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Solar Cell Made of a Single Molecule

A method to measure the photocurrents of a ‘single functionalized photosynthetic protein system’ has now been developed by researchers.

The researchers are confident that they can show that such a system could be integrated and “selectively addressed” inside of an artificial photovoltaic device’s architecture while still being able to retain its “biomolecular functional properties.”

The researchers were investigating the photosystem-I reaction center — that’s a chlorophyll protein complex that is located in the membranes of chloroplasts from cyanobacteria. Photosynthesis is used by algae, plants, and some bacteria in order to convert the Sun’s energy into usable and storable chemical energy.

The primary challenge to the physicists was that they had to develop and master “a method to electrically contact single molecules in strong optical fields.

The research was the result of interdisciplinary cooperation between researchers, led by Joachim Reichert, Johannes Barth, and Alexander Holleitner (Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Clusters of Excellence MAP, and NIM), and Itai Carmeli (Tel Aviv University).

Warrant Buffet’s MidAmerican purchases two wind-farms

Warrant Buffet’s MidAmerican purchases two wind-farms capable of generating 300 megawatts.

American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist better known as the “Wizard of Omaha”, Warren Buffet has now shown his greener side. The billionaire’s Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiary, MidAmerican, has recently purchased to massive wind farms in California.

Generating a total of 300 megawatts of electricity, these wind farms will be part of the Wind Energy Center located in Tehachapi. The energy generated will be sold to Southern California Edison as part of a long-term power purchase agreement.

That apart, the project is expected to generate just about enough energy to power up nearly 80,000 American homes.

Also, the move could help Warren Buffet offset the pollution his coal trains have been spewing in the environment!

The European Union has passed the milestone of 100 GW

EU reaches 100 GW wind power milestone.

It took the European wind energy sector some twenty years to get the first 10 GW grid connected. It needed 13 years to add an additional 90 GW. And half of the actual total European wind power capacity has been installed over the past six years.

100 GW of wind power can generate electricity over a year to meet the total consumption of 57 million households, equivalent to the power production of 39 nuclear power plants, 52 gas power plants or 62 coal power plants. Or: “It would require burning 72 million tons of coal annually in coal fired power plants to match Europe’s annual wind energy production. Loading that amount of coal on trains would require 750,000 wagons with a combined length of 11,500 kilometres – the distance from Brussels to Buenos Aires, Argentina,” said Christian Kjaer, CEO of EWEA.

“Despite only utilising a tiny fraction of Europe’s vast domestic wind energy resources, wind power is having a substantial impact on Europe’s energy security and environment, and benefits us hugely in creating green jobs and technology exports”, he added.

V3Solar Spin Cell vs conventional solar panels

As technology progresses, solar power harvesting systems are quickly receiving long-awaited upgrades.

Recently, we stumbled across this revolutionary new solar energy harvester called the V3Solar Spin Cell. Developed by V3Solar, this cone-shaped apparatus is capable of generating roughly about 20 times more energy than the traditional flat solar panel.

Using concentrating lenses, dynamic spin, a conical shape and advanced electronics, the V3Solar Spin Cell sports two cones, one of which uses hundreds of triangular PV cells. The outer cone works as a static hermetically-sealed outer lens concentrator.

V3Solar Spin Cell is capable of generating more energy from the rays of the sun than its peers, making it the next best way to power up the world today.

Eco Homes in South Korea

Environment friendly homes are getting popular with time. Known as Eco homes or green homes, they are best suited for protecting the environment in the best possible manner.

Solar energy is being generated for building these homes in South Korea. Natives of South Korea are mounting solar panels on their roofs so that they can cut on their electricity bills with ease. Along with this, solar power energy is considered the best source, which can help you on sustaining energy in the best possible manner.

Homeowners in South Korea are incorporating these methods so that they can renovate their homes in an environment friendly manner.

A group of architects from South Korea is the one who conceptualize this dream project of having green or eco homes.The architects of South Korea have shown their potential by designing and making a home, which is truly considered as eco home. More than 95 green technology aspects are taken into use for building the eco homes for perfect results.

The architects are stating that, in the near future, energy sources would be costly and at that point, of time, eco homes would be the best choice for all.

The technology plays a major role in having eco homes in South Korea. With time, use of eco homes will grow at a rapid pace, as the benefits, which are associated with it, are beneficial in the end.

Google Purchases 48 MW of Wind Power

Google Purchases 48 MW of Wind Power for Its Oklahoma Data Center.

That’s a very large amount of electricity, enough to power a small city.The recent announcement shows that with a forward-thinking approach, large companies can make significant contributions to the transition to a renewable energy economy.

