Methanol and artificial photosynthesis

Carbon dioxide generated by power stations can be converted into methanol and used to generate electricity or fuel cars

Concentrated solar power technology

Zenith Solar, based in Nes Ziona a suburb of Tel Aviv, is a pioneer in a new type of solar energy that uses mirrors and lenses to focus and intensify the sun’s light, producing far more electricity at lower cost. Compared with traditional flat photovoltaic panels made of silicon, this so-called concentrated solar power technology has proved in tests to be up to five times more efficient. That puts it on the verge of being competitive with oil and natural gas, even without government subsidies.

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Since it was founded in 2006, the startup has raised $5 million from private investors in Israel and the U.S. Now it’s trying to raise an additional $10 million to $15 million to cover the cost of commercializing its technology.

Zenith bought the rights to the solar technology from Ben-Gurion University and Germanys Fraunhofer Institute. A joint Israeli-German research team from the two organizations designed a working prototype, which consists of a 10-sq.-meter dish lined with curved mirrors made from composite materials. The mirrors focus the sun’s radiation onto a 15.5-sq.-in.) generator that converts light to electricity. The generator also gives off intense heat, which is captured via a water-cooling system for residential or industry hot-water uses.

Tested over the past few years at Israel’s National Solar Center in the Negev desert, the prototype achieved astounding results: A concentration of solar energy that was more than 1,000 times greater than standard flat panels. One of the biggest advantages of Zenith Solar’s approach, especially in today’s market, is its limited use of polysilicon. Skyrocketing global demand for traditional photovoltaic panels has led to a worldwide shortage of the material and lifted prices tenfold in the past four years.

After further refining the technology, Zenith plans in the coming months to take its first major steps toward commercialization. Two large-scale test installations are planned for this summer at a kibbutz and a factory. The company will put 86 of its 7-meter-high dishes on an acre of land at Kibbutz Yavne to provide the community of 250 families with more than a quarter of their energy needs. The second project will replace fuel oil used to produce heat at a large chemical plant in central Israel. Once these projects are operational, Zenith plans to begin commercial sales in Israel in 2009 and then overseas, says CEO Segev.

 Luminescent solar concentrator

Luminescent solar concentrators are plastics which concentrate sunlight to a particular spot, where the concentrated solar energy can then be converted by a multi-junction PV solar cell.^{[16] [17][18]} This not only increases efficiency, but also decreases cost, as luminescent solar concentrator panels can be made cheaply from plastics, while PV-cells need to be completely constructed from expensive materials as silicium.

Research is being conducted (amongst others) at universities as RU Nijmegen and TU Delft.^[19]

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Also, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Researchers have found a way to convert windows into devices that concentrate sunlight for conversion into electricity. MIT developed a mixture of dyes that can be painted onto a pane of glass or plastic. The dyes absorb sunlight and then re-emit it within the glass in a different wavelength of light, which then tends to reflect off the interior surfaces of the glass. As the light reflects within the glass pane, it tends to get channeled along the length of the glass to its edges, where it is emitted. The MIT researchers estimate that sunlight is concentrated by a factor of 40, allowing solar cells that are optimized for such concentrated sunlight to be mounted along the edges of the window. The unique optics of the approach yields a cheap solar concentrator that does not need to be pointed toward the sun, as is needed for lens-based concentrators. MIT estimates that the process will be commercialized by Covalent Solar ^[20] within the next 3 years .^[21]

The Fireless Locomotive

Written by Hank Morris

The fireless locomotive is one of the most remarkable and foolproof locomotive designs devised. A locomotive equipped with a large tank or reservoir instead of a boiler and firebox, it carries no fire. This engine was essentially a giant thermos bottle lying on its side with wheels. This type of locomotive was very desirable for service in plants where cleanliness and the elimination of fire hazards and noise were important. They were quite popular in applications where smoke and cinders could ruin the product, as in textile mills or agricultural processing plants. In those applications where this type of locomotive fits, it was a reliable and economical unit of motive power. Fireless locomotives could be found working in chemical industries, powder plants, paper mills, food plants and electric power plants, wherever a reliable source of steam or compressed air was readily available. Before the perfection of electric street traction in the 1880s, American city railways tried many exotic forms of power in an effort to displace horse-propelled cars. In the 1870s the Crescent City Railway of New Orleans tried some steam storage motors built in Paterson, N.J., by Theodore Scheffler in 1876. These locomotives were fireless and obtained a “charge” of steam from a stationary boiler house. Fireless locomotives were extensively used In Europe long before their introduction in this country. The first European-built fireless was brought to the U.S. in 1913. Learn more at the National Railway Historical Society website.

Solar Steam Train project announcement

Written by Tim Castleman

Building on the Solar Steam Train concept, we are raising support for a demonstration project in Sacramento, California. Proposed is to use the existing rail yards to support a fireless locomotive that would be used in rotation on the tourist line in Old Sacramento .   Sacramento Rail Yards Once again the region will lead the world in developing a system for mass transportation using simple, well proven technology to provide high quality, clean, renewable energy more efficiently than any other by taking the shortest path from the sun to the drive wheels. Thermal solar energy collectors will be erected over portions of the site having deed restrictions for industrial use only, thus converting a toxic problem into a renewable energy production facility. This energy will be used to charge and recharge the fireless locomotive,which then has a very short distance to service on the popular tourist train.   As part of a District Energy System , the PG&E steam plant on Jibboom Street can be re-used to support not only the Solar Train – it will also provide energy security for development of the River-front & Rail-yards area. 1940 Heisler fireless locomotive We are approaching owners and stakeholders with this proposal. Upon approval from these, second round funding will be raised to purchase at least one fireless locomotive and for preparation of support facilities including construction of the Solar Steam Plant. With restoration of historic locomotive shops we will also be recycling a facility too long underused that at one time employed 7000 area residents and supported transportation to the entire region.

