Originally published on Kompulsa (some edits). NV Energy, a Berkshire Hathaway-owned utility company, has signed a PPA to purchase electricity from the 100 MW Playa Solar 2 power plant at a stunningly low price of $0.0387/kWh! CleanTechnica just reported on “the world’s cheapest solar” landing in Austin, Texas, with bids under 4 cents/kWh (and the assumed unsubsidized […]
Trackside solar panels have the potential to save Network Rail £150 million in energy costs, according to a WSP report. This is particularly beneficial to Network Rail because it could be implemented without using farmland. Installing solar panels on land which you already own is, of course, particularly beneficial because you can avoid the cost of purchasing […]
The US Department Of Commerce has introduced new tariffs via a June 2 ruling on solar panels imported from China. GTM Research’s research paper states that it will increase the cost of modules exported to the US by 14%. Chinese suppliers have historically lowered solar panel prices in the US by as much as 25%, […]
Yingli Green Energy Holding (otherwise known as ‘Yingli Solar‘) has improved solar panel efficiency using a simple, innovative method. It achieved this by reducing the amount of metal applied to the solar cells so that more of their surface area is exposed to sunlight. This new solar concept is called N-type Metal-Wrap-Through technology (N-MWT), and Yingli […]
As part of the Solar Walk project, a photovoltaic solar sidewalk has been constructed at the Virginia Science Technology Campus of George Washington University (GWU/GW). This BIPV project, according to GWU, is only 100 square feet, but it still qualifies as a step towards solar walkways. The concept still has to be tested thoroughly, of […]
JA Solar has reported that it has achieved a record 18.3% efficiency for a standard 156×156 mm2 multicrystalline solar cell. This was verified by Yangzhou Opto-Electrical Products Testing Institute. This is twice as efficient as my solar panel. Solar cell and solar panel efficiency isn’t as big an issue as some have made it out to be. […]
The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved a new program under which the local energy generator and distributor Georgia Power would be required to construct 525 MW of solar power plants by 2016. This was proposed by Lauren McDonald and was passed with a vote of 3-2. Incidentally, a lot of support came from […]
Current techniques such as tax rebates do appear to have stimulated the solar industry. However, the urgency of climate change, as well as widespread carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide pollution, require the quickest solution possible. There are various ways in which solar system development can be stimulated more quickly. One policy idea of mine is […]
When I heard about this, I was delighted because of my fascination with graphene, which is a terribly impressive material in many ways. When I say that a material is “jaw-dropping,” I will not let you down, it will surprise you: it has demonstrated 10 times the strength of steel; it has tremendous malleability and […]
A new, relatively high-voltage solar cell that can charge the li-ion batteries of portable electronics such as e-book readers and cellphones in partial shade has been created by the University of Warwick and Molecular Solar. This type of solar cell is called an organic solar cell, plastic solar cell, or organic photovoltaic cell (OPV). Professor Tim […]