4.000 solar lanterns for Japan's tsunami victims

Panasonic Group to share the suffering of the Japan's earthquake and tsunami victims to provide assistance around 4,000 of solar-powered LED lantern which partially equipped with USB output for charging the cell phone. Assistance is provided in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.


Assistance in the form of green energy for survivors in the worst areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami are expected to provide a small amount of electrical energy needs especially to provide the light and small devices charger. The company also expects its to soon be able to recover all the circumstances for victims and the places affected by the disaster.

Almost all the victims of the earthquake and tsunami lost of all their possessions, so they really need help. The device solar LED lanterns will add comfort for the disaster victims who had previously been received ShelterBox aid kit that includes everything from stoves to water purifiers.

Floating Solar Installations more Reliable and Ecofriendly

Aquasun project is a collaboration between Israel based company Solaris Synergy and the EDF, France, to maximize the space above the water such as the water industry for solar installations that more efficient and remain friendly to the ecosystem underneath. The project will be very suitable to be applied in dry countries that are less of natural water available but abundant availability of sunlight such as Israel, Africa and others.

Floating solar installation in addition to saving space is not used on the water, it also will save on production costs while achieving good efficiency. Floating solar panels will fill the space above idle industrial water basin and will use the water itself as the cooling system of PV silicon solar cells are easy to overheating.

The system will also use a special type of solar cells with optical mirrors to concentrate sunlight so it will reduce the number of solar cells are used. Each module is claimed to produce 200 kW and it could be increased by adding modules.

The system is designed very friendly environment with a floating panel works as a surface to breathe through the oxygen to penetrate into the water to the continuity of life under water. The project will be tested at a site close to local facilities hydro-electric facility in France. The team will be working for a more efficient technology to be ready commercially in the market soon.

Ultrafast laser Boost Thin-Film Solar Cells Efficiency and Cheaper

A Conventional scribing method is considered expensive and slow to make thin-film solar cells more efficient. A new method is carried out by researchers at Purdue University using ultrafast pulsed lasers to manufacture solar cells for cheaper and more efficient thin-film solar cells.

Ultrafast laser scribing is used to make small microchannels that will be used to interconnect a series of solar panels into an array to produce the amount of energy. It will also support in making a better channels. Thin films instead of wafers have been cut costs significantly.

According to the researchers, the accuracy of microchannels cuts will greatly affect the efficiency of a solar cell. They hope the manufacture microchannels using ultrashort pulse laser can reduce production costs and improve efficiency thin-film solar cells.

A cold ablation process has created a layer of microchannels are very clean and thin-film is not damaged by heat. The study also received financial support from the National Science Foundation.

Charge Your Phone Wirelessly with Solar Table

Solar Table Wireless power transmission is a Panasonic's technology concept which was introduced in the Security Show in Japan. The solar table device will allow you to recharge your phone or mobile device just by placing it on the table.

Annual event in Japan which show off the technology and new products relating to security and safety systems held at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center. The concept offered by Panasonic based on QI Wireless Power transmission technology equipped with solar panels which are placed in the middle of the table and dedicated wireless charging pads. The phones or mobile devices that can be charged must supports QI technology.

About the the length of a phone charging time using this solar table has not explained by Panasonic. According to the company, the product as well as a set of dedicated QI Batteries which fit with the Panasonic mobile phones will be given away. The product will soon be able to be present in the market at least late this year or early next year.

Solar-generated Steam for Pumping Oil

In the industrial world, the use of solar energy has grown not only to generate electricity but also take advantage of solar heat to generate steam. An oil and gas drilling company in California has built a GlassPoint greenhouse, a facility that uses solar heat to heat water to produce steam to pump more oil.

GlassPoint glass has a physical form of 20 feet tall equipped with a mirror inside to make steam. According to the company, the only operation that uses solar power for enhanced oil recovery. A series of mirrors in the greenhouse will reflect sunlight into the tube carrying water. Water affected by mirror reflection heat will generate steam that will be pumped into the well to draw more oil from existing wells.

This method is a good alternative to produce steam that is cheaper than the cost of the old ways of using natural gas generator steam. This will also allow oil drillers can get more from existing facilities rather than start new. The company also stated that this method will also allow to extract more oil.