2010. First Solar will provide monitoring and maintenance services for the PV power plant over the course of its lifetime. The Company expects that, upon completion of the PV power plant, it will have transferred all or substantially all of its equity interest in the project.
“This first-of-its-kind initiative is further evidence that New Mexico is a national leader in renewable energy production. I look forward to many more projects like this coming to fruition in New Mexico and across the country as we shift from fossil fuels to cleaner, green energy. I am especially pleased to see the electric coops take this major leap into renewables,” said U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
“New Mexico has world-class renewable resources and a ready workforce,” said Governor Bill Richardson. “The announcement of a major new solar power plant in Colfax County is welcome news and demonstrates New Mexico’s commitment to leading the nation in renewable energy development.”
First Solar combines the economic benefits of low-cost technology with superior environmental performance to provide truly sustainable energy solutions.
"Projects like these represent a step toward transforming our energy future; providing solutions for both climate and the environment," said Carl Zichella, western regional director for the Sierra Club.
Showing posts with label Aviation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aviation. Show all posts
University Of Alberta and NINT Researchers Make Solar Energy Breakthrough
The University of Alberta and the National Research Council's National Institute (NINT) for Nanotechnology have engineered an approach that is leading to improved performance of plastic solar cells (hybrid organic solar cells). The development of inexpensive, mass-produced plastic solar panels is a goal of intense interest for many of the world's scientists and engineers because of the high cost and shortage of the ultra-high purity silicon and other materials normally required.
Plastic solar cells are made up of layers of different materials, each with a specific function, called a sandwich structure. Jillian Buriak, a professor of chemistry at the U of A, NINT principal investigator and member of the research team, uses a simple analogy to describe the approach.
"Consider a clubhouse sandwich, with many different layers. One layer absorbs the light, another helps to generate the electricity, and others help to draw the electricity out of the device. Normally, the layers don't stick well, and so the electricity ends up stuck and never gets out, leading to inefficient devices. We are working on the mayonnaise, the mustard, the butter and other 'special sauces' that bring the sandwich together, and make each of the layers work together. That makes a better sandwich, and makes a better solar cell, in our case".
After two years of research, these U of A and NINT scientists have, by only working on one part of the sandwich, seen improvements of about 30 per cent in the efficiency of the working model. Michael Brett, professor of electrical and computer engineering, NINT principal investigator and member of the research team is optimistic, "our team is so incredibly cross-disciplinary, with people from engineering, physics and chemistry backgrounds all working towards this common goal of cheap manufacturable solar cells. This collaboration is extremely productive because of the great team with such diverse backgrounds, [although] there is still so much more for us to do, which is exciting." This multidisciplinary approach, common at the National Institute for Nanotechnology, brings together the best of the NRC and the University of Alberta.
The team estimates it will be five to seven years before plastic solar panels will be mass produced but Buriak adds that when it happens solar energy will be available to everyone. She says the next generation of solar technology belongs to plastic.
"Plastic solar cell material will be made cheaply and quickly and in massive quantities by ink jet-like printers."
Plastic solar cells are made up of layers of different materials, each with a specific function, called a sandwich structure. Jillian Buriak, a professor of chemistry at the U of A, NINT principal investigator and member of the research team, uses a simple analogy to describe the approach.
"Consider a clubhouse sandwich, with many different layers. One layer absorbs the light, another helps to generate the electricity, and others help to draw the electricity out of the device. Normally, the layers don't stick well, and so the electricity ends up stuck and never gets out, leading to inefficient devices. We are working on the mayonnaise, the mustard, the butter and other 'special sauces' that bring the sandwich together, and make each of the layers work together. That makes a better sandwich, and makes a better solar cell, in our case".
After two years of research, these U of A and NINT scientists have, by only working on one part of the sandwich, seen improvements of about 30 per cent in the efficiency of the working model. Michael Brett, professor of electrical and computer engineering, NINT principal investigator and member of the research team is optimistic, "our team is so incredibly cross-disciplinary, with people from engineering, physics and chemistry backgrounds all working towards this common goal of cheap manufacturable solar cells. This collaboration is extremely productive because of the great team with such diverse backgrounds, [although] there is still so much more for us to do, which is exciting." This multidisciplinary approach, common at the National Institute for Nanotechnology, brings together the best of the NRC and the University of Alberta.
The team estimates it will be five to seven years before plastic solar panels will be mass produced but Buriak adds that when it happens solar energy will be available to everyone. She says the next generation of solar technology belongs to plastic.
"Plastic solar cell material will be made cheaply and quickly and in massive quantities by ink jet-like printers."
Team North Builds an Innovative Solar Powered Home
North House, an advanced solar-powered home being developed by a team of students from Ontario and British Columbia, will demonstrate Canada’s commitment to sustainability and promote alternative energy sources, its university organisers say.
Team North, which involves students and faculty at the University of Waterloo, Ryerson University and Simon Fraser University, along with industry partners, is one of only two Canadian entries selected to participate in the prestigious the 2009 Solar Decathlon competition, sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The decathlon will be held from October 9-18 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., drawing 20 university teams with prototype solar homes from around the world. The teams will build a full-scale house to compete in 10 categories measuring the quality and performance of a solar-powered home.
Team North is developing North House as a marketable and interactive solar-powered home for people with active lifestyles. The team aims to combine green building, solar and interactive technologies in order to reduce energy demand, foster a conservation ethic, and boost the quality of life for all Canadians.
"North House will offer powerful solutions by using energy more efficiently and using energy from renewable sources," said Maun Demchenko, Team North’s director of public relations. "North House will serve as a vehicle for teaching the public about solar technologies and how they can be used in new and existing housing. It will showcase innovative and sustainable green construction building practices in Canada on a world stage."
North House, deploying the latest in energy-efficient technologies and materials, will demonstrate how design can promote lifestyles that reduce energy use while maintaining a high quality of life.
Such an integrated approach to new construction draws on the interactions of all building components and systems to create a more comfortable building, save energy, and reduce environmental impact.
In 2007 a team of Montreal-area architecture and engineering students competed in the Solar Decathlon with a design entry entitled "Lumen-Essence". The only Canadian entry in the competition that year, Team Montreal placed 8th overall out of 20 teams from around the world.
This year’s competition features two Canadian entries. In addition to the North House entry, the Alberta Solar Decathlon Team from the University of Calgary is developing an energy-efficient design that incorporates traditional Western Canadian wooden post-and-beam structure, a south-facing deck, a rooftop patio accessible from inside the home, and integrated photovoltaic cells incorporated into the roof, clerestory windows, roof balcony railing and solar louvers to maximise solar collection.
Team North, which involves students and faculty at the University of Waterloo, Ryerson University and Simon Fraser University, along with industry partners, is one of only two Canadian entries selected to participate in the prestigious the 2009 Solar Decathlon competition, sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The decathlon will be held from October 9-18 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., drawing 20 university teams with prototype solar homes from around the world. The teams will build a full-scale house to compete in 10 categories measuring the quality and performance of a solar-powered home.
Team North is developing North House as a marketable and interactive solar-powered home for people with active lifestyles. The team aims to combine green building, solar and interactive technologies in order to reduce energy demand, foster a conservation ethic, and boost the quality of life for all Canadians.
"North House will offer powerful solutions by using energy more efficiently and using energy from renewable sources," said Maun Demchenko, Team North’s director of public relations. "North House will serve as a vehicle for teaching the public about solar technologies and how they can be used in new and existing housing. It will showcase innovative and sustainable green construction building practices in Canada on a world stage."
North House, deploying the latest in energy-efficient technologies and materials, will demonstrate how design can promote lifestyles that reduce energy use while maintaining a high quality of life.
Such an integrated approach to new construction draws on the interactions of all building components and systems to create a more comfortable building, save energy, and reduce environmental impact.
In 2007 a team of Montreal-area architecture and engineering students competed in the Solar Decathlon with a design entry entitled "Lumen-Essence". The only Canadian entry in the competition that year, Team Montreal placed 8th overall out of 20 teams from around the world.
This year’s competition features two Canadian entries. In addition to the North House entry, the Alberta Solar Decathlon Team from the University of Calgary is developing an energy-efficient design that incorporates traditional Western Canadian wooden post-and-beam structure, a south-facing deck, a rooftop patio accessible from inside the home, and integrated photovoltaic cells incorporated into the roof, clerestory windows, roof balcony railing and solar louvers to maximise solar collection.
Cheaper Materials Could Be Key to Low-Cost Solar Cells
Availability of solar cell materials could limit large-scale deployment of photovoltaics
Unconventional solar cell materials that are as abundant but much less costly than silicon and other semiconductors in use today could substantially reduce the cost of solar photovoltaics, according to a new study from the Energy and Resources Group and the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).
These materials, some of which are highly abundant, could expand the potential for solar cells to become a globally significant source of low-carbon energy, the study authors said.
The analysis, which appeared online in Environmental Science & Technology, examines the two most pressing challenges to large-scale deployment of solar photovoltaics as the world moves toward a carbon neutral future, cost per kilowatt hour and total resource abundance. The UC Berkeley study evaluated 23 promising semi conducting materials and discovered that 12 are abundant enough to meet or exceed annual worldwide energy demand. Of those 12, nine have a significant raw material cost reduction over traditional crystalline silicon, the most widely used photovoltaic material in mass production today.
The work provides a roadmap for research into novel solar cell types precisely when the US Department of Energy and other funders plan to expand their efforts to link new basic research to deployment efforts as part of a national effort to greatly expand the use of clean energy, according to Daniel Kammen, UC Berkeley professor of energy and resources and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory.
Kammen and colleagues Cyrus Wadia of LBNL and A. Paul Alivisatos of UC Berkeley's Department of Chemistry embarked on an intensive research project to explore the question of whether high-impact materials have been overlooked or underdeveloped during the last several decades of solar cell research.
"The reason we started looking at new materials is because people often assume solar will be the dominant energy source of the future," said Wadia, a post-doctoral researcher who spearheaded the research. "Because the sun is the Earth's most reliable and plentiful resource, solar definitely has that potential, but current solar technology may not get us there in a time frame that is meaningful, if at all. It's important to be optimistic, but when considering the practicalities of a solar-dominated energy system, we must turn our attention back to basic science research if we are to solve the problem."
The most popular solar materials in use today are silicon and thin films made of CdTe (cadmium telluride) and CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide). While these materials have helped elevate solar to a major player in renewable energy markets, they are still limited by manufacturing challenges. Silicon is expensive to process and mass produce. Furthermore, it has become increasingly difficult to mine enough silicon to meet ever-growing consumer demand.
Thin films, while significantly less costly than silicon and easier to mass produce, would rapidly deplete our natural resources if these technologies were to scale to terawatt hours of annual manufacturing production. A terawatt hour is a billion kilowatt hour.
"We believe in a portfolio of technologies and therefore continue to support the commercial development of all photovoltaic technologies," Kammen said. "Yet, what we've found is that some leading thin films may be difficult to scale as high as global electricity consumption."
"It's not to say that these materials won't play a significant role," Wadia added, "but rather, if our objective is to supply the majority of electricity in this way, we must quickly consider alternative materials that are Earth-abundant, non-toxic and cheap. These are the materials that can get us to our goals more rapidly."
The team identified a large material extraction cost (cents/watt) gap between leading thin film materials and a number of unconventional solar cell candidates, including iron pyrite, copper sulphide and copper oxide. They showed that iron pyrite is several orders of magnitude better than any alternative on important metrics of both cost and abundance. In the report, the team referenced some recent advances in nanoscale science to argue that the modest efficiency losses of unconventional solar cell materials would be offset by the potential for scaling up while saving significantly on materials costs.
Finding an affordable electricity supply is essential for meeting basic human needs, Kammen said, yet 30 per cent of the world's population remains without reliable or sufficient electrical energy. Scientific forecasts predict that to meet the world's energy demands by 2050, global carbon emissions would have to grow to levels of irreversible consequences.
"As the US envisions a clean energy future consistent with the vision outlined by President Obama, it is exciting that the range of promising solar cell materials is expanding, ideally just as a national renewable energy strategy takes shape," said Kammen, who is co-director of the Berkeley Institute of the Environment.
Unconventional solar cell materials that are as abundant but much less costly than silicon and other semiconductors in use today could substantially reduce the cost of solar photovoltaics, according to a new study from the Energy and Resources Group and the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).
These materials, some of which are highly abundant, could expand the potential for solar cells to become a globally significant source of low-carbon energy, the study authors said.
The analysis, which appeared online in Environmental Science & Technology, examines the two most pressing challenges to large-scale deployment of solar photovoltaics as the world moves toward a carbon neutral future, cost per kilowatt hour and total resource abundance. The UC Berkeley study evaluated 23 promising semi conducting materials and discovered that 12 are abundant enough to meet or exceed annual worldwide energy demand. Of those 12, nine have a significant raw material cost reduction over traditional crystalline silicon, the most widely used photovoltaic material in mass production today.
The work provides a roadmap for research into novel solar cell types precisely when the US Department of Energy and other funders plan to expand their efforts to link new basic research to deployment efforts as part of a national effort to greatly expand the use of clean energy, according to Daniel Kammen, UC Berkeley professor of energy and resources and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory.
Kammen and colleagues Cyrus Wadia of LBNL and A. Paul Alivisatos of UC Berkeley's Department of Chemistry embarked on an intensive research project to explore the question of whether high-impact materials have been overlooked or underdeveloped during the last several decades of solar cell research.