“To power its Oklahoma data centre – one of the facilities responsible for bringing you your Gmail, Docs, and Google search results – Google faced a local electricity mix of over 50% coal power,” Greenpeace writes. “But as one of the major electricity customers in the state, Google worked with the local utility to secure a new supply of renewable wind energy.”

Google’s decision to source the electricity for its data center entirely from renewable energy should send a message to other large “internet companies and electric utilities around the world that renewable energy is not only possible, but is simply smart business in the 21st-century economy,” Greenpeace adds.

Sharp unveils new semi-transparent solar panels

Sharp unveils new semi-transparent solar panels with 6.8% conversion efficiency.

See-through solar panels have been a long standing dream of many, and Sharp has just given the world its first taste of the revolutionary technology.

Designed specifically for use as balcony railings and skyscraper windows, these solar panels have a semi-transparent black finish with a solar power conversion efficiency of about 6.8%.

These panels pack a maximum output of 95 watts and measure in at 4.5-feet wide by 3.2-feet tall. Now the efficiency of these panels might not match up to those conventionally used, but replacing windows with these is bound to turn just about any building greener!

Also, Sharp has not revealed the pricing details and we hope as technology progresses, these transparent panels will turn a little more efficient!

Drastic cuts for Bulgarian green electricity producers

In Bulgaria, the support for the production of electricity from renewable energy sources has been drastically reduced.

Seems that energy regulator DKEVR (english: SEWRC) has retroactively cut feed-in tariffs for electricity from PV and wind generation sources.

SEWRC based its decision from 14 September on requests from network operators to temporarily increase access prices to the transmission grid.

According to the energy regulator, expenditures of the electricity networks have massively increased due to the great number of new renewable energy sources feeding into the grid. In order to cover the costs, remuneration per kWh fed into the grid by renewable power sources had to be reduced.

Renewable electricity producers’ associations characterised the commission’s decision of September 14 as illegal and demanded its withdrawal. The reason would be that the cuts contradicted the renewable energy law, guaranteeing investors fixed prices over long time periods.

According to the Bulgarian Wind Energy Association (BGWEA), “The drastic cuts will push the majority of all existing renewable energy projects into bankruptcy, as with income losses of 10 % to 39 % most projects will not be able to make their loan repayments anymore. This means that several billion Leva worth of domestic and foreign investment along with hundreds of newly created jobs have been destroyed overnight.”

Moreover, due to the retroactive cuts the Bulgarian banking system would run the risk to end up with a massive amount of bad loans on its books.

The branch is appealing against the decision in Brussels. The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has expressed its protest in a letter to EU Energy Commissioner Günther Öttinger.

At the same time, renewable energy producers in Bulgaria plan to increase pressure on the government. The Bulgarian PV Association (BPVA) has published an appeal that calls upon the members of the branch to meet for a protest meeting in front of the DKEVR building in Sofia on Monday 24, September at 9.30 local time.

New Air Liquide R&D laboratory for the solar industry inaugurated

Air Liquide inaugurated an R&D laboratory for the solar industry.

The Group is the first player in this market segment to roll out a pilot manufacturing line for solar cells using crystalline silicon technology.

Today, this technology accounts for 88% of total production worldwide.

This crystalline solar cell manufacturing line will be used to fully test and evaluate new molecules and processes adapted to the needs of each client. The research being undertaken seeks to improve the performance of solar cells while lowering the cost production per watt, with the aim of making solar energy more competitive.

A pool of scientists with experience in photovoltaic technologies will run the research effort carried out at the Air Liquide Group R&D center located on Plateau de Saclay, near Paris, France.

A new wind farm in Austria

Stephan Pernkopf, Lower Austria’s Secretary of the Environment, Agriculture, and Energy, officially opened the Dürnkrut-Götzendorf wind farm in Lower Austria.

Ten Vestas V90 turbines, each with a hub height of 105 m, rotor diameter of 90 m and a nominal capacity of 2.0 MW comprise the wind farm.

Stephan Pernkopf says that “Gänserndorf District is number one in wind power in Lower Austria. With the new wind farm, the district now has more than 100 windmills in operation. They generate twice as much power as is needed to supply 36,000 households.”

The Dürnkrut-Götzendorf wind farm alone is expected to supply environmentally friendly electricity to 15,000 households.

Currently, 377 wind turbines are in operation in Lower Austria, providing energy for 340,000 households. That is more than 11% of Lower Austria’s total electricity udemand.

More than half of all of the wind turbines in Austria are located in Lower Austria.