The Solar Impulse, Switzerland’s experimental sun-powered aircraft that uses no fuel and runs completely on renewable energy thanks to solar panels on its wings, has just successfully made Intercontinental flight from Rabat, Morocco to Madrid, Spain. The flight lasted almost 17 hours.

The single-pilot craft with a wingspan of an Airbus 340 has been flown on alternative legs by Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, powered by 12,000 solar cells integrated into the wing that supply four 10-horsepower motors with the energy that charges lithium batteries during the day and allows the plane to fly all night.

The carbon-fiber HB-SIA has traveled more than 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) without fuel since May 24 from a military field at Payerne outside the Swiss capital of Bern via Madrid, passing Gibraltar, to the southern Morocco desert town of Ouarzazate over the Atlas Mountains.

The craft flew north along Morocco’s Atlantic coast into southern Spain today and followed a course near the Portugal- Spain border at altitudes up to 7,800 meters (25,700 feet) with an average speed of about 48 kilometers per hour.

“With this flight to Morocco, we have validated the capacity of the airplane to fly through difficult regions,” said Borschberg, co-founder of Solar Impulse.
The 100 million-franc ($102 million) Solar Impulse project has been supported by Solvay SA (SOLB), Swatch Group’s Omega, Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) and Schindler Holding AG along with Bayer AG (BAYN)’s Material Science unit, Altran Technologies SA (ALT), Swisscom AG (SCMN), the EPFL institute in Lausanne and Dassault Aviation SA. (AM)

Solar Impulse has demonstrated that a solar-powered airplane can fly day and night using no fuel. The next challenge is to fly around the world.

Piccard and co-pilot Brian Jones in 1999 became the first to fly around Earth in a hot-air balloon, starting from Switzerland and landing almost 20 days later in Egypt. Solar Impulse organizers hope to pilot a new model of the sun-powered craft around the world in 2014.

Logitech developed new wireless solar keyboard – K760. It targets Apple products such as: the Mac, iPad and iPhone.

Showing off a built-in Bluetooth connection, the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 will continue from where the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 and the Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio for iPad left off. You get an easy-switching capability that enables you to pair different devices simultaneously, where switching among them is as simple as pushing a button.

Denis Pavillard, vice president of experience design at Logitech, said, “Laptops, smartphones and tablets are ubiquitous – both at work and at play. Because Apple devices are central to this trend, Logitech is committed to improving the way people interact with them. With its simple solar charging, familiar Mac layout and comfortable design, the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 will appeal to Apple users worldwide.”

The Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 comes in a stylish form factor that is compact, so that it will not look out of place when working alongside your beautifully designed product from Cupertino. Thanks to its aforementioned easy-switching Bluetooth connection, you are able to pair your keyboard to as many as a trio of devices and switch among them without the need to reconnect.

The minimalist design on the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 even comes with Mac-specific keys, such as Command, Brightness, Eject and more to make you feel as comfortable as possible. Not only that, the unique Logitech concave key design will enable you to be more comfortable when typing, delivering speedier response and greater precision compared to typing on an on-screen keyboard.

See video presentation below.

Expect the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 to arrive in the US and Europe from next month onwards, where it will retail for $79.99 a pop.

Giraffe Street Lamp designed by Chen Wei & Lu Yanxin is a very original self-sustaining swing design that provides illumination at night. It harnesses kinetic energy each time you swing and as a double back up, utilizes the solar panel hood to soak some more energy goodness.
The design ranks high on the safety graph as it doesn’t make use of any additional electricity source, which makes it absolutely safe in case kids use the swing. It is a perfect blend of a courtyard light and a swing chair!

25 is the number of years that most crystalline silicon solar panel manufacturers warranty the power output of their panels. Afterwards although the panels can still technically generate power beyond this point, their power output begins to decrease significantly.

Image via Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.

As the industry continues to grow over the coming decades, and today’s solar modules approach the end of their useful lives, we will find ourselves with a serious solar trash problem.

A new report from GlobalData delves into a hidden side of the solar industry that will emerge as a result of this problem over the next 15 years–solar module recycling. According to the firm’s report, end-of-life PV modules are expected to generate approximately 24,855 tons of waste in 2025. By 2035, the amount is expected to increase to 1,161,173 tons.

Image via Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.

As one might expect, there are significant financial opportunities in this sector. In 2025, a PV module is expected to generate $0.58 per watt in recycled value, increasing to $1.21 per watt in 2035. The major factors driving this trend are the rise in solar panel installations from 2000 to 2010, an expected increase in recycling rates, and a rise in the market price of solar module materials, like glass and aluminum.
Overall, the total value of recycled crystalline modules is expected to increase from $122 million in 2025 to $12.9 billion by 2035.