"The reason we started looking at new materials is because people often assume solar will be the dominant energy source of the future," said Wadia, a post-doctoral researcher who spearheaded the research. "Because the sun is the Earth's most reliable and plentiful resource, solar definitely has that potential, but current solar technology may not get us there in a time frame that is meaningful, if at all. It's important to be optimistic, but when considering the practicalities of a solar-dominated energy system, we must turn our attention back to basic science research if we are to solve the problem."
The most popular solar materials in use today are silicon and thin films made of CdTe (cadmium telluride) and CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide). While these materials have helped elevate solar to a major player in renewable energy markets, they are still limited by manufacturing challenges. Silicon is expensive to process and mass produce. Furthermore, it has become increasingly difficult to mine enough silicon to meet ever-growing consumer demand.
Thin films, while significantly less costly than silicon and easier to mass produce, would rapidly deplete our natural resources if these technologies were to scale to terawatt hours of annual manufacturing production. A terawatt hour is a billion kilowatt hour.
"We believe in a portfolio of technologies and therefore continue to support the commercial development of all photovoltaic technologies," Kammen said. "Yet, what we've found is that some leading thin films may be difficult to scale as high as global electricity consumption."
"It's not to say that these materials won't play a significant role," Wadia added, "but rather, if our objective is to supply the majority of electricity in this way, we must quickly consider alternative materials that are Earth-abundant, non-toxic and cheap. These are the materials that can get us to our goals more rapidly."
The team identified a large material extraction cost (cents/watt) gap between leading thin film materials and a number of unconventional solar cell candidates, including iron pyrite, copper sulphide and copper oxide. They showed that iron pyrite is several orders of magnitude better than any alternative on important metrics of both cost and abundance. In the report, the team referenced some recent advances in nanoscale science to argue that the modest efficiency losses of unconventional solar cell materials would be offset by the potential for scaling up while saving significantly on materials costs.
Finding an affordable electricity supply is essential for meeting basic human needs, Kammen said, yet 30 per cent of the world's population remains without reliable or sufficient electrical energy. Scientific forecasts predict that to meet the world's energy demands by 2050, global carbon emissions would have to grow to levels of irreversible consequences.
"As the US envisions a clean energy future consistent with the vision outlined by President Obama, it is exciting that the range of promising solar cell materials is expanding, ideally just as a national renewable energy strategy takes shape," said Kammen, who is co-director of the Berkeley Institute of the Environment.
Powering the Future – Solar Cells by the Metre
Trials promise a new era of solar cells that are printed like money
World leading research from CSIRO’s Future Manufacturing Flagship as part of the Victorian Organic Solar Cell Consortium (VICOSC) aims to develop flexible, large area, cost-effective, reel-to-reel printable plastic solar cells.
Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Peter Batchelor, announced today the start of printing trials by Securency International, a banknote printing company.
“The production of these film-like solar cells will be literally as easy as printing money,” Batchelor said. “These solar cells are cutting edge technology and offer advantages over traditional solar technology because of the potential to mass produce the cells cheaply and install them over large areas such as rooftops. The technology used for these cells is still in its infancy, but this project aims to speed-up the development of this technology and take it from research to rooftops as quickly as possible.”
The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr said the trial was an exciting development for the solar industry in Australia.
“This research is at the forefront of polymer technology, which has already brought to the world the banknotes used in Australia and 21 other countries. It is an important step in building up the solar industry in Australia,” Senator Carr said.
“To be able to manufacture flexible, organic solar cells which are ‘printed’ on to polymer in much the same way as money is made, quickly and cheaply, has enormous potential. The trial could also lay the ground work for a world leading Australian industry in printable electronics."
CSIRO Executive Dr Steve Morton said the technology for the solar cells was the result of work by CSIRO researchers on advanced polymers.
“We have assembled a team of world-class scientists spanning chemistry, physics and materials science to develop the molecular building blocks which will form the basis of this solar energy revolution,” Dr Morton said.
“This research will act as a catalyst to the creation of world-leading Australian businesses in the field of printable electronics.”
VICOSC includes researchers from the CSIRO Future Manufacturing Flagship, University of Melbourne, Monash University, with industry partners Securency, BP Solar, Bluescope Steel and Merck.
Mr Batchelor said the project was at the half way point and the progress being made was extremely good with these printing trials occurring six months ahead of schedule.
World leading research from CSIRO’s Future Manufacturing Flagship as part of the Victorian Organic Solar Cell Consortium (VICOSC) aims to develop flexible, large area, cost-effective, reel-to-reel printable plastic solar cells.
Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Peter Batchelor, announced today the start of printing trials by Securency International, a banknote printing company.
“The production of these film-like solar cells will be literally as easy as printing money,” Batchelor said. “These solar cells are cutting edge technology and offer advantages over traditional solar technology because of the potential to mass produce the cells cheaply and install them over large areas such as rooftops. The technology used for these cells is still in its infancy, but this project aims to speed-up the development of this technology and take it from research to rooftops as quickly as possible.”
The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr said the trial was an exciting development for the solar industry in Australia.
“This research is at the forefront of polymer technology, which has already brought to the world the banknotes used in Australia and 21 other countries. It is an important step in building up the solar industry in Australia,” Senator Carr said.
“To be able to manufacture flexible, organic solar cells which are ‘printed’ on to polymer in much the same way as money is made, quickly and cheaply, has enormous potential. The trial could also lay the ground work for a world leading Australian industry in printable electronics."
CSIRO Executive Dr Steve Morton said the technology for the solar cells was the result of work by CSIRO researchers on advanced polymers.
“We have assembled a team of world-class scientists spanning chemistry, physics and materials science to develop the molecular building blocks which will form the basis of this solar energy revolution,” Dr Morton said.
“This research will act as a catalyst to the creation of world-leading Australian businesses in the field of printable electronics.”
VICOSC includes researchers from the CSIRO Future Manufacturing Flagship, University of Melbourne, Monash University, with industry partners Securency, BP Solar, Bluescope Steel and Merck.
Mr Batchelor said the project was at the half way point and the progress being made was extremely good with these printing trials occurring six months ahead of schedule.
Harnessing the Power of the Sun
A.T. Kearney report shows viability of UAE government renewable energy target
Following the announcement that the UAE has joined the International Renewable Agency (IRENA) as a founding member, a recent report by A.T. Kearney, one of the world’s leading management consulting firms, shows the viability of renewable energy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The report comes at a time when the UAE government has announced a renewable energy target of seven per cent. A.T. Kearney’s report, Tapping the Sun: Embracing Solar Energy, shows how the power of the sun could be harnessed to provide solar energy.
“Sunshine is almost guaranteed for more than 300 days per year in most MENA locations. This, coupled with the vast deserts available for putting solar panels, which require a lot of space, makes the region ideal for the development of solar energy,” said Robert Ziegler, Vice President, A.T. Kearney Middle East, and author of the report.
IRENA is an initiative that Germany launched with like-minded countries. Mandated by governments worldwide, IRENA aims to become the main driving force in promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale.
Solar energy is likely to quickly gather a foothold in GCC due to increasing energy demand, innovative developments and the potential economic value for solar energy, estimated at USD11 billion per annum.
Renewable energy is one of the key solutions to the current challenges facing the world’s energy future, and solar energy has seen a 19 per cent growth in the MENA region over the past few years. Key drivers for the growth of solar energy are improved technology coupled with the region’s strong and abundant sunlight.
Using alternative energy, such as solar power, would not only prove to be an efficient way to cope with the region’s increasing demand, the report said, but it would also allow for the export of excess capacities. For example, the UAE could produce its drinking water with the use of renewable energies instead of gas and thus better meet its projected demand, with limited pressure on electricity production. In addition the country could then export the gas saved and use the proceeds to finance the investments required in solar energy and other infrastructure projects.
“Using solar power and renewable forms of energies has several positive effects,” Ziegler said. “While tapping the sun’s power will alleviate the regions increasing energy demands it will also have less impact on the environment helping to cut greenhouse gas emissions.”
However, while a commitment to renewable energy, such as solar power, is paramount to meet future energy demands, the growth of the solar industry will have to be supported by national and regional strategies. This may include the development of specialised free zones, education and research, strategic investments in state-of-the-art solar farms as well as industry specific incentives and regulation.
Following the announcement that the UAE has joined the International Renewable Agency (IRENA) as a founding member, a recent report by A.T. Kearney, one of the world’s leading management consulting firms, shows the viability of renewable energy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The report comes at a time when the UAE government has announced a renewable energy target of seven per cent. A.T. Kearney’s report, Tapping the Sun: Embracing Solar Energy, shows how the power of the sun could be harnessed to provide solar energy.
“Sunshine is almost guaranteed for more than 300 days per year in most MENA locations. This, coupled with the vast deserts available for putting solar panels, which require a lot of space, makes the region ideal for the development of solar energy,” said Robert Ziegler, Vice President, A.T. Kearney Middle East, and author of the report.
IRENA is an initiative that Germany launched with like-minded countries. Mandated by governments worldwide, IRENA aims to become the main driving force in promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale.
Solar energy is likely to quickly gather a foothold in GCC due to increasing energy demand, innovative developments and the potential economic value for solar energy, estimated at USD11 billion per annum.
Renewable energy is one of the key solutions to the current challenges facing the world’s energy future, and solar energy has seen a 19 per cent growth in the MENA region over the past few years. Key drivers for the growth of solar energy are improved technology coupled with the region’s strong and abundant sunlight.
Using alternative energy, such as solar power, would not only prove to be an efficient way to cope with the region’s increasing demand, the report said, but it would also allow for the export of excess capacities. For example, the UAE could produce its drinking water with the use of renewable energies instead of gas and thus better meet its projected demand, with limited pressure on electricity production. In addition the country could then export the gas saved and use the proceeds to finance the investments required in solar energy and other infrastructure projects.
“Using solar power and renewable forms of energies has several positive effects,” Ziegler said. “While tapping the sun’s power will alleviate the regions increasing energy demands it will also have less impact on the environment helping to cut greenhouse gas emissions.”
However, while a commitment to renewable energy, such as solar power, is paramount to meet future energy demands, the growth of the solar industry will have to be supported by national and regional strategies. This may include the development of specialised free zones, education and research, strategic investments in state-of-the-art solar farms as well as industry specific incentives and regulation.
Research Highlights Potential for Improved Solar Cells
Certain nanocrystals shown to generate more than one electron
A team of Los Alamos researchers led by Victor Klimov has shown that carrier multiplication, when a photon creates multiple electrons, is a real phenomenon in tiny semiconductor crystals and not a false observation born of extraneous effects that mimic carrier multiplication. The research, explained in a recent issue of Accounts of Chemical Research, shows the possibility of solar cells that create more than one unit of energy per photon.
Questions about the ability to increase the energy output of solar cells have prompted Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers to reassess carrier multiplication in extremely small semiconductor particles.
When a conventional solar cell absorbs a photon of light, it frees an electron to generate an electrical current. Energy in excess of the amount needed to promote an electron into a conducting state is lost as heat to atomic vibrations (phonons) in the material lattice. Through carrier multiplication, excess energy can be transferred to another electron instead of the material lattice, freeing it to generate electrical current, thereby yielding a more efficient solar cell.
Klimov and colleagues have shown that nanocrystals of certain semiconductor materials can generate more than one electron after absorbing a photon. This is partly due to strengthened interactions between electrons squeezed together within the confines of the nanoscale particles.
In 2004, Los Alamos researchers Richard Schaller and Klimov reported the first observations of strong carrier multiplication in nanosized crystals of lead selenide resulting in up to two electron-hole pairs per absorbed photon. A year later, Arthur Nozik and co-workers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory reproduced these results. Eventually, spectroscopic signatures of carrier multiplication were observed in nanocrystals of various compositions, including silicon.
Recently, the claims in carrier multiplication research have become contentious. Specifically, some recent studies described low or negligible carrier multiplication efficiencies, which seemed to run contrary to earlier findings. To sort out these discrepancies, Los Alamos researchers analysed factors that could have led to a spread in the reported carrier multiplication results. These factors included variations between samples, differences in detection techniques, and effects mimicking the signatures of carrier multiplication in spectroscopic measurements.
To analyse how a particular detection technique might affect an outcome, John McGuire, a postdoctoral researcher on Klimov's team, investigated carrier multiplication using two different spectroscopic techniques—transient absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence. The results obtained by these two methods were in remarkable agreement, indicating that the use of different detection techniques is unlikely to explain discrepancies highlighted by other researchers. Further, although these measurements revealed some sample-to-sample variation in carrier multiplication yields, these variations were much smaller than the spread in reported data.
After ruling out these two potential causes of discrepancies, the researchers focused on effects that could mimic carrier multiplication. One such effect is photoionisation of nanocrystals.
"When a nanocrystal absorbs a high-energy photon, an electron can acquire enough energy to escape the material," Klimov explained. "This leaves behind a charged nanocrystal, which contains a positive 'hole.' Photogeneration of another electron by a second photon results in a two-hole, one-electron state, reminiscent of one produced by carrier multiplication, which can lead to false positives," he said.
To evaluate the influence of photoionisation, the Los Alamos researchers conducted back-to-back studies of static and stirred solutions of nanocrystals. Stirring removes charged nanocrystals from the measured region of the sample. Therefore, when crystals are subjected to light, the stirring eliminates the possibility that charged nanocrystals will absorb a second photon. While stirring of some samples did not affect the results of the measurements, other samples showed a significant difference in the apparent carrier multiplication yields measured under static and stirred conditions. Since most previous studies were performed on static samples, these results suggest that discrepancies noted by other researchers arise at least in part from uncontrolled photoionisation, which stirring seeks to eliminate.
