New Energy Technologies is developing the first-of-its kind SolarWindow™ technology, which enables see-through windows to generate electricity by ‘spraying’ their glass surfaces with New Energy’s electricity-generating coatings – the subject of ten patent filings.

This technology generates clean electricity on see-through glass windows, by making use of the energy of natural sunlight and artificial sources such as fluorescent and LED lighting typically installed in offices, schools, and commercial buildings.

Researchers displays one of many early SolarWindowTM prototypes

New Energy’s solution makes use of the world’s smallest functional organic solar cells, which measure less than ¼ the size of a grain of rice, and have been shown to successfully produce electricity in a published peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy of the American Institute of Physics;

Source/Photos: New Energy Technologies

Prices for solar cells skidded 62 percent in 2011 as Chinese companies led by Suntech boosted production and won market share from European and Japanese rivals.

With recent announcements from GE and Panasonic, all targeting a cost well under $1 per watt for finished modules, the days of solar modules costing over $1 per watt are over.

Add into the mix, Foxconn Technology Group, (the world’s largest maker of electronic components and maker of iPhones™ for Apple®) who is used to working on razor-thin margins, will change the game for the industry. Foxconn’s gross margin of 5.6 was less than half Suntech’s in the third quarter, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. While most solar module makers are used to making margins north of 20%, the entry of mass market players like Foxconn will drive costs down, eliminate inefficient module makers and encourage installation by a further reduction in market pricing.

What we could expect is a firming of pricing around the $0.75 (thin film) to $0.90 (crystalline) marks and this until further reductions in costs are brought by firms such as Foxconn. We’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out, but it looks to be a significant game changer for the industry.

Source: Bloomberg

But What Is Grid Parity?

According to Wikipedia: Grid parity is the point at which alternative means of generating electricity produces power at a levelized cost that is equal to or less than the price of purchasing power from the grid. Reaching grid parity is considered to be an important point in the development of new sources of power, the point at which it becomes a contender for widespread development without subsidy support.

The study concludes, in part:

Given the state of the art in the technology and favorable financing terms it is clear that PV has already obtained grid parity in specific locations and as installed costs continue to decline, grid electricity prices continue to escalate, and industry experience increases, PV will become an increasingly economically advantageous source of electricity over expanding geographical regions.

A draft version of the study is posted here: http://qspace.library.queensu.ca/bitstream/1974/6879/1/LCOE%20of%20PV%20pre-print.pdf

Learn how this family achieved significant savings when they initiated a Solar Home MakeOver. They encourage everyone to take advantage of this highly informative, easy-to-read story of their journey toward energy independence. You can experience a green lifestyle transformation just as they did! See the Santiago’s inspiring story » Solar Home MakeOver

These new compounds, unlike some solar cell materials made from rare, expensive or toxic elements, would be benign and could be processed from some of the most abundant elements on Earth. Findings on them have been published in Advanced Energy Materials, a professional journal.

Iron pyrite itself has little value as a future solar energy compound, the scientists say, just as the brassy, yellow-toned mineral holds no value compared to the precious metal it resembles. But for more than 25 years it was known to have some desirable qualities that made it of interest for solar energy, and that spurred the recent research.

The results have been anything but foolish.

“We’ve known for a long time that pyrite was interesting for its solar properties, but that it didn’t actually work,” said Douglas Keszler, a distinguished professor of chemistry at OSU. “We didn’t really know why, so we decided to take another look at it. In this process we’ve discovered some different materials that are similar to pyrite, with most of the advantages but none of the problems.

“There’s still work to do in integrating these materials into actual solar cells,” Keszler said. “But fundamentally, it’s very promising. This is a completely new insight we got from studying fool’s gold.”

Pyrite was of interest early in the solar energy era because it had an enormous capacity to absorb solar energy, was abundant, and could be used in layers 2,000 times thinner than some of its competitors, such as silicon. However, it didn’t effectively convert the solar energy into electricity.

In the new study, the researchers found out why. In the process of creating solar cells, which takes a substantial amount of heat, pyrite starts to decompose and forms products that prevent the creation of electricity.

Based on their new understanding of exactly what the problem was, the research team then sought and found compounds that had the same capabilities of pyrite but didn’t decompose. One of them was iron silicon sulfide.

“Iron is about the cheapest element in the world to extract from nature, silicon is second, and sulfur is virtually free,” Keszler said. “These compounds would be stable, safe, and would not decompose. There’s nothing here that looks like a show-stopper in the creation of a new class of solar energy materials.”

Work to continue the development of the materials and find even better ones in the same class will continue at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado, which collaborated on this research.

The work was done at the Center for Inverse Design, a collaborative initiative of the College of Science and College of Engineering at OSU, formed two years ago with a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. It was one of the new Energy Frontier Research Centers set up through a national, $777 million federal program to identify energy solutions for the future.

The OSU program is different from traditional science, in which the process often is to discover something and then look for a possible application. In this center, researchers start with an idea of what they want and then try to find the kind of materials, atomic structure or even construction methods it would take to achieve it.

Finding cheap, environmentally benign and more efficient materials for solar energy is necessary for the future growth of the industry, researchers said.

“The beauty of a material such as this is that it is abundant, would not cost much and might be able to produce high-efficiency solar cells,” Keszler said. “That’s just what we need for more broad use of solar energy.”

Source:
The above story is reprinted from Oregon State University

Inspired by the way trees spread their leaves to capture sunlight, MIT Engineering Professor Jeffery Grossman wondered how efficient a three-dimensional shape covered in solar cells could be. It turns out that it has the potential to be quite efficient, even on an overcast, rainy day in Boston.