The emergence of solar module recycling is just part of a growing market for electronic waste, or e-waste. A recent study by Pike Research found that the amount of total e-waste generated worldwide is expected to double to 1,465 million cubic feet by 2025. Today, the vast majority of e-waste that doesn’t go to the landfill ends up in developing countries, where it is processed with little consideration for human or environmental health.
One organization that is working to ensure that the solar industry does not go down the same road as the electronics industry when it comes to recycling is the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC). SVTC believes that solar manufacturers can ensure that PV is a truly sustainable energy resource by reducing the use of toxic chemicals in PV, developing responsible recycling systems, and protecting workers at every stage of the global PV supply chain.
The organization’s annual Solar Score Card ranks solar manufacturers according to standards of product recycling, worker health and safety, chemical use and life-cycle analysis and company disclosure statements. In 2011, the top-ranking manufacturers were SolarWorld, Trina Solar, First Solar, REC and Abound Solar.

Source: earthtechling.com. Article by Lauren Craig.

RECYCLE YOUR OLD SOLAR LIGHTS HERE – GET MONEY FOR YOUR NEXT PURCHASE!

Check out new Halloween video from Your Solar Link.

For this Halloween project 3 solar spot lights were used along with 1 solar security light to showcase the giant spider.

Giant spider is made of chicken wire, plaster bandage strips pvc pipes and some spray paint. All the solar lights that were used for this project can be found at www.YourSolarLink.com.

“If you wanted to generate all the world’s electricity, you could do it with less than 1% of the area of the world’s desert.” Gerry Wolff, Coordinator of Desertec, says. But if Wolff is correct, why hasn’t it been done yet?

Seville, Spain hosts the first commercial operation of solar tower technology in the world. It’s the first commercial solar tower plant of its type, concentrating solar power (CSP), in the world. According to the report, it features over 1,000 freestanding heliostat mirrors that follow the arc of the sun. In a process referred to as Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), the mirrors reflect solar rays to the tower, where water is boiled, and then steam is generated to drive a turbine, which in turn produces electricity. This electricity is sold to the national grid.

This is all possible because Spain’s government has provided subsidies and incentives in support for the solar industry. Without government support, it’s possible that the entire operation could not exist. That is because the upfront investment is huge, as most of the money goes into building the plant. The investor community tends to see solar plants as high risk.

But according to the video report, once economies of scale are achieved, solar power is one of the cheapest sources of energy. The report argues that it’s hard to detect the value of solar power because currently, conventional sources of electricity are subsidized, artificially making them appear to be cheap. GOOD reports that “concentrated solar power… will be a core element of the transition from dirty coal to clean energy.”

As Gus Schellekens of PricewaterhouseCoopers argues, “Solar has a huge role it can play, the fact that it’s an endless supply of energy…the one thing that’s needed to unlock much of that is the political leadership and will.”

WATCH video about this innovative solar power tower below:

VIDEO of James May (Top gear) visiting solar thermal plant in Spain:

Solar Ivy is a solar energy delivery device that draws inspiration from ivy growing on a building.

Solar Ivy was created to meet the energy needs of individuals, businesses, and communities while adhering to the values of sustainable design and environmental stewardship. Combining photovoltaic technology and piezoelectrics, Solar Ivy’s unique, patent–pending system continues to grow and to challenge our notions of what solar power can and can’t do.

Solar Ivy (from Brooklyn, NY) and its parent company, SMIT, utilize recycled and reclaimed materials and life–cycle analysis to ensure that the system and its component parts can be recycled and reclaimed.

Some features of this ingenious invention include:

Customize easily.

Solar Ivy’s modularity allows for customization on a number of levels, including:

Color: Each leaf of Solar Ivy can be colored to order to meet aesthetic purposes or to “paint” your organizations name or logo.

Spacing: Density of Solar Ivy leaves can be increased or reduced depending on goals for energy gain, visibility requirements, or architectural needs.

Photovoltaic Type: Solar Ivy can be produced with one of several types of photovoltaic material depending on your energy production and environmental objectives.

Orientation: At any given geographical location there is are a range of pitch orientations available to Solar Ivy’s leaf shape. In designing a Solar Ivy solution we can take into account architectural and aesthetic priorities by adjusting the leaves to have more or less pitch, or angle at different places.

Grow Anywhere.

The stainless steel mesh that roots Solar Ivy to a building or sub-structure is flexible enough to stretch, bend, and curve to hug the contours of almost any surface, including building facades. Spread leaf concentrations thinner over windowed areas of a facade to enhance views. The modular design also allows for updating Solar Ivy as new photovoltaic technology becomes available.

Produce Renewable Energy.

Through analysis of a site’s sun exposure and geographical location, Solar Ivy’s leaf arrangement and density are designed to meet optimal performance specifications. Each installation of Solar Ivy results in a unique product whose appearance, dimensions and energy capacity harness the maximum potential wattage for the location. With its unique flexiblity and modularity, Solar Ivy can be used independently, or complementing traditional solar systems in places they can’t go (like facades and over windows), so you produce more energy.

Provide Shade.

Just like its natural counterpart, Solar Ivy provides shade while collecting and converting sunlight into usable energy. A home or business utilizing Solar Ivy enjoys substantial savings from having to run air conditioning and HVAC units less.