The Los Alamos researchers re-evaluated carrier multiplication efficiencies when photoionisation was suppressed. The results are encouraging.
While the newly measured electron yields are lower than previously reported, the efficiency of carrier multiplication is still greater than in bulk solids. Specifically, both the energetic onset and the energy required to generate an extra electron in nanocrystals are about half of those in bulk solids.
These results indicate significant promise for nanosized crystals as efficient harvesters of solar radiation.
"Researchers still have a lot of work to do," Klimov cautioned. "One important challenge is to figure out how to design a material in which the energetic cost to create an extra electron can approach the limit defined by a semiconductor band gap. Such a material could raise the fundamental power conversion limit of a solar cell from 31 per cent to above 40 per cent."
A team of Los Alamos researchers led by Victor Klimov has shown that carrier multiplication, when a photon creates multiple electrons, is a real phenomenon in tiny semiconductor crystals and not a false observation born of extraneous effects that mimic carrier multiplication. The research, explained in a recent issue of Accounts of Chemical Research, shows the possibility of solar cells that create more than one unit of energy per photon.
Questions about the ability to increase the energy output of solar cells have prompted Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers to reassess carrier multiplication in extremely small semiconductor particles.
When a conventional solar cell absorbs a photon of light, it frees an electron to generate an electrical current. Energy in excess of the amount needed to promote an electron into a conducting state is lost as heat to atomic vibrations (phonons) in the material lattice. Through carrier multiplication, excess energy can be transferred to another electron instead of the material lattice, freeing it to generate electrical current, thereby yielding a more efficient solar cell.
Klimov and colleagues have shown that nanocrystals of certain semiconductor materials can generate more than one electron after absorbing a photon. This is partly due to strengthened interactions between electrons squeezed together within the confines of the nanoscale particles.
In 2004, Los Alamos researchers Richard Schaller and Klimov reported the first observations of strong carrier multiplication in nanosized crystals of lead selenide resulting in up to two electron-hole pairs per absorbed photon. A year later, Arthur Nozik and co-workers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory reproduced these results. Eventually, spectroscopic signatures of carrier multiplication were observed in nanocrystals of various compositions, including silicon.
Recently, the claims in carrier multiplication research have become contentious. Specifically, some recent studies described low or negligible carrier multiplication efficiencies, which seemed to run contrary to earlier findings. To sort out these discrepancies, Los Alamos researchers analysed factors that could have led to a spread in the reported carrier multiplication results. These factors included variations between samples, differences in detection techniques, and effects mimicking the signatures of carrier multiplication in spectroscopic measurements.
To analyse how a particular detection technique might affect an outcome, John McGuire, a postdoctoral researcher on Klimov's team, investigated carrier multiplication using two different spectroscopic techniques—transient absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence. The results obtained by these two methods were in remarkable agreement, indicating that the use of different detection techniques is unlikely to explain discrepancies highlighted by other researchers. Further, although these measurements revealed some sample-to-sample variation in carrier multiplication yields, these variations were much smaller than the spread in reported data.
After ruling out these two potential causes of discrepancies, the researchers focused on effects that could mimic carrier multiplication. One such effect is photoionisation of nanocrystals.
"When a nanocrystal absorbs a high-energy photon, an electron can acquire enough energy to escape the material," Klimov explained. "This leaves behind a charged nanocrystal, which contains a positive 'hole.' Photogeneration of another electron by a second photon results in a two-hole, one-electron state, reminiscent of one produced by carrier multiplication, which can lead to false positives," he said.
To evaluate the influence of photoionisation, the Los Alamos researchers conducted back-to-back studies of static and stirred solutions of nanocrystals. Stirring removes charged nanocrystals from the measured region of the sample. Therefore, when crystals are subjected to light, the stirring eliminates the possibility that charged nanocrystals will absorb a second photon. While stirring of some samples did not affect the results of the measurements, other samples showed a significant difference in the apparent carrier multiplication yields measured under static and stirred conditions. Since most previous studies were performed on static samples, these results suggest that discrepancies noted by other researchers arise at least in part from uncontrolled photoionisation, which stirring seeks to eliminate.
The Los Alamos researchers re-evaluated carrier multiplication efficiencies when photoionisation was suppressed. The results are encouraging.
While the newly measured electron yields are lower than previously reported, the efficiency of carrier multiplication is still greater than in bulk solids. Specifically, both the energetic onset and the energy required to generate an extra electron in nanocrystals are about half of those in bulk solids.
These results indicate significant promise for nanosized crystals as efficient harvesters of solar radiation.
"Researchers still have a lot of work to do," Klimov cautioned. "One important challenge is to figure out how to design a material in which the energetic cost to create an extra electron can approach the limit defined by a semiconductor band gap. Such a material could raise the fundamental power conversion limit of a solar cell from 31 per cent to above 40 per cent."
Natural Solar Collectors on Butterfly Wings Inspire More Powerful Solar Cells
The discovery that butterfly wings have scales that act as tiny solar collectors has led scientists in China and Japan to design a more efficient solar cell that could be used for powering homes, businesses, and other applications in the future. Their study appeared in the January 13, 2009 issue of ACS' Chemistry of Materials, a bi-weekly journal.
In the study, Di Zhang and colleagues note that scientists are searching for new materials to improve light-harvesting in so called dye-sensitised solar cells, also known as Grätzel cells for inventor Michael Grätzel. These cells have the highest light conversion efficiencies among all solar cells — as high as 10 per cent.
The researchers turned to the microscopic solar scales on butterfly wings in their search for improvements. Using natural butterfly wings as a mould or template, they made copies of the solar collectors and transferred those light-harvesting structures to Grätzel cells. Laboratory tests showed that the butterfly wing solar collector absorbed light more efficiently than conventional dye-sensitised cells. The fabrication process is simpler and faster than other methods, and could be used to manufacture other commercially valuable devices, the researchers say.
In the study, Di Zhang and colleagues note that scientists are searching for new materials to improve light-harvesting in so called dye-sensitised solar cells, also known as Grätzel cells for inventor Michael Grätzel. These cells have the highest light conversion efficiencies among all solar cells — as high as 10 per cent.
The researchers turned to the microscopic solar scales on butterfly wings in their search for improvements. Using natural butterfly wings as a mould or template, they made copies of the solar collectors and transferred those light-harvesting structures to Grätzel cells. Laboratory tests showed that the butterfly wing solar collector absorbed light more efficiently than conventional dye-sensitised cells. The fabrication process is simpler and faster than other methods, and could be used to manufacture other commercially valuable devices, the researchers say.
Cheaper Plastic Solar Cells in the Works
South Dakota State University’s Diane Hinkens describes her work in an interdisciplinary research collaboration that is trying to design, synthesise and eventually fabricate a more efficient and less costly solar cell
Sunlight, or solar radiation, is a remarkable phenomenon. It is the energy source in photosynthesis, it makes us warm on summer days, and, if future solar cells can be made more efficient and less costly, it may be our best source for reliable, clean and renewable energy.
As a postdoctoral researcher in the South Dakota State University (SDSU) department of electrical engineering, Diane is working with her advisor, Qiquan Qiao, an assistant professor in the department's Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, and Seth Darling, an assistant scientist at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory Centre for Nanoscale Materials, to design, synthesise and eventually fabricate a more efficient and less costly solar cell.
They are trying to develop a cell that addresses the main challenge facing solar energy devices: how to absorb more of the sun's energy for electricity production.
Plastic Cells
Unlike the vast majority of today's solar cells, which are expensive because they are made from silicon-based, or inorganic, semiconductors, the solar cell they are creating will be less costly as it will be made from organic, or carbon-based, semiconductors made from polymers. They use two different types of polymers: one that is electron-deficient, an organoborane polymer, and one that is electron-rich, a thiophene polymer.
Since most of her skills are focused on creating organoborane molecules, molecules made from carbon, boron and hydrogen, Diane rely heavily on Qiao, who is an expert in the physics of solar cells, and Darling, who is an expert in self-assembly and chemical computation. As each have expertise in specialised areas of science, putting their ideas together to make this project work is a great interdisciplinary research collaboration!
The organoborane and thiophene polymers are chain-like molecules made from carbon, boron, sulphur and hydrogen. These polymers have alternating double bonds and are flat, characteristics necessary for electrons to travel through the backbones of the polymers and produce electricity.
When connecting the organoborane and thiophene polymers, each with opposing electronic properties, we will create a "molecular p-n junction," key to collecting and using electrons for electricity.
By synthesising the p-n junction within the polymer molecules, Diane hopes to overcome many of the limitations of current organic solar cells.
Additionally, she incorporates molecules known to absorb different wavelengths of light into the polymer chains. By doing this, she hope that these polymers will be able to absorb nearly the entire spectrum of visible light, which has wavelengths ranging from approximately 400 nanometres (violet light) to 750 nanometres (red light), thereby harnessing much more of the sun's energy.
Self-assembling Arrays
“One reason my collaborators and I chose to research these polymers is because they may be capable of self-assembling in just a few seconds to form very tiny, ordered arrays of materials. The arrays will allow the electrons to more easily find their path out of the ordered blocks to produce electricity,” says Diane.
The proposed solar cell would consist of approximately one quadrillion polymer molecules enclosed in an area of just one square centimetre.
The immediate goal for the research project is to develop a greater understanding of this class of materials, knowledge that will be used down the line to develop and fabricate the proposed solar cell.
Printing Cells
“To identify which polymer structures best fit our requirements, I have been using a commercial computational chemistry software program that will give me direction for the biggest challenge of this project, which will be making and characterising these polymers.”
These solar cells may be inexpensive to produce because the organic polymers can be created using low-cost techniques like reel-to-reel processing, similar to the method behind newspaper printing, which results in a material that is lightweight and mechanically flexible.
“In September 2008, I was awarded an inaugural National Science Foundation American Competitiveness in Chemistry Fellowship, a two-year grant that is giving me an opportunity to both contribute to US competitiveness and to involve students from traditionally under-represented groups in this important area of science. I plan to develop a solar cell laboratory for the Chicago Science Alliance, which supports science teachers in the Chicago Public Schools, and to work with my advisor to develop hands-on activities describing solar cell materials for inclusion in a mobile science laboratory. The lab would travel across South Dakota to reach small rural schools as well as schools on Native American reservations,” adds Diane.
Sunlight, or solar radiation, is a remarkable phenomenon. It is the energy source in photosynthesis, it makes us warm on summer days, and, if future solar cells can be made more efficient and less costly, it may be our best source for reliable, clean and renewable energy.
As a postdoctoral researcher in the South Dakota State University (SDSU) department of electrical engineering, Diane is working with her advisor, Qiquan Qiao, an assistant professor in the department's Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, and Seth Darling, an assistant scientist at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory Centre for Nanoscale Materials, to design, synthesise and eventually fabricate a more efficient and less costly solar cell.
They are trying to develop a cell that addresses the main challenge facing solar energy devices: how to absorb more of the sun's energy for electricity production.
Plastic Cells
Unlike the vast majority of today's solar cells, which are expensive because they are made from silicon-based, or inorganic, semiconductors, the solar cell they are creating will be less costly as it will be made from organic, or carbon-based, semiconductors made from polymers. They use two different types of polymers: one that is electron-deficient, an organoborane polymer, and one that is electron-rich, a thiophene polymer.
Since most of her skills are focused on creating organoborane molecules, molecules made from carbon, boron and hydrogen, Diane rely heavily on Qiao, who is an expert in the physics of solar cells, and Darling, who is an expert in self-assembly and chemical computation. As each have expertise in specialised areas of science, putting their ideas together to make this project work is a great interdisciplinary research collaboration!
The organoborane and thiophene polymers are chain-like molecules made from carbon, boron, sulphur and hydrogen. These polymers have alternating double bonds and are flat, characteristics necessary for electrons to travel through the backbones of the polymers and produce electricity.
When connecting the organoborane and thiophene polymers, each with opposing electronic properties, we will create a "molecular p-n junction," key to collecting and using electrons for electricity.
By synthesising the p-n junction within the polymer molecules, Diane hopes to overcome many of the limitations of current organic solar cells.
Additionally, she incorporates molecules known to absorb different wavelengths of light into the polymer chains. By doing this, she hope that these polymers will be able to absorb nearly the entire spectrum of visible light, which has wavelengths ranging from approximately 400 nanometres (violet light) to 750 nanometres (red light), thereby harnessing much more of the sun's energy.
Self-assembling Arrays
“One reason my collaborators and I chose to research these polymers is because they may be capable of self-assembling in just a few seconds to form very tiny, ordered arrays of materials. The arrays will allow the electrons to more easily find their path out of the ordered blocks to produce electricity,” says Diane.
The proposed solar cell would consist of approximately one quadrillion polymer molecules enclosed in an area of just one square centimetre.
The immediate goal for the research project is to develop a greater understanding of this class of materials, knowledge that will be used down the line to develop and fabricate the proposed solar cell.
Printing Cells
“To identify which polymer structures best fit our requirements, I have been using a commercial computational chemistry software program that will give me direction for the biggest challenge of this project, which will be making and characterising these polymers.”