That’s where we found Professor Grossman and his team, on the roof of their research lab at MIT with a desk covered in miniature 3D solar panels.

You might think doing a solar panel demonstration on an overcast day is pointless, but not so with 3D solar panels. Typically, grey skies are like kryptonite for solar power, but Professor Grossman found that 3D panels can actually pick up almost as much electricity on a cloudy day as it can when it’s sunny out.

That efficiency, created by the dynamic shapes inspired by tree leaves, is what’s really impressive about Professor Grossman’s design. Not only are they less impacted by bad weather, their vertical shape allows them to pick up more direct sunlight and generate more electricity than flat panels using the same amount of ground space.

The team doesn’t want their designs hidden away on rooftops either. Rachelle Villalon, the teams architect envisions a day when you’ll find 3D solar panels placed around cities like statues, becoming urban icons, instead of simple flat panels hidden on a roof.

Source: Yahoo / ABC News (By Bill Weir, C. Michael Kim & David Miller)

SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar manufacturer, is gratified that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined the company and its Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing represent a clear majority of the domestic manufacturing industry and found adequate cause for concern over Chinese solar export practices to initiate an intensive, year-long investigation.

“We are pleased that the facts have begun to speak for themselves,” said Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld Industries America Inc., based in Hillsboro, Ore. “China’s plans for the U.S. market have been clear from its excessive and illegal subsidization of its export-heavy industry, its ever-escalating drive to dump product at artificially low prices on the U.S. marketplace and its contrived public-affairs tactics, including a new coalition for Chinese importers that purports to serve the interests of American consumers.”

In reality, a survey published by the Solar Energy Industries Association is clear that the U.S. public cares deeply about the vitality of domestic manufacturing as it stands in China’s crosshairs. The survey shows overwhelming bipartisan support – 82 percent – for U.S. solar manufacturing. Chinese companies have almost no production on U.S. soil.

CASM alleges that China’s state-sponsored industry has mounted an onslaught of dumping that has included a surge of imports in recent months. Chinese exports into the United States in July alone exceeded those of all of 2010, according to federal trade data. To counter this alleged surge ahead of the U.S. investigation, the SolarWorld-led coalition is seeking a federal determination of “critical circumstances,” requiring that any import duties required to offset alleged improper trade tactics be applied retroactively for three months.

Assuming the International Trade Commission finds on Dec. 5 that Chinese exports have harmed the domestic industry, the first possible determination on “critical circumstances” could come as soon as Jan. 12, meaning importers of record could later be required to deposit estimated duties on imports back to this past Oct.
14, according to CASM.
“The anti-competitive tactics of Chinese exporters have threatened to wipe out U.S. producers and jobs,” Brinser said. “Domestic producers look forward to returning to steady increases in efficiency and sustainable decreases in pricing that directly result from legal international competition – and to advances in America’s renewable-energy future.”

Source: Solarworld VIA Businesswire

These systems can be installed by the do-it-yourselfer with some basic knowledge, however, the wiring connections should be installed by a qualified electrical or solar contractor. Some rebate programs require a Licensed Contractor to qualify for the rebate. (Solar Direct offers installation services in Florida and some other limited service areas. We can also work with your choice of contractors; please call for quotation.)

Start With A Storm Outage Back-up System & Grow into Full Energy Independence!

Benefits:
• Generate your own electricity and reduce your electric bill
• Protect against future utility increases
• Sell excessive power back to the Utility Grid:
• Spin your meter backwards with Net Metering
• Reduce the burning of fossil fuels for a healthier environment
• Increase the value of your home
• Save money on your system with state rebates and incentives
• Solar modules have up to a 25-year warranty
• Systems typically have a lifetime of 40+ years

Typical System Kits Include:
• Solar Electric Modules (panels)
• Solar Inverter
• Mounting Hardware

Here is the link to your freedom: SHOP.SOLARDIRECT.COM

Being prepared can reduce fear, anxiety and losses that come with disasters.

Government leaders have advised us to prepare ourselves and our homes for a time of crisis. Whether it be a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or hurricane, or a manmade disaster, such as a terrorist attack or fire, prudent families are preparing for disasters that could strike unexpectedly.

This all came to mind recently when an October snow storm knocked out power to much of the Northeast. Some families and businesses have been without power for days.

So what do you do? Put together a preparedness kit that includes enough food and water for your entire family for at least a week. Guides are available on how much food you need to keep on hand to provide for your family in the event of an emergency.

Many preparedness-minded families have found that their Sun Oven can quickly pays for itself in time of emergency. The Sun Oven uses the power of the sun to cook your food.

You can get the sun over here: Shop.solardirect.com

With energy prices at an all-time high, now is the time to consider energy saving products. Improving your home’s energy efficiency will help you reduce your utility bills, reduce your impact on the environment, and most importantly, save money. The winter months are especially costly for those living in colder climates and by adding some of these items below, you can lower your overall energy costs.

Here are some items to consider:

Power saving products

• Solar Powered Attic Fan
• Natural Lighting
• Kill-A-Watt
• Attic Breeze

Energy Efficient Appliances

• Staber Washer
• Staber Dryer
• Sun Oven
• Solar Hybrid Oven
• Sun Frost Refrigerators
• Tankless Water Heaters

Water Saving Products

• Low Flow Shower Heads
• Rapid Delivery Water Conservation System