Solar Power World

What can we learn from Japanese solar policy?

By Kathie Zipp, Associate Editor The Department of Energy has a new year’s resolution. With updated energy policies, officials aim to make renewable energy a competitive power source in the U.S. But as the nation is still new at going green, it’s helpful to look at other countries with significant renewable markets to see what we can learn. As a leading manufacturer of solar panels and a veteran in photovoltaics, Japan seems a good choice. Solar power is much more a part of... Read More

Motion components bring Smart House to life

Edited by Leslie Langnau/Managing Editor Researchers use motion control components to prove “smart” home concept; the components control energy sources as weather changes. The Lumenhaus is an 800 square foot energy-optimized “smart” home that leverages motion control components to minimize the overall HVAC load on the house. The house is Virginia Tech University’s entry to the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon and recent first place winner of the 2010 Solar... Read More

L.L.Bean installs solar panels at flagship store

In 2007, L.L. Bean, joined the EPA’s Climate Leaders Program and formalized a corporate goal to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 20 percent by 2012. In addition to ongoing cost-effective efforts to decrease its carbon footprint, L.L.Bean was able to accelerate plans to create on-site renewable energy with the help of funding by Efficiency Maine’s Commercial Grant Program. L.L.Bean¹s new 180-tube solar hot water collector array provides 100 percent of the... Read More

University of Minnesota Researchers Clear Major Hurdle in Road to High-efficiency Solar Cells

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, MN — A team of University of Minnesota-led researchers has cleared a major hurdle in the drive to build solar cells with potential efficiencies up to twice as high as current levels, which rarely exceed 30 percent.By showing how energy that is now being lost from semiconductors in solar cells can be captured and transferred to electric circuits, the team has opened a new avenue for solar cell researchers seeking to build cheaper, more efficient... Read More