These solar cells may be inexpensive to produce because the organic polymers can be created using low-cost techniques like reel-to-reel processing, similar to the method behind newspaper printing, which results in a material that is lightweight and mechanically flexible.
“In September 2008, I was awarded an inaugural National Science Foundation American Competitiveness in Chemistry Fellowship, a two-year grant that is giving me an opportunity to both contribute to US competitiveness and to involve students from traditionally under-represented groups in this important area of science. I plan to develop a solar cell laboratory for the Chicago Science Alliance, which supports science teachers in the Chicago Public Schools, and to work with my advisor to develop hands-on activities describing solar cell materials for inclusion in a mobile science laboratory. The lab would travel across South Dakota to reach small rural schools as well as schools on Native American reservations,” adds Diane.
Did You Say Flexible Electronics?
Organic electronic devices possible with supercritical carbon dioxide process
Someday, moving a large, flat-screen TV across the country might be as simple as taking it off the wall, rolling it up and sliding it into a study tube. That's the vision of researchers Christopher Ober and George Malliaras at Cornell University, and Andrew Holmes at the University of Melbourne, Australia, who are fabricating organic semi conducting materials with a little help from supercritical carbon dioxide, or CO2.
Organic semiconductors are the main component of a range of future organic electronics, such as flexible flat-panel displays, inexpensive solar cells and advanced medical devices. Because they are energy-efficient, inexpensive and lightweight, organic electronics are expected someday to compose a multi-billion industry.
Electronics today are dominated by inorganic materials, especially silicon. Development of organic electronic devices, necessary for that desired flexibility, has been stymied until now because ordinary solvents used in the photolithographic process are very damaging to active organic materials. The researchers, funded by the National Science Foundation, have developed a new process that instead employs supercritical CO2, a far gentler solvent with properties midway between a gas and a liquid.
Supercritical CO2 is an unusual solvent, not quite polar like water, but not quite non-polar like hydrocarbons. As a result it will not dissolve most organic semiconductors. It also has almost no viscosity, and it will wet everything. That means that only certain molecules or polymers are soluble in it. Researchers take advantage of these unique attributes by designing special photo resists that will work in such an environmentally friendly solvent.
The new fabrication process means layers of organic materials can be stacked and the interface between the layers isn't disturbed in the fabrication process. "The interface region is important for charge transport," Ober said. "If it remains undisturbed, we can fabricate small-scale structures with the same electronic characteristics as current large-scale devices."
With the new technology, electronic displays would be made of organic electronics on a substrate of plastic, which in addition to being flexible, is cheaper, lighter and more durable than current glass displays. Because the display is capable of generating its own light, the image would be would be clear in strong sunlight, another advantage over existing technology.
Smart bandages and solar panels are two additional candidates for organic electronics.
A smart bandage would revolutionise wound treatment. The bandage is something that hasn't changed for 10,000 years. To check a wound's progress, it is still necessary to peel back the bandage. "Smart bandages could monitor wound healing without disturbing the bandage, administer antibiotics as needed and send medical staff up-to-date information about the wound's treatment," Ober said.
As for solar energy, organic electronics could give the technology a giant step forward. Only a very small fraction of power today is generated by solar cells, which convert solar energy into electricity, because they are expensive to produce and the efficiency of most common panels is only about 10 per cent.
"With organic semi conducting materials, the panels would be much smaller, much more efficient and lighter than the current technology, making them much cheaper to produce and easier to mount on buildings," Ober said.
Experts predict if the cost of producing solar cells could be reduced by a factor of 10, solar energy would be not only environmentally favourable, but also economically favourable.
While the US scientists provide expertise in evaluating the properties of materials and in the use of supercritical CO2 in device fabrication, the Australian group brings to the collaboration its synthetic capabilities to provide photo-resist materials designed to work together with supercritical carbon dioxide.
Someday, moving a large, flat-screen TV across the country might be as simple as taking it off the wall, rolling it up and sliding it into a study tube. That's the vision of researchers Christopher Ober and George Malliaras at Cornell University, and Andrew Holmes at the University of Melbourne, Australia, who are fabricating organic semi conducting materials with a little help from supercritical carbon dioxide, or CO2.
Organic semiconductors are the main component of a range of future organic electronics, such as flexible flat-panel displays, inexpensive solar cells and advanced medical devices. Because they are energy-efficient, inexpensive and lightweight, organic electronics are expected someday to compose a multi-billion industry.
Electronics today are dominated by inorganic materials, especially silicon. Development of organic electronic devices, necessary for that desired flexibility, has been stymied until now because ordinary solvents used in the photolithographic process are very damaging to active organic materials. The researchers, funded by the National Science Foundation, have developed a new process that instead employs supercritical CO2, a far gentler solvent with properties midway between a gas and a liquid.
Supercritical CO2 is an unusual solvent, not quite polar like water, but not quite non-polar like hydrocarbons. As a result it will not dissolve most organic semiconductors. It also has almost no viscosity, and it will wet everything. That means that only certain molecules or polymers are soluble in it. Researchers take advantage of these unique attributes by designing special photo resists that will work in such an environmentally friendly solvent.
The new fabrication process means layers of organic materials can be stacked and the interface between the layers isn't disturbed in the fabrication process. "The interface region is important for charge transport," Ober said. "If it remains undisturbed, we can fabricate small-scale structures with the same electronic characteristics as current large-scale devices."
With the new technology, electronic displays would be made of organic electronics on a substrate of plastic, which in addition to being flexible, is cheaper, lighter and more durable than current glass displays. Because the display is capable of generating its own light, the image would be would be clear in strong sunlight, another advantage over existing technology.
Smart bandages and solar panels are two additional candidates for organic electronics.
A smart bandage would revolutionise wound treatment. The bandage is something that hasn't changed for 10,000 years. To check a wound's progress, it is still necessary to peel back the bandage. "Smart bandages could monitor wound healing without disturbing the bandage, administer antibiotics as needed and send medical staff up-to-date information about the wound's treatment," Ober said.
As for solar energy, organic electronics could give the technology a giant step forward. Only a very small fraction of power today is generated by solar cells, which convert solar energy into electricity, because they are expensive to produce and the efficiency of most common panels is only about 10 per cent.
"With organic semi conducting materials, the panels would be much smaller, much more efficient and lighter than the current technology, making them much cheaper to produce and easier to mount on buildings," Ober said.
Experts predict if the cost of producing solar cells could be reduced by a factor of 10, solar energy would be not only environmentally favourable, but also economically favourable.
While the US scientists provide expertise in evaluating the properties of materials and in the use of supercritical CO2 in device fabrication, the Australian group brings to the collaboration its synthetic capabilities to provide photo-resist materials designed to work together with supercritical carbon dioxide.
Solar for Soldiers
Renewable Energy to Lessen the Load on the Front Lines
The scene is a familiar one from the nightly news: a soldier on patrol in a remote locale, outfitted in the latest high-tech gadgetry – radios, night vision goggles, navigation gear – devices that enhance mission capabilities and help keep the infantry safe.
While such electronic wizardry has become indispensable to the modern military, it also requires an ever growing amount of power to keep it all running.
That has usually meant more and more batteries. At some point, however, lugging around heavy batteries becomes a logistical nightmare, and ultimately, it is self defeating, for it contradicts the “light and portable” premise on which the technology is based.
So how then will the Army of the future keep the charge light on green?
The Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency are teaming with a consortium of universities and private companies to perfect an advanced solar cell designed to be smaller and far more efficient than existing cells. Such a solar photovoltaic (or PV) panel would be tiny enough to be built into differing types of portable electronic equipment, yet powerful enough to deliver a sufficient current for charging.
To achieve this ambitious goal, scientists are bringing together several of the most revolutionary concepts yet developed for PV cells. The cell they envision would have different layers of PV materials, each producing the optimum amount of electricity from varied portions of the light spectrum. It additionally would be topped by a lens that would concentrate the amount of sunlight directed on the PV materials.
“By drawing upon several of the most important innovations in PV design and combining them into an entirely new concept for cell design, we believe we can leapfrog over the limitations that had long been assumed for efficiency, size, cost and other critical factors,” said Dr Mark Wanlass, principal scientist at NREL.
“The new device we are looking to develop could not only solve many of the limitations our soldiers today encounter with electronics in the battlefield,” Wanlass added, “it may spur other new solutions for solar power in space, and eventually, for our homes and businesses here at home.”
There are many reasons the military finds it advantageous to use solar cells to charge batteries. By being able to reliably charge batteries, it reduces the number of spare batteries needed. From a logistical standpoint, that means fewer trucks, helicopters and planes are required to ferry stocks of batteries into the field.
For individual soldiers, it can mean as much as a 20-pound decrease in the field supplies they must carry – a lighter load that can enhance their agility and stamina.
The end result is an armed force that is more efficient, as well as more environmentally sustainable.
In a related project, Wanlass says the research team is also putting a lot of focus on what is being called the “inverted metamorphic multi-junction,” or IMM solar cell, which he says “has clear advantages in performance, engineering design, operation, and cost.”
It employs an entirely new way of constructing cells, with layers being grown, or deposited, from top to bottom, a notion that turns the well established method of putting layers one atop another, literally on its head. The IMM cell is particularly well suited to power space vehicles, thereby supporting the soldier who relies on satellites for communications and reconnaissance.
Wanlass believes research should continue as well on other approaches to higher efficiency solar cells, such as different cell structures and even more novel materials. In the short run, however, he believes the IMM cells hold the most promise for breaking the boundaries of efficiency with a new class of solar photovoltaic device.
The scene is a familiar one from the nightly news: a soldier on patrol in a remote locale, outfitted in the latest high-tech gadgetry – radios, night vision goggles, navigation gear – devices that enhance mission capabilities and help keep the infantry safe.
While such electronic wizardry has become indispensable to the modern military, it also requires an ever growing amount of power to keep it all running.
That has usually meant more and more batteries. At some point, however, lugging around heavy batteries becomes a logistical nightmare, and ultimately, it is self defeating, for it contradicts the “light and portable” premise on which the technology is based.
So how then will the Army of the future keep the charge light on green?
The Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency are teaming with a consortium of universities and private companies to perfect an advanced solar cell designed to be smaller and far more efficient than existing cells. Such a solar photovoltaic (or PV) panel would be tiny enough to be built into differing types of portable electronic equipment, yet powerful enough to deliver a sufficient current for charging.
To achieve this ambitious goal, scientists are bringing together several of the most revolutionary concepts yet developed for PV cells. The cell they envision would have different layers of PV materials, each producing the optimum amount of electricity from varied portions of the light spectrum. It additionally would be topped by a lens that would concentrate the amount of sunlight directed on the PV materials.
“By drawing upon several of the most important innovations in PV design and combining them into an entirely new concept for cell design, we believe we can leapfrog over the limitations that had long been assumed for efficiency, size, cost and other critical factors,” said Dr Mark Wanlass, principal scientist at NREL.
“The new device we are looking to develop could not only solve many of the limitations our soldiers today encounter with electronics in the battlefield,” Wanlass added, “it may spur other new solutions for solar power in space, and eventually, for our homes and businesses here at home.”
There are many reasons the military finds it advantageous to use solar cells to charge batteries. By being able to reliably charge batteries, it reduces the number of spare batteries needed. From a logistical standpoint, that means fewer trucks, helicopters and planes are required to ferry stocks of batteries into the field.
For individual soldiers, it can mean as much as a 20-pound decrease in the field supplies they must carry – a lighter load that can enhance their agility and stamina.
The end result is an armed force that is more efficient, as well as more environmentally sustainable.
In a related project, Wanlass says the research team is also putting a lot of focus on what is being called the “inverted metamorphic multi-junction,” or IMM solar cell, which he says “has clear advantages in performance, engineering design, operation, and cost.”
It employs an entirely new way of constructing cells, with layers being grown, or deposited, from top to bottom, a notion that turns the well established method of putting layers one atop another, literally on its head. The IMM cell is particularly well suited to power space vehicles, thereby supporting the soldier who relies on satellites for communications and reconnaissance.
Wanlass believes research should continue as well on other approaches to higher efficiency solar cells, such as different cell structures and even more novel materials. In the short run, however, he believes the IMM cells hold the most promise for breaking the boundaries of efficiency with a new class of solar photovoltaic device.
Toward a Just and Sustainable Solar Energy Industry
Every hour, enough solar energy reaches the Earth to meet human energy needs for an entire year. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is widely seen as a “win-win” solution that can harness this “free energy” to address global warming, reduce U.S. dependence on energy imports, create “green jobs,” and help revitalise the economy.
Solar energy will play an essential role in meeting these challenges, but as the solar PV sector expands, little attention is being paid to the potential environmental and health costs of that rapid expansion. The most widely used solar PV panels are based on materials and processes from the microelectronics industry and have the potential to create a huge new wave of electronic waste (e-waste) at the end of their useful lives, which is estimated to be 20 to 25 years. New solar PV technologies are increasing cell efficiency and lowering costs, but many of these use extremely toxic materials or materials with unknown health and environmental risks.
A white paper published by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) provides an overview of the health and safety issues faced by the solar PV industry, including the toxic materials used in manufacturing and the potential end-of-life disposal hazards of solar PV products. The report also lays out recommendations to immediately address these problems to build a safe, sustainable, and just solar energy industry.
The solar PV industry has seen tremendous growth in the past decade and continues to expand even as credit markets contract. In 2007, the industry grew by 62 per cent and earned USD17.2 billion in global revenues. The number of solar cells produced globally has increased sevenfold in the past five years, and cumulative installations have increased fivefold over that time.
