Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 9 August 2013

Bio-Inspired Design May Lead to More Energy Efficient Windows

Aug. 2, 2013 — University of Toronto Engineering professor Ben Hatton (MSE) is turning to nature to find a way to make windows more energy efficient.

In a recent article in Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells, Hatton and colleagues at Harvard University describe a novel process to cut down on heat loss during the winter and keep buildings cool during the summer. Their "bio-inspired approach to thermal control for cooling (or heating) building window surfaces" calls for attaching optically clear, flexible elastomer sheets, bonded to regular glass window panes. read more>>>

Cobalt Replacements Make Solar Cells More Sustainable

Aug. 2, 2013 — Researchers at the University of Basel have successfully replaced the rare element iodine in copper-based dye-sensitized solar cells by the more abundant element cobalt, taking a step forward in the development of environmentally friendly energy production. The journal "Chemical Communications" has published the results of these so-called Cu-Co cells.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) transform light to electricity. They consist of a semiconductor on which a dye is anchored. read more>>>

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UK government figures show wind energy leading the way

01 August 2013 - Electricity generated from renewables is increasing in the UK having increased by 19 percent in 2012, official statistics show

UK government figures released last week, published in the annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics, show that electricity generation from renewable sources increased by almost 20 percent during 2012 and accounted for over 11 percent of all electricity generated during the year. read more>>>

Analysis of the Andean Region's Renewable Energy Market

31 July 2013 - Small hydropower is still the dominate renewable energy source in use in the Andean region, but solar, wind and even geothermal are all poised for significant gains in market share, according to a new analysis available through Reportlinker.com.

The research examines the renewable energy generation market in the Andean Region, which is divided into the following segments: small hydropower, biomass generation, solar photovoltaic power generation and wind power. read more>>>

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The Perfect Power Microgrid at IIT

August 04, 2013 - Microgrids - self-contained electrical generation and distribution grids that may or may not be connected to the national electric grid - offer increased reliability for those connected to them. When the main grid loses power, a microgrid can disconnect from it and continue to generate and distribute power to its local customers. Microgrids are popping up in applications where power failures would be catastrophic: military bases, medical facilities, and now ... college campuses.

While you might not think of a college campus as a “mission critical” place, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) experienced three to four power outages per year, resulting in numerous research experiments being delayed or ruined. read more>>>

DTE driving advanced lighting technology

August 4, 2013 - Launched in 2012, DTE Energy's E-Challenge for Energy Efficiency program is in its second year. Sponsored by Detroit-based NextEnergy in partnership with the Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD), the challenge focuses on innovative energy-efficiency technology in advanced lighting.

The E-Challenge brings underutilized energy-efficiency products to the DTE service area and is intended to showcase innovation through market-ready advanced lighting solutions in areas such as integration of sensors, adaptive controls; network controls to optimize energy savings; utilization of advanced lighting luminaire designs; creative lighting designs; advanced optics designs; and exterior lighting applications. read more>>>

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Syracuse University recycles construction debris

The debris from this roofing project is going to be recycled. The packaging and debris from this solar panel installation project is also being recycled. Both are zero landfill projects, part of a growing effort to make construction more environmentally friendly. For this edition of Going Green, our Terry Ettinger has more.

“Zero landfill means nothing is going to the landfill and nothing is going to the incinerator,” said Brooke Wears, Syracuse University Energy Systems and Sustainability Management read more>>>

ARPA-E Launches $30M Initiative to Develop Solar Power That Works at Night

08/05/13 - The Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) just announced that it is spending up to $30 million on a new program that will develop a cost-effective way to harness solar energy even when the sun is not shining. The project will “engage our country’s top scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to develop new technologies” and “help advance solar energy beyond current photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies to ensure solar power remains a consistent, cost-effective renewable energy option,” according to the agency.

“ARPA-E’s new program will leverage the ingenuity of America’s best and brightest to develop technologies that are critical to the continued growth of the solar industry,” Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said in a recent statement. read more>>>

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SunPower Solar Science Academy Inspires Students Across California

Aug. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 250 students from ten California school districts are participating in this summer's SunPower Solar Science Academy, an academic program launched last year by SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR), a global solar technology and energy solutions company. The project- and work-based learning program is delivered over the course of one week in each participating district, immersing district students and teachers in a solar-focused curriculum that emphasizes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

School districts participating in this summer's program include Antioch, Cutler-Orosi, Dublin, Fresno, Mount Diablo, Oakland, Oxnard, Porterville, San Ramon Valley and Santa Ana. Several of the districts also participated in the 2012 SunPower Solar Science Academy, which served 140 students at six school districts. read more>>>

A 'green' report: Energy-efficiency campaign saving state $8 billion

08/05/2013 - Efforts to broaden the scope of participants of home-weatherization programs are resulting in a slew of economic and environmental benefits, according to a new report by the Green Justice Coalition.

The statewide partnership of labor, environment and community groups, led by Community Labor United, recently released a report that shows changes the group has been pushing for through its energy-efficiency campaign are already producing gains for the environment, the economy and greater equity among citizens -- and that full implementation of their recommendations will lead to further economic and environmental gains. read more>>>