Solar Energy Articles
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A statistical model for predicting carbon monoxide levels
This paper presents a statistical model that is able to predict carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations as a function of meteorological conditions and various air quality parameters. The experimental work was conducted in an urban atmosphere, where the emissions from cars are prevalent. A mobile air pollution monitoring laboratory was used to collect data, which were divided into two groups: a ...
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Meteorological pre-processing of incoming solar radiation and heat flux over a sparse boreal forest at a northern site during winter conditions
Measurements from Northern Finland on radiation and turbulent fluxes over a sparse boreal forest with snow-covered ground were analysed. The measurements represent harsh winter conditions characterised by low sun angles. The absorption of incoming solar radiation in clear skies (turbidity) was found to be a strong function of the solar elevation. At low solar elevation angles, commonly used ...
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Advanced system for calibration and characterization of solar cells
This paper presents high performance setup developed at the SolarLab to measure curient-voltage (I—V) curves of solar cells. The core of a setup is a steady light solar simulator of class A, according to specifications oflEC 60904-9 andASTM E927 standards. Available range of measurements enables us to characterise not only all kinds of silicon wafer-based solar cells but also thin film ...
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Flexible Thin-Film Solar Panels - Coca-Cola - Case Study
UNI-SOLAR’S flexible thin-film solar panels were used to create a new, lighter-weight, single-ply roofing membrane for CCE’s bottling facility. The new system combined 128-watt photovoltaic modules capable of producing 100 kilowatts of clean power from the sun daily, for every 28,000 square feet of roofing material installed. This capacity is critically important during peak hours ...
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Forecasting US renewables in the national energy modelling system
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the US Department of Energy (DOE) forecasts US renewable energy supply and demand in the context of overall energy markets using the National Energy Modelling System (NEMS). Renewables compete with other supply and demand options within the residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, and electricity sectors of the US economy. NEMS forecasts ...
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Reduce, reuse and renew: one possible approach to cut carbon emissions
Global climate change has become an increasingly important issue over the last several years. This issue reached a climax at the Kyoto Conference in December, 1997 where the US agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 7% under its 1990 levels by 2010. This paper describes how distributed resources could be part of an overall solution towards achieving these reductions. It illustrates how ...
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Economic impact of the valuation of life cycle CO2 emissions from renewable and fossil energy systems
We use a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) methodology and the Hotelling rule [1,2] to calculate the economic value of CO2 emissions reductions attained through a substitution of renewable energy systems for conventional energy systems in isolated power generation applications. The CO2 abatement value calculated in this way is used to estimate savings in electricity cost associated with PV and Wind ...
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The importance of external costs for the competitiveness of renewable energies
Low environmental damage is one of the main justifications for solar energy, especially now that supply security has slipped from public consciousness. In recent years, there has been much progress in the analysis of environmental damages, in particular thanks to the ExternE (external costs of energy) Project of the European Commission. This note presents a brief summary and comparison of ...
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Solar energy options for renewable energy economies
The author gives a personal view of how solar energy is developing and should develop, and what we should be looking for in global systems which can be compared against a fossil and nuclear future. The author believes that biomass generation, solar thermal electricity and wind energy have the largest renewable generation potential over the next 15 years. It is important to value the environmental ...
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A global renewable energy scenario
The scenario method is used to investigate whether or not an energy supply system entirely based upon renewable energy sources (solar radiation, wind, biomass, environmental heat and hydro) can supply the energy globally required by the mid-21st century. A geographical information system (GIS) is employed to assess the spatial match between supply and demand, and the robustness of the scenario ...
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Membranes for oxygen removal in 300mm semiconductor processing
Membrane contractors are widely used in the semiconductor industry to control the dissolved gas levels in high purity water. They have been commercially available for almost 10 years and the technology has rapidly advanced to meet the demanding needs of the semiconductor industry. The industry is in the midst of moving to 300-millimeter (mm) wafer sizes, while at the same time decreasing the line ...
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Oil Chiefs Clash over Energy and Climate
Conflicting messages about how the oil industry should respond to climate change and manage its reputation have been sent out by the heads of three oil majors - ExxonMobil, Shell and ChevronTexaco. None foresees a challenge to the supremacy of oil and gas for the next three decades - but on many other issues the transatlantic rift runs deep. ExxonMobil remains the target for a global campaign ...
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Multiple gas impurity analyses and verification for semiconductor process tools
With the increased emphasis on the purity of cleaning, etching and treatment gases by the semiconductor industry, advanced analysis instrumentation is required to monitor the electronic specialty gases and to verify the performance of process tools and components. This paper describes new instrumentation and software specifically designed to accomplish ppb level gas analyses in times as short as ...
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Women’s PV Workshop
On a clear, sunny day in March 2003, a group of women were outside a California environmental science school talking shop—and that isn’t short for shopping. Discussing everything from conduit bending to system voltage, these 25 women were at Walden West Center in Saratoga, California, installing a 1.5 KW solar-electric system. Walden West is an outdoor environmental science school in the ...
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Revolutionary Education: PV Powered
Travel around rural Latin America and you’re sure to see schools without basic educational tools, let alone electricity. Not in Cuba. More than 34,000 children in rural areas of this small Caribbean island are reading, writing, and watching educational videos using the power of the sun. Cuba’s commitment to education is astounding. Although many countries have obligatory schooling, Cubans take ...
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Women Who Run with Tools
Last February, a group of dedicated and enthusiastic women descended on Tucson, Arizona to learn how to incorporate solar energy into their lives. Though it hasn’t always been this way, women wielding power tools and installing solar electric equipment is becoming more common. For the past three years, Solar Energy International (SEI), an educational non-profit based in Carbondale, Colorado, has ...
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Handyman`s Special!
In January of 1998, Lou Ann and Kelvin Washington were in the market for a new home, away from their hectic jobs in Denver. They found their piece of heaven high on a hilltop in South Park, Colorado. But their new dream home came with some problems, including a power system that was not the best introduction to renewable energy. The house is 2,600 square feet (242 m2), passive solar, and ...
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Photovoltaic Applications and Policy Initiatives
Issue: The world photovoltaic (PV) market has grown significantly in recent years. Although this trend is expected to continue in the future, estimates cannot be given with any real certainty. Relevance: In this context the question that arises is the role that public and private funding plays in market development and how this funding should be used to ensure the best results. Although current ...
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Take Your Bedroom Off the Grid
In recent years there has been a growing interest in renewable energy. The problem is that many people cannot afford to implement a complete renewable energy system all at once. As interest grows and renewable energy equipment prices fall, people will not be ready to take advantage unless the industry and non-profits undertake serious public education. Redwood Alliance, an environmental ...
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Solar Baking Under the Sonoran Sun
Walk down almost any city street in Sonora, Mexico and you’re likely to see bakeries filled with sweet breads, empenadas and Mexican cookies. Ciudad Obregon is no different. In a small, poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Ciudad Obregon (a city of 400,000), a group of women have started their own bakery. Along the dirt roads of Aves del Castillo and under the heat of the Sonoran sun, this small ...
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