Innovation and photovoltaics: what were the most delicious innovations created in 2010? After the latest discoveries in the production of wind energy and the alternatives to silicon in the use of photovoltaics, here are 10 of the best projects developed for the production of electricity from solar
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himInnovation e PV: what were the more delicious news created in 2010? After the latest discoveries in wind power generation and alternatives to silicon in the use of photovoltaics, according to the Ecofriend website, here are the 10 best projects developed for the production of electric energy from solar.
1) From IBM solar cells created with the use of cheap and "abundant" materials
Copper, zinc, tin, sulfur, selenium: materials easy to find e not expensive, which can also be used in the field ofrenewable energy. This is the goal that some researchers of the IBM, who have built a plant a solar cells particularly economical given the use of low cost materials. The most interesting aspect of the ilow cost solar system of IBM is in his high efficiency energy, equal to 9,6%, much better than the first attempts to use solar energy through panels made of similar materials.
2) From MIT the "photovoltaic with micro antennas" to increase energy concentration
How to build a system that, with the same energy solar captured, be able to produce more and more quantities electricity? According to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this is possible thanks to a "Solar funnel" for photovoltaic panels, made in carbon nanotubes, able to "multiply" the amount of solar energy to be stored. According to the MIT researchers, with this system it will be possible to avoid the installation of "forests" of solar panels on the roofs of buildings.
3) From Wake Forest University the "bristle" solar cells to double the efficiency of the plants
The researchers of the Wake Forest University (North Carolina) have made one evolution in organic solar cells with the preparation of a layer of "bristle" optical fibers (called "Light Pipes") which doubling the performance of solar cells. With this discovery, the problem of the loss of efficiency of solar panels due to the reflection of the rays comes superato from the molding of optical fibers on a polymer basis which forms the "floor" of each single cell, and which are able to capture sunlight from any angle.
4) CNF-PZT Cantilever: the heat given off by electronic gadgets serves ... to power them
Ban on power outlets: for powering the home electronic devices, just use… the heat released from their use. What is needed is a system that collects the heat and transforms it into electricity. The device CNF-PZT Cantilever, developed by a group of researchers from Louisiana Tech University, this is what it is for. To obtain the result, a support of piezoelectric material was created, on which a film consisting of acts carbon nanotubes, which captures the heat and transfers it to the piezoelectric support with the task of creating new electricity.
5) “Solar Window”: the glass that produces electricity
from New Energy Technologies a working prototype of a glass window capable of generating electricity was created. The device, developed by'University of South Florida, it was possible thanks to the use of organic solar cells of tiny dimensions, which allow to avoid the obligation to create solar panels formed by expensive metals and which block the passage of sunlight through the crystals. (read the related article here)
6) From Purdue University the car muffler that develops electrical energy
It captures the heat developed by thecar exhaust system, you convert it into electricity and you get one reduction in consumption. This is the system developed by Purdue University, which makes it possible to use the heat developed in the exhaust systems of vehicles (and which, therefore, should be dispersed) to send it to the on-board batteries and reduce consumption.
7) From Innowattech the "energy rails" for trains
When the train passes, electricity is produced, which can be used as driving aid of the convoy. It's piezoelectric sleepers Ipeg Pad, created by Innowattech; some prototypes were tested on a US railway line. Taking into account the length of the train, the number and the diameter of the wheels, the piezoelectric elements are capable of generating up to 120 kWh of electricity in an hour, to be used to help the train run, with less energy expenditure through the railway network.
8) From Sony to the cry of "Flower Power" (solar)
They beautify the house, they make the domestic environments more cheerful. And they produce energy: they are the new ones DSSC window panels produced bySony, who use the designs printed on the "glass" to produce energy to be used according to their needs.
9) In the "image and likeness" of plants to produce fuels through solar energy
A team of US and Swiss researchers has recently developed a machine that, like plants, combines the sun's rays and the metal oxide called "Ceria" to convert the carbon dioxide or water into fuels that can be stored or transported.
10) Sun and air to generate electricity
La Csiro (Australian National Science Agency) developed the Brayton Cycle, a technology that requires only the sun's rays and air to produce electricity. The system, ideal in areas that are found for a good part of the year short of water resources, consists of a field of mirrors che heats compressed air which in turn is conveyed to a 200 kW turbine which produces electricity.
Piergiorgio Pescarolo
