Greenhouse as well as Generating Electricity from Solar

Solyndra thin film companies based in the U.S. develop its solar collectors which in addition to generating electricity will also serve as shade for the greenhouse. Development of solar collectors function can make the use of agricultural land that also produces electricity.

Solar collectors which being tested at agriculture research centers, Italy and the University of California, Davis, are an array of solar cell-covered glass tubes that will allow light for greenhouse plants to pass through the glass tube, which is coated with a thin film solar cells. This is a breakthrough from conventional flat solar panels which can not be penetrated by light.

Company that has received $ 535,000,000 in loan guarantees from the Department of Energy and $ 1 billion in private capital declared intention to pioneer a new solar solution in Italian agriculture to face the high price competition from European and Chinese suppliers using the traditional materials of solar panels.

StratoSolar Offer 15 Times Cheaper Solar Energy Above

Another way to utilize cheaper solar energy using large concentrated solar panels at a height of 20 kilometers which is supported by a large light pipe. StratoSolar claimed to be 15 times more cheaply by other means of solar energy today.

The giant light pipe on StratoSolar filled with hydrogen to allow float up to a height in the stratosphere for concentrated solar panels. Pipe connected to the ground then the CSP will be arranged for energy collection and transfer heat energy from the structures to ground control. The heat energy will converted into electricity using today conventional ways.

The system uses materials easily obtained and the technology that is near, so will support for a less expensive solar technology. In addition, the application of this technology will only need a little free space for installation and weather constraints. StratoSolar also offers 3 times more efficient than CSP units in the field and the potential to produce 1 Gwe.

WorldGSM Solar-powered Communications-based Station in India

WorldGSM is a communications-based station in India owned by Vihaan Networks Limited (VNL), which uses some solar panels for its entire operation without connecting to the grid. The solar-powered cell phone towers will use Boston Power batteries to power the tower, which could set its use up to 3 days without sun.

Boston Power is a company specialized in lithium ion battery maker. Cooperation with the VNL is to replace the use of previously lead acid batteries in the system.

WorldGSM towers as microtelecom is provided for the needs of many people in rural areas that are far beyond the reach of mobile phone networks. According to the VNL, customers in remote areas usually only spend less than $ 2 per month for their mobile needs.

Coupling storage with cell phone base stations is the good choice for the place that far from the grid. Although still being tested, WorldGSM base station is planned to be installed in several other areas.

NightSolar Enable Solar as Building Cooling

Solar energy is usually used to heat a building or as power plants, but Conserval Engineering is currently testing its new solar thermal wall panels which in addition to warm the building , its able to help cool down too.

Engineering Conserval famous for its SolarWall corrugated galvanized-steel solar collectors to heat the building using HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) system that function to transfer the heat. This system can cut costs for the building heating system as well as save energy.

NigtSolar works in the same way with SolarWall air heating system but it works vice versa. NightSolar works on the principle of Nocturnal Radiation, which absorb the sun's heat during the day and radiate heat back into the cold night air. The system will only work when the afternoon sun sets until the morning at sunrise.

NightSolar roof panels are connected with air handlers (an air conditioning system) so it can draw the hot air inside the building to be moved into the cold air outside at night.Although NightSolar can not function optimally to cool the building (10 degrees Fahrenheit below the ambient temperature of the building) but it is hoped could help to save costs and energy.

Research Cost $27 million for the Purpose of Cheaper Solar

U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot initiative is a research program that focused on trimming costs for solar energy system that is cheaper with a target reduction to 75 percent ($ 1 per watt) in 2020. If successful, the research will allow for solar photovoltaic systems are as cheap as current fossil fuels to produce electricity.


The research program for the efficiency of solar cell technology will include the destination field of solar cell technology, electronics to optimize the installation of solar systems, solar manufacturing process, and installation, design, and allows for the solar system. The cooperation includes the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Science, and Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).