Although solar power now provides just 1/10th of 1 per cent of U.S. energy consumption, that share is rapidly expanding as costs become more competitive with conventional energy sources. By some estimates, each time the volume of solar PV cell shipments doubles, the price falls by about 20 per cent. The sector forecasts sustained growth, as calls for carbon-free energy and green jobs translate into increased investment in renewable energy, tax incentives for solar PV systems, and subsidies for solar PV research.
Solar energy, being an essential part of the global move toward clean and renewable energy, decisive attention ought to be paid to the potential risks and consequences of scaling up solar PV cell production. The solar PV industry must address these issues immediately, or risk repeating the mistakes made by the microelectronics industry of widespread toxic chemical pollution.
Although the solar PV boom is still in its early stages, disturbing global trends are beginning to emerge. Much of the polysilicon feedstock material (the highly refined silicon used as the basic material for crystalline silicon PV cells) is produced in countries like China, where manufacturing costs and environmental regulatory enforcement are low. In March 2008, the Washington Post reported that at least one plant in China’s Henan province is regularly dumping extremely toxic silicon tetrachloride (a corrosive and toxic waste product of polysilicon manufacturing) on nearby farmland. According to Li Xiaoping, deputy director of the Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, “Crops cannot grow on this, and it is not suitable for people to live nearby.” Silicon tetrachloride makes the soil too acidic for plants, causes severe irritation to living tissues, and is highly toxic when ingested or inhaled.
SVTC is urging the industry to urgently adopt policies that:
• Reduce and eventually eliminate the use of toxic materials and develop environmentally sustainable practices. This includes proper testing of new and emerging materials based on a precautionary approach. This approach requires that materials be proven safe before use, rather than waiting until they cause harm.
• Ensure that solar PV manufacturers are responsible for the lifecycle impacts of their products through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Solar PV companies should take back decommissioned solar panels and recycle them responsibly. Responsible recycling does not export waste overseas or use prison labour.
• Ensure proper testing of new and emerging materials and processes based on a precautionary approach. Those advocating the use of new chemicals or processes must prove their safety (rather than requiring communities or workers to prove their dangers).
• Expand recycling technology and design products for easy recycling: Current solar PV products contain many toxic materials that should not enter the waste stream when products are decommissioned. Requiring manufacturer responsibility will provide an incentive to design less-toxic solar PV products that are easier to recycle. It will also spur development of safe recycling technologies.
• Promote high-quality “green jobs” that protect worker health and safety and provide a living wage throughout the global PV industry, including supply chains, production, and recycling.
• Protect community health and safety throughout the global PV industry, including supply chains and end-of-life recycling. People have the right to know what toxic materials are being used in their communities.
Potential End-of-Life Hazards for Solar PV Products
Solar panels have an estimated life of about 25 years. What will happen to them at the end of their life span? Not only do solar PV products contain many of the same materials as electronic waste (e-waste), but they also contain a growing number of new and emerging materials that present complex recycling challenges. These challenges include finding ways to recycle the small amounts of valuable materials on which many of the new solar PV technologies are based.
Much like e-waste, solar panels will leave a toxic legacy if they end up in landfills (where the materials they contain can leach into groundwater) or incinerators (where burning can release toxic materials into the air). To avoid a repeat of the e-waste crisis, we need to ensure that decommissioned solar PV products are recycled responsibly and do not enter the waste stream at all.
One option could be to recycle solar PV panels that contain toxic metals at existing responsible e-waste recycling facilities or at facilities that recycle batteries containing lead and cadmium, thereby keeping toxics out of the municipal incinerators and landfills. However, the latter hazardous waste recovery facilities are often low-tech and in need of substantial research and development to improve their environmental footprint.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), such as manufacturer take-back requirements, will be the key to ensuring that these complex and diverse solar PV products can be safely recycled. Making manufacturers responsible for the life cycle impacts of their products will provide incentives for the development of safe and effective recycling technologies and for the design of products that are easier to recycle. Plans for recovering and recycling materials at the end of product life should be standard practice for any product identified as a “renewable” energy source.
Taking Action
Working together, we need to take steps to ensure that today’s solar PV products are safe and sustainable throughout their lifecycles and supply chains. SVTC makes the following recommendations for this:
State and Federal Policy makers
• Author and support legislation that requires take-back policies for electronic waste, including solar panels.
• Enact policies regarding the import and sale of products containing toxic materials; these policies should, at a minimum, meet the standards set by recent E.U. legislation.
• Support legislation to prevent the export of hazardous waste to developing countries.
• Support legislation that promotes the creation of high-quality “green jobs.” Green jobs protect worker health and safety, while providing a living wage, health and other benefits, job satisfaction, access for entry-level workers, and opportunities for career advancement.
Solar Panel Designers and Manufacturers
• Through continuous improvement in product and manufacturing design, reduce and eventually eliminate the use of toxic materials in the production of solar panels.
• Design and manufacture solar panels that can be easily and safely recycled.
• Know and disclose the chemicals used in products throughout their lifecycles.
• Assess the potential hazards of chemicals in use and avoid toxic exposure to workers, the environment, and the public.
• Establish effective take-back policies for solar panels, including strategies to collect and recycle panels when they are decommissioned.
• Monitor supply chains for the chemical inputs used in solar cell manufacturing and ensure that environmental and labour practices are safe and just.
Consumers
• Contact legislators with your concerns. Tell them you strongly support the use of solar energy and want to make sure it is advanced in a safe and just manner.
• Before purchasing solar panels, find out if the company will take back the solar panels after use and ensure responsible recycling. Also inquire whether the company actively supports legislation to require take-back programs and the use of responsible recyclers for the solar industry.
• Although manufacturers should ultimately take responsibility for ensuring product safety, consumers need information about the toxic materials used in solar panels and about any potential hazards those materials pose to users (for example, in the case of residential fires).
Solar energy will play an essential role in meeting these challenges, but as the solar PV sector expands, little attention is being paid to the potential environmental and health costs of that rapid expansion. The most widely used solar PV panels are based on materials and processes from the microelectronics industry and have the potential to create a huge new wave of electronic waste (e-waste) at the end of their useful lives, which is estimated to be 20 to 25 years. New solar PV technologies are increasing cell efficiency and lowering costs, but many of these use extremely toxic materials or materials with unknown health and environmental risks.
A white paper published by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) provides an overview of the health and safety issues faced by the solar PV industry, including the toxic materials used in manufacturing and the potential end-of-life disposal hazards of solar PV products. The report also lays out recommendations to immediately address these problems to build a safe, sustainable, and just solar energy industry.
The solar PV industry has seen tremendous growth in the past decade and continues to expand even as credit markets contract. In 2007, the industry grew by 62 per cent and earned USD17.2 billion in global revenues. The number of solar cells produced globally has increased sevenfold in the past five years, and cumulative installations have increased fivefold over that time.
Although solar power now provides just 1/10th of 1 per cent of U.S. energy consumption, that share is rapidly expanding as costs become more competitive with conventional energy sources. By some estimates, each time the volume of solar PV cell shipments doubles, the price falls by about 20 per cent. The sector forecasts sustained growth, as calls for carbon-free energy and green jobs translate into increased investment in renewable energy, tax incentives for solar PV systems, and subsidies for solar PV research.
Solar energy, being an essential part of the global move toward clean and renewable energy, decisive attention ought to be paid to the potential risks and consequences of scaling up solar PV cell production. The solar PV industry must address these issues immediately, or risk repeating the mistakes made by the microelectronics industry of widespread toxic chemical pollution.
Although the solar PV boom is still in its early stages, disturbing global trends are beginning to emerge. Much of the polysilicon feedstock material (the highly refined silicon used as the basic material for crystalline silicon PV cells) is produced in countries like China, where manufacturing costs and environmental regulatory enforcement are low. In March 2008, the Washington Post reported that at least one plant in China’s Henan province is regularly dumping extremely toxic silicon tetrachloride (a corrosive and toxic waste product of polysilicon manufacturing) on nearby farmland. According to Li Xiaoping, deputy director of the Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, “Crops cannot grow on this, and it is not suitable for people to live nearby.” Silicon tetrachloride makes the soil too acidic for plants, causes severe irritation to living tissues, and is highly toxic when ingested or inhaled.
SVTC is urging the industry to urgently adopt policies that:
• Reduce and eventually eliminate the use of toxic materials and develop environmentally sustainable practices. This includes proper testing of new and emerging materials based on a precautionary approach. This approach requires that materials be proven safe before use, rather than waiting until they cause harm.
• Ensure that solar PV manufacturers are responsible for the lifecycle impacts of their products through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Solar PV companies should take back decommissioned solar panels and recycle them responsibly. Responsible recycling does not export waste overseas or use prison labour.
• Ensure proper testing of new and emerging materials and processes based on a precautionary approach. Those advocating the use of new chemicals or processes must prove their safety (rather than requiring communities or workers to prove their dangers).
• Expand recycling technology and design products for easy recycling: Current solar PV products contain many toxic materials that should not enter the waste stream when products are decommissioned. Requiring manufacturer responsibility will provide an incentive to design less-toxic solar PV products that are easier to recycle. It will also spur development of safe recycling technologies.
• Promote high-quality “green jobs” that protect worker health and safety and provide a living wage throughout the global PV industry, including supply chains, production, and recycling.
• Protect community health and safety throughout the global PV industry, including supply chains and end-of-life recycling. People have the right to know what toxic materials are being used in their communities.
Potential End-of-Life Hazards for Solar PV Products
Solar panels have an estimated life of about 25 years. What will happen to them at the end of their life span? Not only do solar PV products contain many of the same materials as electronic waste (e-waste), but they also contain a growing number of new and emerging materials that present complex recycling challenges. These challenges include finding ways to recycle the small amounts of valuable materials on which many of the new solar PV technologies are based.
Much like e-waste, solar panels will leave a toxic legacy if they end up in landfills (where the materials they contain can leach into groundwater) or incinerators (where burning can release toxic materials into the air). To avoid a repeat of the e-waste crisis, we need to ensure that decommissioned solar PV products are recycled responsibly and do not enter the waste stream at all.
One option could be to recycle solar PV panels that contain toxic metals at existing responsible e-waste recycling facilities or at facilities that recycle batteries containing lead and cadmium, thereby keeping toxics out of the municipal incinerators and landfills. However, the latter hazardous waste recovery facilities are often low-tech and in need of substantial research and development to improve their environmental footprint.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), such as manufacturer take-back requirements, will be the key to ensuring that these complex and diverse solar PV products can be safely recycled. Making manufacturers responsible for the life cycle impacts of their products will provide incentives for the development of safe and effective recycling technologies and for the design of products that are easier to recycle. Plans for recovering and recycling materials at the end of product life should be standard practice for any product identified as a “renewable” energy source.
Taking Action
Working together, we need to take steps to ensure that today’s solar PV products are safe and sustainable throughout their lifecycles and supply chains. SVTC makes the following recommendations for this:
State and Federal Policy makers
• Author and support legislation that requires take-back policies for electronic waste, including solar panels.
• Enact policies regarding the import and sale of products containing toxic materials; these policies should, at a minimum, meet the standards set by recent E.U. legislation.
• Support legislation to prevent the export of hazardous waste to developing countries.
• Support legislation that promotes the creation of high-quality “green jobs.” Green jobs protect worker health and safety, while providing a living wage, health and other benefits, job satisfaction, access for entry-level workers, and opportunities for career advancement.
Solar Panel Designers and Manufacturers
• Through continuous improvement in product and manufacturing design, reduce and eventually eliminate the use of toxic materials in the production of solar panels.
• Design and manufacture solar panels that can be easily and safely recycled.
• Know and disclose the chemicals used in products throughout their lifecycles.
• Assess the potential hazards of chemicals in use and avoid toxic exposure to workers, the environment, and the public.
• Establish effective take-back policies for solar panels, including strategies to collect and recycle panels when they are decommissioned.
• Monitor supply chains for the chemical inputs used in solar cell manufacturing and ensure that environmental and labour practices are safe and just.
Consumers
• Contact legislators with your concerns. Tell them you strongly support the use of solar energy and want to make sure it is advanced in a safe and just manner.
• Before purchasing solar panels, find out if the company will take back the solar panels after use and ensure responsible recycling. Also inquire whether the company actively supports legislation to require take-back programs and the use of responsible recyclers for the solar industry.
• Although manufacturers should ultimately take responsibility for ensuring product safety, consumers need information about the toxic materials used in solar panels and about any potential hazards those materials pose to users (for example, in the case of residential fires).
The UAE’s largest solar hot water project
Millennium Energy Industries (MEI), a leading solar solutions company operating in the MENA region, has signed an agreement with the Modern Residential City, Abu Dhabi, for the design, supply, and installation of advanced central solar hot water solutions in 48 buildings. The central solar hot water systems are to fully supply 1.3 million litres/day of domestic hot water for the expected 25,000 city residents. This solar project is the largest of its kind in the UAE and complements Abu Dhabi’s existing environmental initiatives such as Masdar.
The advanced solar solution will generate savings of more than USD3 million in capital costs. Furthermore, the new solar solution, which includes an electrical backup system, will enable over 90 per cent savings in the running cost during the winter months.
“With the right regional engineering expertise, advanced solar heating technology is currently commercially viable due to its efficiency and reliability,” said Ennis Rimawi, Chairman of MEI.
The Modern Residential City will house 25,000 residents, including workers, technicians, and supervisors and will be located in Al-Musafah area. The project will commence in 2009.
“Having successfully completed other major projects, including Rotana International Hotels, Movenpick Hotels and the Jordache Jeans Factories, MEI is well placed to carry out the UAE’s largest solar hot water project for Modern Residential City.”
Based in Amman, Jordan, MEI provides a wide range of solar solutions, including solar power, steam and cooling solutions to projects across the MENA region.
The advanced solar solution will generate savings of more than USD3 million in capital costs. Furthermore, the new solar solution, which includes an electrical backup system, will enable over 90 per cent savings in the running cost during the winter months.
“With the right regional engineering expertise, advanced solar heating technology is currently commercially viable due to its efficiency and reliability,” said Ennis Rimawi, Chairman of MEI.
The Modern Residential City will house 25,000 residents, including workers, technicians, and supervisors and will be located in Al-Musafah area. The project will commence in 2009.
“Having successfully completed other major projects, including Rotana International Hotels, Movenpick Hotels and the Jordache Jeans Factories, MEI is well placed to carry out the UAE’s largest solar hot water project for Modern Residential City.”
Based in Amman, Jordan, MEI provides a wide range of solar solutions, including solar power, steam and cooling solutions to projects across the MENA region.
Enhancing solar cells with nanoparticles
New approach to help solar cells harvest light more efficiently
Deriving plentiful electricity from sunlight at a modest cost is a challenge with immense implications for energy, technology, and climate policy. A paper in a special energy issue of Optics Express, the Optical Society's (OSA) open-access journal, describes a relatively new approach to solar cells: lacing them with nanoscopic metal particles. As the authors describe in the article, this approach has the potential to greatly improve the ability of solar cells to harvest light efficiently.
Like plants, solar cells turn light into energy. Plants do this inside vegetable matter, while solar cells do it in a semiconductor crystal doped with extra atoms. Current solar cells cannot convert all the incoming light into usable energy because some of the light can escape back out of the cell into the air. Additionally, sunlight comes in a variety of colours and the cell might be more efficient at converting bluish light while being less efficient at converting reddish light.
The nanoparticle approach seeks to remedy these problems. The key to this new research is the creation of a tiny electrical disturbance called a "surface plasmon." When light strikes a piece of metal it can set up waves in the surface of the metal. These waves of electrons then move about like ripples on the surface of a pond. If the metal is in the form of a tiny particle, the incoming light can make the particle vibrate, thus effectively scattering the light. If, furthermore, the light is at certain "resonant" colours, the scattering process is particularly strong.
In the Optics Express paper, Kylie Catchpole and Albert Polman show what happens when a thin coating of nanoscopic (a billionth of a meter in size) metal particles are placed onto a solar cell. First of all, the use of nanoparticles causes the incoming sunlight to scatter more fully, keeping more of the light inside the solar cell. Second, varying the size and material of the particles allows researchers to improve light capture at otherwise poorly-performing colours.
In their work, carried out at the FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics in The Netherlands, Catchpole and Polman showed that light capture for long-wavelength (reddish) light could be improved by a factor of more than ten. Previously Catchpole and co-workers at the University of New South Wales showed that overall light-gathering efficiency for solar cells using metallic nanoparticles can be improved by 30 percent.
"I think we are about three years from seeing plasmons in photovoltaic generation," says Catchpole, who has now started a new group studying surface plasmons at the Australian National University. "An important point about plasmonic solar cells is that they are applicable to any kind of solar cell." This includes the standard silicon or newer thin-film types.
Solar Millennium wins Energy Globe Award
Honoured for outstanding contribution to climate-friendly power generation; underlining the growth potential for solar thermal power plants
Solar Millennium, based in Erlangen, Germany, has won the internationally renowned Energy Globe Award. The distinction was awarded for the initiation and development of Europe's first parabolic trough power plants, the Spanish Andasol power plants. The prize awarded honours the projects' innovative character and its major contribution to climate protection.
The Andasol projects are a group of three solar thermal power plants in Andalusia, southern Spain. The first project has been under construction since 2006 and goes into operation this year, the second will be connected to the grid next year and construction on the third project is to start this year. Each solar power plant will supply environmentally-friendly electricity to up to 200,000 people, cutting down on 149,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year compared to a modern coal fired plant. These are the first parabolic trough power plants in Europe as well as being the largest solar power plants in the world each with solar fields of over 510,000 sq. meters of collector surface.
It was the outstanding contribution made by the Andasol projects to climate-friendly power production that convinced the jury and which was the deciding factor for the 10,000 euro Energy Globe Award in the "Fire" category, awarded to innovative projects for environmentally-friendly power production. The greatest growth potential for the parabolic trough technology used in the Andasol power plants has been shown to be in the earth's Sun Belt countries. Solar thermal power plants are able to make a decisive contribution to converting global energy systems to a regenerative basis.
The worldwide significant and renowned environment prize was founded in 1999 as the "World Energy Globe Award for Sustainability". Since then, international projects which spare resources and/or use renewable energy sources have been awarded. The goal of the Energy Globe Awards is to present successful projects to a broad public. Around 800 projects and initiatives enter the competition every year, which are awarded in the categories of Earth, Fire (electricity), Water, Air and Youth. The Energy Globe Awards prize-giving ceremony takes place every year in the form of a worldwide broadcast television gala.
The Andasol projects were selected from over 800 submissions. The award ceremony, which took place at the European Parliament in Brussels, was graced by the presence of Nobel Peace Prize winner Michail Gorbachev along with the president of the EU Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering, the president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and the Slovenian prime minister and EU Council president Janez Janša.
Solar Millennium's technology director, Dr. Henner Gladen, was delighted with the announcement of the jury's decision: "We are proud and thrilled to receive the Energy Globe Award. It confirms the outstanding potential of our technology. The Andasol projects have provided a worldwide signal for the market development of solar thermal power generation. It is now the joint task of the economic and political sectors to accelerate the implementation of the worldwide conversion to power generation based on sustainable fuels."
Together with its subsidiaries, Solar Millennium specialises in parabolic trough power plants - a reliable, proven technology in which the company is a worldwide leader. The company covers all major business sectors of the value-added chain for solar thermal power plants, from project development to technology and turn-key construction of power plants, to the operation and ownership of power plants. In Spain, Solar Millennium developed Europe's first ever parabolic trough power plants, two of which are already under construction.
Solar Millennium initiated the Spanish parabolic trough power plants Andasol 1 to 3 and has completed the project development successfully. Andasol 1 has been in construction since 2006 and will be connected to the grid this year. The sister projects will go into operation in 2009 and 2010, respectively. With the Andasol power plants, solar thermal energy generation will be realized for the first time in Europe on a large-scale power plant level. The projects set an example in several ways.
By using thermal tanks, the power plants are able to make electricity available in a planned way - also at night - almost doubling the operating hours compared to solar power plants without tanks, thereby creating new opportunities for solar electricity generation. With the Andasol projects, the largest worldwide location for the use of solar energy is also at hand. Each of the 50 Megawatt power plants has a collector area of 512,000 square meters and provides up to 200,000 people with solar energy. In summer, the Andasol power plants will also help to meet peaks in demand in the Spanish power grid that are caused primarily by the high energy consumption of air conditioning units.
Solar Millennium has plans for projects with a capacity of several hundred Megawatts located worldwide, with the focus upon Spain, the USA, China and North Africa.
Solar Thermal Power
Solar thermal power plants generate electricity using heat energy captured from solar radiation. In a parabolic trough power plant, trough-shaped mirrors concentrate the sun's rays onto a pipe in the focal line of the collector. Their absorption heats a transfer fluid in the pipe, generating steam in the power block by way of heat exchange. As with conventional power plants, the steam is utilised in a turbine to generate power, and by integrating thermal storage, this power can be supplied on demand. Thus, solar power plants can also generate electricity after sunset.
Solar Millennium, based in Erlangen, Germany, has won the internationally renowned Energy Globe Award. The distinction was awarded for the initiation and development of Europe's first parabolic trough power plants, the Spanish Andasol power plants. The prize awarded honours the projects' innovative character and its major contribution to climate protection.
The Andasol projects are a group of three solar thermal power plants in Andalusia, southern Spain. The first project has been under construction since 2006 and goes into operation this year, the second will be connected to the grid next year and construction on the third project is to start this year. Each solar power plant will supply environmentally-friendly electricity to up to 200,000 people, cutting down on 149,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year compared to a modern coal fired plant. These are the first parabolic trough power plants in Europe as well as being the largest solar power plants in the world each with solar fields of over 510,000 sq. meters of collector surface.
It was the outstanding contribution made by the Andasol projects to climate-friendly power production that convinced the jury and which was the deciding factor for the 10,000 euro Energy Globe Award in the "Fire" category, awarded to innovative projects for environmentally-friendly power production. The greatest growth potential for the parabolic trough technology used in the Andasol power plants has been shown to be in the earth's Sun Belt countries. Solar thermal power plants are able to make a decisive contribution to converting global energy systems to a regenerative basis.
The worldwide significant and renowned environment prize was founded in 1999 as the "World Energy Globe Award for Sustainability". Since then, international projects which spare resources and/or use renewable energy sources have been awarded. The goal of the Energy Globe Awards is to present successful projects to a broad public. Around 800 projects and initiatives enter the competition every year, which are awarded in the categories of Earth, Fire (electricity), Water, Air and Youth. The Energy Globe Awards prize-giving ceremony takes place every year in the form of a worldwide broadcast television gala.
The Andasol projects were selected from over 800 submissions. The award ceremony, which took place at the European Parliament in Brussels, was graced by the presence of Nobel Peace Prize winner Michail Gorbachev along with the president of the EU Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering, the president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and the Slovenian prime minister and EU Council president Janez Janša.
Solar Millennium's technology director, Dr. Henner Gladen, was delighted with the announcement of the jury's decision: "We are proud and thrilled to receive the Energy Globe Award. It confirms the outstanding potential of our technology. The Andasol projects have provided a worldwide signal for the market development of solar thermal power generation. It is now the joint task of the economic and political sectors to accelerate the implementation of the worldwide conversion to power generation based on sustainable fuels."
Together with its subsidiaries, Solar Millennium specialises in parabolic trough power plants - a reliable, proven technology in which the company is a worldwide leader. The company covers all major business sectors of the value-added chain for solar thermal power plants, from project development to technology and turn-key construction of power plants, to the operation and ownership of power plants. In Spain, Solar Millennium developed Europe's first ever parabolic trough power plants, two of which are already under construction.
Solar Millennium initiated the Spanish parabolic trough power plants Andasol 1 to 3 and has completed the project development successfully. Andasol 1 has been in construction since 2006 and will be connected to the grid this year. The sister projects will go into operation in 2009 and 2010, respectively. With the Andasol power plants, solar thermal energy generation will be realized for the first time in Europe on a large-scale power plant level. The projects set an example in several ways.
By using thermal tanks, the power plants are able to make electricity available in a planned way - also at night - almost doubling the operating hours compared to solar power plants without tanks, thereby creating new opportunities for solar electricity generation. With the Andasol projects, the largest worldwide location for the use of solar energy is also at hand. Each of the 50 Megawatt power plants has a collector area of 512,000 square meters and provides up to 200,000 people with solar energy. In summer, the Andasol power plants will also help to meet peaks in demand in the Spanish power grid that are caused primarily by the high energy consumption of air conditioning units.
Solar Millennium has plans for projects with a capacity of several hundred Megawatts located worldwide, with the focus upon Spain, the USA, China and North Africa.
Solar Thermal Power
Solar thermal power plants generate electricity using heat energy captured from solar radiation. In a parabolic trough power plant, trough-shaped mirrors concentrate the sun's rays onto a pipe in the focal line of the collector. Their absorption heats a transfer fluid in the pipe, generating steam in the power block by way of heat exchange. As with conventional power plants, the steam is utilised in a turbine to generate power, and by integrating thermal storage, this power can be supplied on demand. Thus, solar power plants can also generate electricity after sunset.
MASDAR Goes Solar
Masdar has announced a USD2 billion dollar investment in thin-film photovoltaic solar technology, as part of its drive to become a world leader in alternative energy
The total investment of over USD2 billion represents one of the largest investments ever made in solar, and will fund a three-phased manufacturing and expansion strategy to produce the latest generation of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules.
Phase one involves an investment of USD600 million, which will fund the development of two manufacturing facilities -- the first, in Erfurt, Germany will be operational by Q3 2009, and a second facility in Abu Dhabi which will begin initial production by Q2 2010. The combined annual production capacity of these two sites will be 210 megawatts, which is committed to major PV system installers in Europe and for Masdar's own energy generation needs.
Masdar chose Germany as the site for its first plant because Germany is currently the center of the global PV industry. This German plant will act as a reference plant for technology and knowledge transfer to the larger Abu Dhabi plant by a joint German-Abu Dhabi team.
This approach represents a significant step in Masdar's objective to transform Abu Dhabi into a developer and exporter of technology, rather than an importer. With a goal of reaching one gigawatt of annual production by 2014 through capacity expansions and other new plants, this multi-country operation will allow Masdar PV to become a global leader in thin-film PV.
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, said, "Thin-film PV is a key part of our build-deploy-develop strategy to actively build a strong position in alternative energy. Abu Dhabi is a global energy leader, so it makes sense to engage these new energy technologies and become a leader in alternatives," al Jaber explained.
