Solar Energy Articles
-
Demonstration of a 33% efficient Cassegrainian Solar Module
Abstract The Cassegrainian solar concentrator module concept we shall describe here uses a primary and a dichroic secondary mirror to split the solar spectrum into two parts and direct the infrared and near visible portions of the spectrum to two separate cell locations. An efficiency of 32.9% (STC) is reported measured outdoors for a solar concentrator PV module using InGaP/GaAs dual junction ...
-
Mirrors in Space for Low-Cost Terrestrial Solar Electric Power at Night
ABSTRACT — A constellation of 18 mirror satellites is proposed in a polar sun synchronous dawn to dusk orbit at an altitude of approximately 1000 km above the earth. Each mirror satellite contains a multitude of 2 axis tracking mirror segments that collectively direct a sun beam down at a target solar electric field site delivering a solar intensity to that terrestrial site equivalent to ...
-
Solar PV Carousel Trackers for Building Flat Rooftops
ABSTRACT Herein, a SunTrack Carousel tracker is described for mounting on residential or commercial building flat rooftops in order to produce more k\Vh per kW relative to fixed PV modules. The JX Crystals (JXC) fixed-tilt / azimuth carousel is a low profile tracker designed to distribute weight evenly over a large area and for low wind resistance on the roof. Multiple JXC SunTrack Carousels have ...
-
Design of a Portable Fuel Fired Cylindrical TPV Battery Replacement
A novel portable fuel fired cylindrical thermophotovoltaic battery charger is described. It uses an array of GaSb TPV cells along with a novel Omega recuperator design and a novel IR emitter design. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) calculations are presented for this TPV cylinder design showing the potential for an overall fuel to electricity conversion efficiency of 10.9%. The estimated weight ...
-
Economic Potential for Thermophotovoltaic Electric Power Generation in the Steel Industry
ABSTRACT - A steel mill extrudes steel billets at temperatures above 1400 °C continuously 24 hours a day. The steel billets then go to cooling beds where they slowly cool down to below 1100 °C. JX Crystals Inc makes Gallium Antimonide (GaSb) thermophotoyoltaic (TPV) cells that can generate over 1 W/cm when exposed to infrared radiant energy from glowing steel at temperatures above 1100 ...
-
Geothermal Power Approaches 12,000 Megawatts Worldwide
In 2013, world geothermal electricity-generating capacity grew 3 percent to top 11,700 megawatts across 24 countries. Although some other renewable energy technologies are seeing much faster growth—wind power has expanded 21 percent per year since 2008, for example, while solar power has grown at a blistering 53 percent annual rate—this was geothermal’s best year since the ...
-
From sand to power: an examination of the solar energy value chain in the Caribbean
The Caribbean region possesses some attributes which favour the development of the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry. Despite these advantages, the region has had limited success in the solar industry. There are currently challenges in the industry such as information asymmetry, high upfront installation cost, difficult in attaining financing for both manufacturers and potential customers, and ...
-
Finalists announced for INDIASOL CSP Technology and Supplier Award 2014
Ener-T, Aalborg CSP & Sojitz Corporation and Thermosol Glass have been announced as finalists of the CSP Today and PV Insider INDIASOL 2014 Awards. Voting is now open for the award of CSP Technology and Supplier of the Year. Cost reduction is the number one priority to make concentrated solar power a competitive energy source. With that goal in mind, suppliers and technology developers have ...
-
Enjoy Your Summer with Solar Outdoor Lighting
The summer comes with very high temperatures and everyone is torn between enjoying the heat and succumbing to it. The evenings offer a much better environment because the temperatures are a little lower. The air is cooler and you can comfortably carry out your chores. At the end of a long hot day you would prefer to just relax and stretch out and what better place to do it than the outside where ...
-
Decorative Solar Lighting with Bell-shaped LED Fixtures
The sun is an ever-present source of energy for solar lighting. Solar lighting is being taken up and is especially being used for street lights. Lighting up streets is very essential for security purposes since it makes people feel safer. It is also important since it increases night vision by about 25 percent. This increases a driver’s brake response by about 10 percent which reduces the ...
-
Solar Streetlights for Financial Savings and Environmental Protection
Solar powered lights are fast gaining ground and taking the lighting industry by storm. They are especially taking over outdoor lighting in households and both large and small towns. They have not disappointed either and the benefits have proven to be worthwhile. The first thing that comes to the minds of people with regard to solar lighting is the fact that one can rake in a lot of savings. It ...
-
Retrofit Solutions for Existing Poles
Many items get manufactured and become actual hits in the market. They are used for several years since they are good inventions but with the rapid growth in research and technology another item is produced after a while and it proves to be much better than the initial item. Most consumers would want to replace the old item with the new one but it becomes very expensive if it is something big. ...
-
ACWA Power’s CEO says Indian PV companies expanding to the Middle East ‘fear the unknown’
PV Insider’s recently published guide on ‘Exporting Indian solar expertise abroad’ includes interviews from key Middle Eastern solar players such as ACWA power, Masdar and Sun & Life on whether Indian companies would make good partners on PV projects in the Middle East. In a recent contribution to PV Insider’s guide on ‘Exporting Indian solar expertise ...
-
Haiti is benefiting from Solar Streetlights
Natural disasters are known to happen in very many countries and there is nothing much that people can do to prevent them. This was the case in Haiti when a mighty earthquake shook the island in 2010. It left in its wake a lot of destruction. Homes were destroyed and people lost all they had. Starting from scratch meant living in camps and tents until things became better. Improved security ...
-
Solar Streetlights in Extreme Weather
Nature is brimming with its different forces. They are all meant for good but can have a damaging effect on other items that it comes into contact with. Take for example anything that is outside but is not natural. It can easily get damaged by water and get rusty. Even natural things can be blown away or struck down by the very same beautiful nature. It is very easy to assume that streetlights ...
-
Solar Powered Streetlights are more popular
Lighting takes on many forms and is used in all areas. Solar lighting has over the years been used indoors but it is now gaining popularity outside. Solar outdoor lighting is the new fad and with good reason. It has been found to have quite a number of benefits even though people had initially dismissed solar lighting as unreliable. Outdoor lighting actually provides a great platform for the use ...
-
Solar Lighting for Better Security
The feeling of safety may seem more elusive as time goes by since everyone is working hard to make a living for themselves, whether legally or otherwise. It is therefore an issue of concern to most neighborhoods since you never know when there will be an attack of any kind. Keeping the surroundings as safe as possible is therefore at the forefront of all priorities. For some people the first ...
-
How to Choose Solar Lights for Small Area Illumination
Lighting is a very delicate subject. Most people do not take it as such because the assumption is that illumination is required in any area that is dark. The type of illumination is usually not considered since any kind of light is considered right. This is however not right. You cannot have the same kind of lighting in a large space as well as a small place. The lighting needs in these two ...
-
Cost-efficient Solution for Already Paved Parking Lots
The construction of parking lots is a very intensive exercise in every form. It involves a lot of heavy work and a lot of concrete as well. As is known, concrete hardens when it dries up and a large amount of prodding will get it damaged. Repairs may not leave the same smooth pavements and structures though. Parking lots always require lights because cars usually remain parked for long hours and ...
-
The challenge of local content examined: a Spanish solution in South Africa
Spanish engineering, procurement and construction companies’ long track record in the concentrated solar power (CSP) sector provides them with a distinctive advantage to develop large-scale projects around the world. In addition, it gives them a competitive edge when addressing challenges that are particular to these developments. Our most recent article: “The challenge of local ...
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you