Meanwhile, Silicon Valley-based Sunpower have gone for a preliminary study with support from DOE for the highest efficiency solar panels today. According to Energy Minister Steven Chu, improved manufacturing techniques and existing solar cell could reduce costs by half. This can be done in a way like the efficiency of solar cells on thin film solar material or reduce the amount of silicon is wasted in the process so that it can reduce costs significantly.


Most of the allocation of funds will likely be used on a new manufacturing process in the U.S. solar industry supply chain, such as power electronics for solar installations.

Princeton University will Build Largest Solar Field for U.S Campus

Using a 27-acres land area in the campus environment in New Jersey, Princeton University plans to build an area that comes with 16.500 solar photovoltaic panels that will make it as the solar largest field for the campus and university in the U.S. One step of the Princeton University in Princeton's 2008 sustainability which order to achieve 1990 levels of carbon emission reduction by 2020.


The project plans announced by the Ivy Legue school which expected to save on school costs for energy to 8 percent, equivalent to enough energy to 700 households. The location of the field is across the Delaware Canal or the southeast of the main campus.


As the project executor is entrusted to Sunpower Corp. and for the solar field payments will use New Jersey's Solar Renewable Energy Certificate program. The system cost will be cover by selling the credits to utility companies


The project is planned to begin running in 2012 with estimates could produce 8 million kilowatts of energy per year that could provide 5.5 percent campus electricity need. The estimated increase in energy production will be higher on a very sunny weather.

Concentrated Solar Power to Melt Anything

In addition to generating electricity, concentrated solar power also can be used to burn any objects. Eric Jacqmain, a student in America to make Homemade Solar Death Ray which can melt any hard object.

Youth aged 19 years was assembled around 5800 small mirror on a normal-sized dish that will concentrate the solar until it could melt through metal and concrete. At the dish is made a small hole and on the back attached to a PVC pipe. Light shines through the hole and hits the translucent plastic on the end of the pipe. He revealed that the project to create a solar death ray only takes 24 hours to complete.

Jacqmain claims that his R5800 has intensity of 5000 suns. To melt or vaporize an object he only needs to mark it by pointing the dish to the object. But unfortunately his solar devices have been on fire with his garden warehouse. But he intends to make another similar devices by using more mirrors namely 32 000 mirror.

Small Personal Solar Panels for Use Anywhere

A small personal solar panel called Emerald is the work of Engineering students at the University of Michigan that intended for usage in the developing countries where lack electricity availability. The device with a paperback size is capable of providing light and power requirements to recharge a cell phone.

United in a company called June Energy, the Engineering students has received more than $ 500,000 in venture capital and will send its first 40 domestic orders. They also will travel to Kenya and Mali to test their prototypes in the area that is still limited power source as well as introducing the device to its population.

According to a student, Emerald has been designed with the development of a circuit that allows the device to produce light as well as electricity supply at affordable prices. June Energy will provide a price below $ 20 for the market in developing countries. It will be able to replace kerosene lamps task with 100 lumens that will be able to produce a brighter light and comfortable to read while learning in the night. The device has been equipped with a USB port to allow charging cell phone.

Solar-powered Road to Melt Snow Road

Problems blizzards and extreme weather that hit many countries have given the idea of utilizing solar energy to melt the snow that blanketed the highway. Currently, the two different solar- powered road systems are being developed to be able to clean the roads from snow as well as the possibility of providing a power source.

Sunlight is abundant on the highway to give ideas to Rajib Mallick, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, to use a pipe filled with freeze-resistant liquid which will be heated by the sun. Hot liquid will be stored in an isolated room and will be used to melt snow when the road is closed by snow. The heating fluid also claimed could generate electricity for adjacent buildings.

Mallick estimates that the project will spend up to $ 12,500 for each 50 meters of pipe and about $ 1,000 per year for maintenance. But according to him, the system will be able to pay for itself for six months as well as generate electricity to heat about 55 homes for one month of the year.