"This marks a major milestone for Masdar and Abu Dhabi. It will not only establish Masdar as a major global PV player, but will be the first high-tech semiconductor nano-manufacturing facility of its kind in the entire region," he added.
According to Deutsche Bank the current global PV market is worth USD15 billion and growing rapidly at 40 per cent per year. Thin film PV is growing even faster, with an annual growth rate of 100.
The plants will use the latest generation of equipment capable of high-volume processing of ultra-large glass substrates, which, at 5.7 m2, are eight times larger and five times more powerful than that of the current market leader.
High-volume manufacturing of thin film PV, which requires less than one per cent of expensive semiconductor material compared to traditional PV, is the key in rapidly driving down the cost of PV and making it fully-competitive with fossil fuels.
The technology for grid-parity solar power exists in most sunny markets today. It's a matter of achieving the right scale to achieve lower costs. Masdar PV will combine scale plus a proven PV technology, advanced manufacturing capability, and advanced R&D to deliver lower costs
PV industry experts applauded the move. "This potentially represents a paradigm shift in solar, a real game-changer," commented Dr. Winfried Hoffmann, President of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, the largest organization representing the PV industry. "The entry of such powerful energy leaders into solar is very exciting, and could change the dynamics of the entire industry" by not only adding capacity but also new future big markets in and around the Middle East with a lot of sun and capital to deploy PV systems, he added.
In addition to low-cost manufacturing, thin film PV requires only one year to pay back the carbon cost of producing these panels, and maintenance costs are minimal. It is ideally suited for hot sunny climates, as well as for building-integrated solutions, known as BIPV.
The Masdar Initiative, Abu Dhabi's response to the need for cleaner future energy solutions, is the region's leader in the research, development and deployment of renewable energy and sustainability related technologies.
Masdar CEO testifies before the US Congress
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi's Masdar Initiative, testified during a US Congressional hearing before the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Through this prominent opportunity, he shared Abu Dhabi's best practices and key learnings in its quest to accelerate the widespread deployment of clean and affordable renewable energy.
Invited to present by Committee Chairman, Congressman Ed Markey, Dr. Al Jaber spoke at the hearing entitled, "Towns in Transition: Planning Communities for a Changing Climate," during which he provided insights on Abu Dhabi's Masdar City, which will be the world's first carbon-neutral, car-free city, which is also 100 per cent powered by renewable energy. The Committee, which was established in 2007 by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, works to add urgency and resources to address the challenges of America's dependence on oil and the threat of global warming.
"At this historic moment I'm articulating Abu Dhabi's strategic vision of a new partnership on clean energy and sustainable human development," Dr. Al Jaber told the Committee. "We seek to partner with the US, and the global community at large, in championing these important issues through extensive bilateral ties and investment," he added.
The hearing addressed innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing issues, including more efficient use of land, water, energy, and transportation. Particular attention was paid to models and case studies from around the globe which could be transferred to the United States and other countries.
The testimony highlighted global demographics changes which further underscore the urgency for solutions at scale. "For the first time in history, more than half of the world's population now lives in cities, with their traditional energy inefficiencies, waste and pollution," Dr. Al Jaber told the Committee. "We must fundamentally re-think how cities can conserve energy and other resources. We must heavily employ new technologies and even create new urban models, as we are doing in Masdar City," he added.
Dr. Al Jaber's testimony was well received by the Members of Congress. During his comments, Chairman Markey (D-Massachusetts) said, "Masdar City and Abu Dhabi represent the future of sustainable communities." "Masdar is one of the most amazing projects in the world," Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D- Missouri) added. Similar sentiments were also echoed by Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), Jay Inslee (D-Washington) and other members of the committee.
"I believe that my appearance here today will lead to more partnerships with American companies and institutions," said Al Jaber. "The Committee's work closely mirrors our own belief that we can help bring communities together for a common cause, by jointly addressing fundamental issues such as climate change and sustainable development. This is something the leadership of Abu Dhabi recognised when they took the strategic initiative to make Masdar a reality."
Dr. Al Jaber invited the Committee to visit Abu Dhabi to witness Masdar's efforts first hand, and extended an open invitation for collaboration. Following the testimony, he met with US elected officials, industry leaders and members of the media to discuss the Masdar Initiative in depth and to explore collaborative efforts on the future energy challenge.
Additionally, Dr. Al Jaber addressed the US-UAE Business Council, including Chamber members representing Middle East companies, in a session titled "Masdar-Transforming the Global Alternative Energy Marketplace." This was followed by a Q&A session with the audience, and attended by approximately 50 Chamber members.
"Abu Dhabi recognises that a range of solutions are required to meet future energy needs and Masdar reflects our leadership's strategic vision to continue its role as a global energy leader," Dr. Al Jaber told the audience.
The total investment of over USD2 billion represents one of the largest investments ever made in solar, and will fund a three-phased manufacturing and expansion strategy to produce the latest generation of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules.
Phase one involves an investment of USD600 million, which will fund the development of two manufacturing facilities -- the first, in Erfurt, Germany will be operational by Q3 2009, and a second facility in Abu Dhabi which will begin initial production by Q2 2010. The combined annual production capacity of these two sites will be 210 megawatts, which is committed to major PV system installers in Europe and for Masdar's own energy generation needs.
Masdar chose Germany as the site for its first plant because Germany is currently the center of the global PV industry. This German plant will act as a reference plant for technology and knowledge transfer to the larger Abu Dhabi plant by a joint German-Abu Dhabi team.
This approach represents a significant step in Masdar's objective to transform Abu Dhabi into a developer and exporter of technology, rather than an importer. With a goal of reaching one gigawatt of annual production by 2014 through capacity expansions and other new plants, this multi-country operation will allow Masdar PV to become a global leader in thin-film PV.
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, said, "Thin-film PV is a key part of our build-deploy-develop strategy to actively build a strong position in alternative energy. Abu Dhabi is a global energy leader, so it makes sense to engage these new energy technologies and become a leader in alternatives," al Jaber explained.
"This marks a major milestone for Masdar and Abu Dhabi. It will not only establish Masdar as a major global PV player, but will be the first high-tech semiconductor nano-manufacturing facility of its kind in the entire region," he added.
According to Deutsche Bank the current global PV market is worth USD15 billion and growing rapidly at 40 per cent per year. Thin film PV is growing even faster, with an annual growth rate of 100.
The plants will use the latest generation of equipment capable of high-volume processing of ultra-large glass substrates, which, at 5.7 m2, are eight times larger and five times more powerful than that of the current market leader.
High-volume manufacturing of thin film PV, which requires less than one per cent of expensive semiconductor material compared to traditional PV, is the key in rapidly driving down the cost of PV and making it fully-competitive with fossil fuels.
The technology for grid-parity solar power exists in most sunny markets today. It's a matter of achieving the right scale to achieve lower costs. Masdar PV will combine scale plus a proven PV technology, advanced manufacturing capability, and advanced R&D to deliver lower costs
PV industry experts applauded the move. "This potentially represents a paradigm shift in solar, a real game-changer," commented Dr. Winfried Hoffmann, President of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, the largest organization representing the PV industry. "The entry of such powerful energy leaders into solar is very exciting, and could change the dynamics of the entire industry" by not only adding capacity but also new future big markets in and around the Middle East with a lot of sun and capital to deploy PV systems, he added.
In addition to low-cost manufacturing, thin film PV requires only one year to pay back the carbon cost of producing these panels, and maintenance costs are minimal. It is ideally suited for hot sunny climates, as well as for building-integrated solutions, known as BIPV.
The Masdar Initiative, Abu Dhabi's response to the need for cleaner future energy solutions, is the region's leader in the research, development and deployment of renewable energy and sustainability related technologies.
Masdar CEO testifies before the US Congress
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi's Masdar Initiative, testified during a US Congressional hearing before the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Through this prominent opportunity, he shared Abu Dhabi's best practices and key learnings in its quest to accelerate the widespread deployment of clean and affordable renewable energy.
Invited to present by Committee Chairman, Congressman Ed Markey, Dr. Al Jaber spoke at the hearing entitled, "Towns in Transition: Planning Communities for a Changing Climate," during which he provided insights on Abu Dhabi's Masdar City, which will be the world's first carbon-neutral, car-free city, which is also 100 per cent powered by renewable energy. The Committee, which was established in 2007 by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, works to add urgency and resources to address the challenges of America's dependence on oil and the threat of global warming.
"At this historic moment I'm articulating Abu Dhabi's strategic vision of a new partnership on clean energy and sustainable human development," Dr. Al Jaber told the Committee. "We seek to partner with the US, and the global community at large, in championing these important issues through extensive bilateral ties and investment," he added.
The hearing addressed innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing issues, including more efficient use of land, water, energy, and transportation. Particular attention was paid to models and case studies from around the globe which could be transferred to the United States and other countries.
The testimony highlighted global demographics changes which further underscore the urgency for solutions at scale. "For the first time in history, more than half of the world's population now lives in cities, with their traditional energy inefficiencies, waste and pollution," Dr. Al Jaber told the Committee. "We must fundamentally re-think how cities can conserve energy and other resources. We must heavily employ new technologies and even create new urban models, as we are doing in Masdar City," he added.
Dr. Al Jaber's testimony was well received by the Members of Congress. During his comments, Chairman Markey (D-Massachusetts) said, "Masdar City and Abu Dhabi represent the future of sustainable communities." "Masdar is one of the most amazing projects in the world," Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D- Missouri) added. Similar sentiments were also echoed by Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), Jay Inslee (D-Washington) and other members of the committee.
"I believe that my appearance here today will lead to more partnerships with American companies and institutions," said Al Jaber. "The Committee's work closely mirrors our own belief that we can help bring communities together for a common cause, by jointly addressing fundamental issues such as climate change and sustainable development. This is something the leadership of Abu Dhabi recognised when they took the strategic initiative to make Masdar a reality."
Dr. Al Jaber invited the Committee to visit Abu Dhabi to witness Masdar's efforts first hand, and extended an open invitation for collaboration. Following the testimony, he met with US elected officials, industry leaders and members of the media to discuss the Masdar Initiative in depth and to explore collaborative efforts on the future energy challenge.
Additionally, Dr. Al Jaber addressed the US-UAE Business Council, including Chamber members representing Middle East companies, in a session titled "Masdar-Transforming the Global Alternative Energy Marketplace." This was followed by a Q&A session with the audience, and attended by approximately 50 Chamber members.
"Abu Dhabi recognises that a range of solutions are required to meet future energy needs and Masdar reflects our leadership's strategic vision to continue its role as a global energy leader," Dr. Al Jaber told the audience.
Masdar, Sener Announce Joint Venture
Spanish engineering group SENER GRUPO DE INGENIERÍA S.A. and MASDAR, Abu Dhabi´s alternative energy company, today announced a joint venture – Torresol Energy – to design, build and operate concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in the world´s sunbelt regions. One of Torresol Energy´s primary objectives is to widen the adoption of CSP and make it more compatible with grid parity.
This joint venture will commence work on three solar power plants in Spain with an approximate combined value of EUR800 million, one of which will be a CSP Central Tower Receiver System. This technology will feature the first-ever commercial deployment of the industry-changing technology, and will set the standards for anticipated CSP projects across the Sunbelt countries by 2012. Independently of Torresol Energy, Masdar is developing CSP plants in Abu Dhabi, and their flagship plant “Shams 1” is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2010.
In every new project Torresol Energy expects to introduce and test new technologies with the long term objectives of making CSP a very competitive and reliable technology, achieving a sustainable leading position in this sector and contributing to the protection of the environment for future generations. Sener has been working for almost a decade in the development of solar thermal power technology. The company is presently designing and building, in a joint venture, three 50 MW parabolic through plants with molten salt storage in Spain. Sener has also devised and tested innovative solutions for CSP tower plants and has started the detailed design of Central Receiver Plants. The company expects to apply all these solutions in the projects of Torresol Energy and also for other clients worldwide.
Sener President and CEO, Jorge Sendagorta, and Masdar CEO, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, announced the launch of Torrresol Energy in joint remarks at the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, where the press conference where held.
Torresol Energy comes from the common vision of Sener and Masdar to build a leading global company for the generation of reliable power from solar energy and contribute to the protection of the environment for future generations. "We also have a shared mission: to invest globally in profitable and efficient concentrating solar power plants and to pioneer new technologies and drive down the future costs of generation", said Jorge Sendagorta. "Masdar is committed to developing and delivering future energy solutions. And the Torresol CSP technology promises to be the technology that will revolutionize the way we draw energy from the sun" said Al Jaber. "Partnering with Sener will accelerate our objective of creating the scale and technology improvements required for a wider adoption of CSP technology while fulfilling our mandate to the Abu Dhabi government’s alternative energy program".
Sener will own a 60 percent share of Torresol Energy, with Masdar owning the remaining 40 percent.
This joint venture will commence work on three solar power plants in Spain with an approximate combined value of EUR800 million, one of which will be a CSP Central Tower Receiver System. This technology will feature the first-ever commercial deployment of the industry-changing technology, and will set the standards for anticipated CSP projects across the Sunbelt countries by 2012. Independently of Torresol Energy, Masdar is developing CSP plants in Abu Dhabi, and their flagship plant “Shams 1” is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2010.