Residential Applications.
Solar Ivy can be used on the roof or walls of your home or garage. Shade a deck or patio with Solar Ivy. Solar Ivy can be installed on nearly all building types using standard electrical hardware that will allow easy integration with existing power service or for on–site battery storage.

Commercial & Architectural Applications.
Solar Ivy is a flexible system that can adapt to different building typologies, programmatic demands, and regional climates. From collaborating with architects and builders to harness sustainable energy sources in new buildings to retrofitting existing structures, Solar Ivy meets the needs and sustainability goals of business and property owners.

Advertising Applications.
Solar Ivy’s customization feature allows business and institutions to display logos or images as a solar “painting.” By adjusting variables like density and pitch, and by coloring individual leaves, we can accurately reproduce corporate names, logos, or identifying images with Solar Ivy.

Read more about Solar Ivy at http://solarivy.com.

1.5 billion people do not have direct access to electricity and rely on kerosene, candles or firewood for lighting. Lack of suitable home lighting is directly linked to illiteracy, poverty and heath problems. Too many children are burned or impacted by house fires linked to lighting. Lighting should be safe, clean and affordable to all.

The Unite-to-Light project started with a visit from Pastor Kofi Fosuhene and Osei Darkwa to Santa Barbara. They explained that many people in Africa, who rely on kerosene for reading, suffer health problems and financial hardship. Aware of the work done at UCSB’s Institute for Energy Efficiency on high-efficiency LED lights and high-efficiency solar cells, Fosuhene and Darkwa asked if the Institute could design an affordable reading light. Although many solar powered flashlights are available, they were interested in reading lights because of the problems related to children and education, a focus for both men.

With assistance from Engineers without Borders, John Bowers, David Schmidt, Norm Gardner and Jock Bovington set about to solve this problem. After going through several designs, the first samples were sent to Ghana and met with great enthusiasm. Unite to Light is now engaging with other organizations to supply solar-based lighting to the developing world.

Solar Reading Light at night.

Watch five minute video showing soot from a kerosene lamp.

More at www.unite-to-light.org

Even though the rest of us do not rely on kerosene, candles or firewood for lighting and have direct access to electricity, the opportunity to use free energy sources is priceless. Check out these solar reading lights HERE.

They come in two attractive colors : green and red. And are on %10 OFF sale today.

Posted by Ekaterina Kohlwes – Principal/Designer at Mindful Design Consulting.

What Mindful Design Consulting can do for you:

• Branding/Your Brand Recognition Strategy
• Human Behavior Pattern in Your Business
• Professional Space Planning
• 3d Renderings and Illustrations to See Your New Space in Action
• Color Selection Based on Psychological Responses
• New Business Concept Space Design
• Retail Design and Buying Pattern Consulting
• Custom Cabinet Drawings
• Materials and Finishes Selection Based on Human Sensibility
• Equipment Selection Serving Your Needs
• Furniture Selection for Your Style
• Construction Drawings
• Energy Efficient Lighting layout and Selection
• We partner with Licensed Architects, Engineers and Other Professional Consultants if Your Project Requires

Website:
http://www.mindfuldesignconsulting.com/
http://mindfuldesignconsulting.com/Blog

Using minute graphite particles 1000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, mechanical engineers at Arizona State University hope to boost the efficiency and profitability of solar power plants.

Nanowires and Nanocrystals for Nanotechnology Video. An overview on the research about how nanomaterials impact the critical applications in faster transistors, smaller nonvolatile memory devices, efficient solar energy conversion, high-energy battery and nanobiotechnology.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are popping up more and more on rooftops, but they’re not necessarily the best solar power solution. “The big limitation of PV panels is that they can use only a fraction of the sunlight that hits them, and the rest just turns into heat, which actually hurts the performance of the panels,” explains Robert Taylor, a graduate student in mechanical engineering at Arizona State University.

Graphite Structure. Click on this image to view an interactive Jmol version of this model.

An alternative that can make use of all of the sunlight, including light PVs can’t use, is the solar thermal collector. The purpose of these collectors — which take the form of dishes, panels, evacuated tubes, towers, and more — is to collect heat that can then be used to boil water to make steam, for example, which drives a turbine to create electricity.
To further increase the efficiency of solar collectors, Taylor and his colleagues have mixed nanoparticles — particles a billionth of a meter in size — into the heat-transfer oils normally used in solar thermal power plants. The researchers chose graphite nanoparticles, in part because they are black and therefore absorb light very well, making them efficient heat collectors. In laboratory tests with small dish collectors, Taylor and his colleagues found that nanoparticles increased heat-collection efficiency by up to 10 percent. “We estimate that this could mean up to $3.5 million dollars per year more revenue for a 100 megawatt solar power plant,” he says.

What’s more, Taylor adds, graphite nanoparticles “are cheap” — less than $1 per gram — but with 100 grams of nanoparticles providing the same heat-collecting surface area as an entire football field. “It might also be possible to filter out nanoparticles of soot, which have similar absorbing potential, from coal power plants for use in solar systems,” he says. “I think that idea is particularly attractive: using a pollutant to harvest clean, green solar energy.”

Source: the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy.