Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 29 April 2014

Summit told renewables are the world’s best economic and technological option
15 April 2014 - The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) today reinforced the call to action from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to limit global temperature increase and avert catastrophic climate change.

In a statement released this morning, the agency said the transition to a sustainable global energy mix must be accelerated in order to reduce global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 40-70 percent compared with 2010 by 2050.

Renewable energy, IRENA highlights, is the economically viable and technologically proven option to keep CO2 levels below the widely accepted threshhold of 450 parts per million (ppm). read more>>>

Green economy could add $45 billion to Kenya GDP, says UN
16. April 2014 - A joint study by the UN Environment Programme and the Government of Kenya forecasts that Kenya could boost its economy by as much as $45 billion by 2030 if it transitions to an inclusive, low emission and resource efficient green economy.

The Green Economy Assessment Report: Kenya finds that with an investment of just 2% GDP on proposed green measures, Kenya's normalized GDP could grow in excess of 12% within two decades, generating greater food security, a cleaner and greener environment, and higher productivity of natural resources. read more>>>

Green energy plans in Saudi Arabia to result in eco-friendly mosques
17 April 2014 - As part of a bid to gain green building initiatives national attention, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is planning to make over 90,000 mosques friendlier to the environment through the use of solar power and other green energy sources.

Green building focuses on promoting resource efficiency and pro ecological practices.

Following a joint meeting that took place between Saudi Green Building Forum and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, it was agreed to make mosques more eco-friendly. read more>>>

LEGOLAND Florida Becomes First Theme Park in U.S. to Run Completely on Renewable Energy on Earth Day
April 22, 2014 - Today, LEGOLAND® Florida and Tampa Electric will kick off a groundbreaking partnership by making the 150-acre theme park run completely on renewable energy for the day in celebration of Earth Day – the first theme park to do so in the United States. The celebration is part of existing and new conservation initiatives, including installations that will educate park guests about solar energy. As part of the partnership, LEGOLAND Florida will also permanently power a section of the park, Imagination Zone, on renewable energy.

“This is a historic day for LEGOLAND Florida,” said LEGOLAND Florida General Manager Adrian Jones. “With our new partnership with Tampa Electric, we will give guests a whole new way to learn about renewable energy while also doing something that no other theme park in the U.S. has done before.” read more>>>

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Oregon Institute of Technology Now Generating Its Own Energy On Campus
04/22/14 - On April 18th, the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls celebrated the completion of two major renewable energy projects, making it the first university in North America to generate all of its own electricity and heat on campus. Oregon Tech is a huge leader in renewable energy education; in 2005, it introduced an accredited Bachelor of Science program in Renewable Energy Engineering—another first in North America. The campus has been entirely heated by geothermal water for several decades, and now the geothermal resource is being utilized in a 1.75 MW combined heat and power plant to provide electricity. Additionally, a 2.0 MW solar array was installed on 9 acres of campus land and commissioned at the end of last year. read more>>>

Higher solar-cell efficiency achieved with zinc-oxide coating
April 22, 2014 - Engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas have achieved the highest efficiency ever in a 9 millimeter-squared solar cell made of gallium arsenide. After coating the cufflink-sized cells with a thin layer of zinc oxide, the research team reached a conversion efficiency of 14 percent.

A small array of these cells -- as few as nine to 12 -- generate enough energy for small light-emitting diodes and other devices. But surface modification can be scaled up, and the cells can be packaged in large arrays of panels to power large devices such as homes, satellites, or even spacecraft. read more>>>

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Like a hall of mirrors, nanostructures trap photons inside ultrathin solar cells
April 22, 2014 - In the quest to make sun power more competitive, researchers are designing ultrathin solar cells that cut material costs. At the same time they're keeping these thin cells efficient by sculpting their surfaces with photovoltaic nanostructures that behave like a molecular hall of mirrors.

"We want to make sure light spends more quality time inside a solar cell," said Mark Brongersma, a professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford and co-author of a review article in Nature Materials.

Brongersma and two Stanford colleagues -- associate professor of materials science and engineering Yi Cui and professor of electrical engineering Shanhui Fan -- surveyed 109 recent scientific papers from teams around the world. read more>>>

BC SOLAR grants 'Premium Partner Award 2014' to 23 photovoltaic experts
09 April 2014 - IBC SOLAR AG has granted 23 of its international premium partners the “Premium Partner Award 2014”. The awarded companies stand for high quality with regards to products and system installation, as well as professional consulting on solar power in their home countries.

The German based firm has been awarding the “Premium Partner Award” since 2009.

According to the firm, it represents the highest level of photovoltaic expertise and therefore also provides an important means of orientation for end customers. read more>>>

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Nano-engineered composites promise solar efficiency boost finds Swedish university
08 April 2014 - Controlled placement of carbon nanotubes into nano-structures produces a huge boost in electronic performance researchers at Umeå University in Sweden have discovered

The use of carbon-based nanostructured materials as components in solar cells is becoming increasingly popular because of their exceptional properties. Now, in a new study, a team of physicists and chemists at Umeå University have joined forces to produce nano-engineered carbon nanotubes networks with novel properties. Their results have been published in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials. read more>>>

Trina Solar announces new high-efficiency solar module
08 April 2014 - Trina Solar Limited has announced that its State Key Laboratory of PV Science and Technology has developed a new high-efficiency Honey Ultra solar module

The new Trina Solar Honey Ultra monocrystalline silicon module has achieved a new record of 326.3W which has been certified by TUV Rheinland. The module is composed of 60 high-efficiency silicon cells of 156mm x 156mm, fabricated with a technology developed by Trina Solar and currently in pilot production. read more>>>


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