In every new project Torresol Energy expects to introduce and test new technologies with the long term objectives of making CSP a very competitive and reliable technology, achieving a sustainable leading position in this sector and contributing to the protection of the environment for future generations. Sener has been working for almost a decade in the development of solar thermal power technology. The company is presently designing and building, in a joint venture, three 50 MW parabolic through plants with molten salt storage in Spain. Sener has also devised and tested innovative solutions for CSP tower plants and has started the detailed design of Central Receiver Plants. The company expects to apply all these solutions in the projects of Torresol Energy and also for other clients worldwide.
Sener President and CEO, Jorge Sendagorta, and Masdar CEO, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, announced the launch of Torrresol Energy in joint remarks at the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, where the press conference where held.
Torresol Energy comes from the common vision of Sener and Masdar to build a leading global company for the generation of reliable power from solar energy and contribute to the protection of the environment for future generations. "We also have a shared mission: to invest globally in profitable and efficient concentrating solar power plants and to pioneer new technologies and drive down the future costs of generation", said Jorge Sendagorta. "Masdar is committed to developing and delivering future energy solutions. And the Torresol CSP technology promises to be the technology that will revolutionize the way we draw energy from the sun" said Al Jaber. "Partnering with Sener will accelerate our objective of creating the scale and technology improvements required for a wider adoption of CSP technology while fulfilling our mandate to the Abu Dhabi government’s alternative energy program".
Sener will own a 60 percent share of Torresol Energy, with Masdar owning the remaining 40 percent.
A Solar Revolution
Researchers have created a new material that overcomes two of the major obstacles to solar power: it absorbs all the energy contained in sunlight, and generates electrons in a way that makes them easier to capture.
Ohio State University chemists and their colleagues combined electrically conductive plastic with metals including molybdenum and titanium to create the hybrid material.
"There are other such hybrids out there, but the advantage of our material is that we can cover the entire range of the solar spectrum," explained Malcolm Chisholm, University Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry at Ohio State.
The study appears in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Sunlight contains the entire spectrum of colours that can be seen with the naked eye – all the colours of the rainbow. What our eyes interpret as colour are really different energy levels, or frequencies of light. Today's solar cell materials can only capture a small range of frequencies, so they can only capture a small fraction of the energy contained in sunlight.
This new material is the first that can absorb all the energy contained in visible light at once.
The material generates electricity just like other solar cell materials do: light energises the atoms of the material, and some of the electrons in those atoms are knocked loose.
Ideally, the electrons flow out of the device as electrical current, but this is where most solar cells run into trouble. The electrons only stay loose for a tiny fraction of a second before they sink back into the atoms from which they came. The electrons must be captured during the short time they are free, and this task, called charge separation, is difficult.
In the new hybrid material, electrons remain free much longer than ever before.
To design the hybrid material, the chemists explored different molecular configurations on a computer at the Ohio Supercomputer Centre. Then, with colleagues at National Taiwan University, they synthesised molecules of the new material in a liquid solution, measured the frequencies of light the molecules absorbed, and also measured the length of time that excited electrons remained free in the molecules.
They saw something very unusual. The molecules didn't just fluoresce as some solar cell materials do. They phosphoresced as well. Both luminous effects are caused by a material absorbing and emitting energy, but phosphorescence lasts much longer.
To their surprise, the chemists found that the new material was emitting electrons in two different energy states – one called a singlet state, and the other a triplet state. Both energy states are useful for solar cell applications, and the triplet state lasts much longer than the singlet state.
Electrons in the singlet state stayed free for up to 12 picoseconds, or trillionths of a second – not unusual compared to some solar cell materials. But electrons in the triplet state stayed free 7 million times longer – up to 83 microseconds, or millionths of a second.
When they deposited the molecules in a thin film, similar to how they might be arranged in an actual solar cell, the triplet states lasted even longer: 200 microseconds.
"This long-lived excited state should allow us to better manipulate charge separation," Chisholm said.
At this point, the material is years from commercial development, but he added that this experiment provides a proof of concept – that hybrid solar cell materials such as this one can offer unusual properties.
The project was funded by the National Science Foundation and Ohio State's Institute for Materials Research.
Chisholm is working with Arthur J. Epstein, University Professor of chemistry and physics; Paul Berger, professor of electrical and computer engineering and physics; and Nitin Padture, professor of materials science and engineering to develop the material further. That work is part of the Advanced Materials Initiative, one Ohio State's Targeted Investment in Excellence (TIE) programs.
The TIE program targets some of society's most pressing challenges with a major investment of university resources in programs with a potential for significant impact in their fields. The university has committed more than $100 million over the next five years to support 10 high-impact, mostly interdisciplinary programs.
Co-authors on the PNAS paper from Ohio State included: Gotard Burdzinski, a postdoctoral researcher; Yi-Hsuan Chou, a postdoctoral researcher; Florian Fiel, a former postdoctoral researcher; Judith Gallucci, a senior research associate; Yagnaseni Ghosh, a graduate student; Terry Gustafson, a professor; Yao Liu, a postdoctoral researcher; Ramkrishna Ramnauth, a former postdoctoral researcher; and Claudia Turro, a professor; all of the Department of Chemistry. They collaborated with Pi-Tai Chou and Mei-Lin Ho of National Taiwan University.
Ohio State University chemists and their colleagues combined electrically conductive plastic with metals including molybdenum and titanium to create the hybrid material.
"There are other such hybrids out there, but the advantage of our material is that we can cover the entire range of the solar spectrum," explained Malcolm Chisholm, University Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry at Ohio State.
The study appears in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Sunlight contains the entire spectrum of colours that can be seen with the naked eye – all the colours of the rainbow. What our eyes interpret as colour are really different energy levels, or frequencies of light. Today's solar cell materials can only capture a small range of frequencies, so they can only capture a small fraction of the energy contained in sunlight.
This new material is the first that can absorb all the energy contained in visible light at once.
The material generates electricity just like other solar cell materials do: light energises the atoms of the material, and some of the electrons in those atoms are knocked loose.
Ideally, the electrons flow out of the device as electrical current, but this is where most solar cells run into trouble. The electrons only stay loose for a tiny fraction of a second before they sink back into the atoms from which they came. The electrons must be captured during the short time they are free, and this task, called charge separation, is difficult.
In the new hybrid material, electrons remain free much longer than ever before.
To design the hybrid material, the chemists explored different molecular configurations on a computer at the Ohio Supercomputer Centre. Then, with colleagues at National Taiwan University, they synthesised molecules of the new material in a liquid solution, measured the frequencies of light the molecules absorbed, and also measured the length of time that excited electrons remained free in the molecules.
They saw something very unusual. The molecules didn't just fluoresce as some solar cell materials do. They phosphoresced as well. Both luminous effects are caused by a material absorbing and emitting energy, but phosphorescence lasts much longer.
To their surprise, the chemists found that the new material was emitting electrons in two different energy states – one called a singlet state, and the other a triplet state. Both energy states are useful for solar cell applications, and the triplet state lasts much longer than the singlet state.
Electrons in the singlet state stayed free for up to 12 picoseconds, or trillionths of a second – not unusual compared to some solar cell materials. But electrons in the triplet state stayed free 7 million times longer – up to 83 microseconds, or millionths of a second.
When they deposited the molecules in a thin film, similar to how they might be arranged in an actual solar cell, the triplet states lasted even longer: 200 microseconds.
"This long-lived excited state should allow us to better manipulate charge separation," Chisholm said.
At this point, the material is years from commercial development, but he added that this experiment provides a proof of concept – that hybrid solar cell materials such as this one can offer unusual properties.
The project was funded by the National Science Foundation and Ohio State's Institute for Materials Research.
Chisholm is working with Arthur J. Epstein, University Professor of chemistry and physics; Paul Berger, professor of electrical and computer engineering and physics; and Nitin Padture, professor of materials science and engineering to develop the material further. That work is part of the Advanced Materials Initiative, one Ohio State's Targeted Investment in Excellence (TIE) programs.
The TIE program targets some of society's most pressing challenges with a major investment of university resources in programs with a potential for significant impact in their fields. The university has committed more than $100 million over the next five years to support 10 high-impact, mostly interdisciplinary programs.
Co-authors on the PNAS paper from Ohio State included: Gotard Burdzinski, a postdoctoral researcher; Yi-Hsuan Chou, a postdoctoral researcher; Florian Fiel, a former postdoctoral researcher; Judith Gallucci, a senior research associate; Yagnaseni Ghosh, a graduate student; Terry Gustafson, a professor; Yao Liu, a postdoctoral researcher; Ramkrishna Ramnauth, a former postdoctoral researcher; and Claudia Turro, a professor; all of the Department of Chemistry. They collaborated with Pi-Tai Chou and Mei-Lin Ho of National Taiwan University.
Ericsson’s Solar Radio-Site Solution
Ericsson deploys first solar solution in South America for Digicel Suriname; helps cut down energy consumption by 50 per cent.
Ericsson’s pioneering solar-powered site solution has been selected by Digicel Group, the largest mobile telecommunications operator in the Caribbean, to provide energylean network coverage in remote areas of Suriname. The solution offers the market’s lowest energy consumption, helping reduce operating costs and environmental impact, and its deployment marks a first in South America.
For remote sites, where the electricity grid is unavailable or unreliable, local power solutions are needed, and solar, biofuel, wind and other alternative energy sources are increasingly both economically as well as technically feasible alternatives. Ericsson’s main remote GSM base station RBS 2111 has a smaller environmental footprint than a standard base station, consuming up to 50 per cent less energy. The remote radio unit is placed at the top of the tower, reducing feeder loss and power use.
With RBS, a macro coverage site only requires 50 square meters of panels, compared with 200 square meters five years ago. As well as having very low environmental impact, solar sites have the advantage of being very low-maintenance, with a technical lifetime of 20 years or so, and much more reliable than diesel generator-powered systems.
As part of the agreement, Ericsson will also supply MINI-LINK TN all-outdoor transmission, solar panels and battery back-up solutions. Ericsson will also be responsible for network deployment and systems integration.
Ericsson’s solar radio-site solution allows autonomous sites to be deployed in remote areas that have limited access to the electricity grid. It helps reduce total cost of ownership by cutting energy-related operating and maintenance costs. It also improves the environmental performance of mobile networks.
Mario Assaad, chief technology officer for Digicel Group, said, “Ericsson’s energy friendly solution will help lower operational expenditure and reduce environmental impact. By extending coverage in Suriname, we open the door to new revenue streams, giving subscribers access to services on the move, as well as providing communications to people in remote areas for the first time.” Sergio Quiroga da Cunha, president of Ericsson in northern Latin America, said, “This deal marks an important milestone and we are proud to implement the first solar solution in South America. Energy efficiency is a key factor for network optimisation: it helps lower total cost of ownership and enables operators to bring affordable communications to subscribers.”
This deployment follows a series of initiatives from Ericsson to optimise the energy efficiency of mobile networks by creating solutions that reduce environmental impact and lower operator costs. These initiatives include: GSM power-saving features; the Ericsson Tower Tube; biofuel-powered telecom sites; hybrid diesel/ battery back-ups; and the Solar Village Charger, co-developed with Sony Ericsson. Ericsson delivered its first solar-powered sites in 2000 to Maroc Telecom, and has so far provided more than 200 sites in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Ericsson’s pioneering solar-powered site solution has been selected by Digicel Group, the largest mobile telecommunications operator in the Caribbean, to provide energylean network coverage in remote areas of Suriname. The solution offers the market’s lowest energy consumption, helping reduce operating costs and environmental impact, and its deployment marks a first in South America.
For remote sites, where the electricity grid is unavailable or unreliable, local power solutions are needed, and solar, biofuel, wind and other alternative energy sources are increasingly both economically as well as technically feasible alternatives. Ericsson’s main remote GSM base station RBS 2111 has a smaller environmental footprint than a standard base station, consuming up to 50 per cent less energy. The remote radio unit is placed at the top of the tower, reducing feeder loss and power use.
With RBS, a macro coverage site only requires 50 square meters of panels, compared with 200 square meters five years ago. As well as having very low environmental impact, solar sites have the advantage of being very low-maintenance, with a technical lifetime of 20 years or so, and much more reliable than diesel generator-powered systems.
As part of the agreement, Ericsson will also supply MINI-LINK TN all-outdoor transmission, solar panels and battery back-up solutions. Ericsson will also be responsible for network deployment and systems integration.
Ericsson’s solar radio-site solution allows autonomous sites to be deployed in remote areas that have limited access to the electricity grid. It helps reduce total cost of ownership by cutting energy-related operating and maintenance costs. It also improves the environmental performance of mobile networks.
Mario Assaad, chief technology officer for Digicel Group, said, “Ericsson’s energy friendly solution will help lower operational expenditure and reduce environmental impact. By extending coverage in Suriname, we open the door to new revenue streams, giving subscribers access to services on the move, as well as providing communications to people in remote areas for the first time.” Sergio Quiroga da Cunha, president of Ericsson in northern Latin America, said, “This deal marks an important milestone and we are proud to implement the first solar solution in South America. Energy efficiency is a key factor for network optimisation: it helps lower total cost of ownership and enables operators to bring affordable communications to subscribers.”
This deployment follows a series of initiatives from Ericsson to optimise the energy efficiency of mobile networks by creating solutions that reduce environmental impact and lower operator costs. These initiatives include: GSM power-saving features; the Ericsson Tower Tube; biofuel-powered telecom sites; hybrid diesel/ battery back-ups; and the Solar Village Charger, co-developed with Sony Ericsson. Ericsson delivered its first solar-powered sites in 2000 to Maroc Telecom, and has so far provided more than 200 sites in Africa and Southeast Asia.
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