Thin film vs. monocrystalline panels in grid connect systems

 

Quite often we’re asked about the advantages of monocrystalline panels over their amorphous thin film counterparts; particularly in home solar power grid connect systems. 

 

In all our grid connect packages, we only use monocrystalline panels (except in very specific circumstances) for the following reasons:

Less roof space required

 

Monocrystalline solar panels need far less surface/roof area – and roof space is very valuable real estate when it comes to solar energy related electricity production. You may have just enough roof space to deck it out in thin film panels now; but what about later if you wish to upgrade? We’ve seen instances where home owners have had to rip up all their thin film panels and sell those at a loss in order to boost the size of their solar power system.

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In the future, solar energy may also have a huge role in personal transport.  For example, Honda is working on a hydrogen car which will be powered by the sun . In this case a 4-5KW solar power system will create the energy to power a small pump station on the side of the house, creating hydrogen from water during the day which will then be available as fuel for the car. 

 

With the world rapidly moving towards renewable energy sources and with developments such as Honda’s, we envision a time in the not-too-distant future where the type of solar array used; specifically the ability to scale up, will also factor into house price values.

 

Don’t underestimate the value of your north facing roof area – monocrystalline solar panels are the best choice, even just on that point alone. 

 

Ease of installation

 

Some amorphous thin film panels actually need more mounting rails and take longer to install; adding to the overall cost of the system

 

Embodied energy

 

While thin film offers a lower level of embedded energy per panel, the fact that more panels are needed somewhat negates this aspect, especially given the extra mounting rails sometimes needed. Embodied energy refers to the amount of energy required to manufacture and supply a product.

 

Other environmental concerns

 

Some thin film solar products uses cadmium telluride (CdTe). Cadmium is a heavy metal that accumulates in plant and animal tissues. Cadmium is a ‘probable carcinogen’ in humans and animals. While cadmium telluride doesn’t pose a threat while the panel is in service, disposal of this toxic waste when the product reaches the end of its life comes at large cost and suitable facilities are not present in Australia currently

 

General performance

 

We’ve noticed that some companies use reports and impressive graphs on efficiency to show amorphous thin film as being superior. In most cases we’ve seen, the data is taken from the late 1990’s – it’s over 8 years old! Like any technology, solar power has rapidly evolved, and that includes the performance of monocrystalline panels.

 

In most conditions in Australia, we strongly recommend monocrystalline panels; the only exceptions being far North Queensland and the Northern Territory where amorphous thin film may have some performance advantages during the hottest times of the year and given the amount of solar radiation in those areas (a separate issue to heat.).

 

Durability

 

Thin film is still relatively new technology whereas monocrystalline panels have been around for decades. Some monocrystalline panel installations in the 1970’s are still cranking out power today. Monocrystalline has even withstood the rigours of space travel! Amorphous thin film is yet to prove itself in harsh conditions over a long period of time.

 

Flate plate vs. tempered glass

 

In many grid connect packages where thin film is utilized, the panels are covered with plate glass – this is incredibly inferior to tempered glass, both from a safety and durability aspect. The type of glass used in a panel is so important – it just doesn’t pay to cut costs by cutting corners on material quality. We’ve published a full article just on this topic – plate vs tempered glass.

 

Exaggerated claims of shading tolerance

 

The simple fact of the matter is, no panel is shade tolerant to any great degree and it just doesn’t make sense to install an expensive solar power system in an area that experiences a great deal of shade as the system’s performance will be extremely low.

 

Comparing apples to apples in grid connect

 

In a addition to the above points, if you’re looking to buy a solar power grid connect system, ensure you compare similar systems in terms of price – what you are getting for your money. The difference between a 1kw system and a 1.3kw system may not sound like much, but there’s a huge difference in power output; approximately 33%.

 

Adding to your system in the future

As mentioned, our 175W and 180W monocrystalline panels are some of the best in the solar industry – proven, long lasting, produced in high quantities and will still available for years to come. If in the future you wish to increase your system or need to replace a panel for whatever reason, there will be no shortage in obtaining these products. Many manufacturers actually produce very similar panels in terms of dimensions, so that you are not tied to one particular manufacturer, but actually have a choice(see table below). 

In the case of thin film there is no such assurance as these panels are produced in much lower quantities by a smaller number of manufacturers. You might find that you are stuck with old technology that cannot be easily upgraded

Mono-crystalline solar module comparisons (showing similarities of panels)

 

 

So why do we sell thin film panels?

 

Energy Matters does stock thin film solar panels, all good quality brands. As mentioned, we recommend amorphous thin film for North Queensland and for the Northern Territory. Flexible thin film panels are also extremely well suited to curved structures where flat panel mounting isn’t viable. Thin film is also desirable for some off grid and mobile applications as they are lightweight. Finally, we also sell them because our customers demand them, however we do point out the advantages of monocrystalline when people enquire.

 

There’s a great deal of competition among suppliers of grid connect systems now given the generous government solar power rebates on offer and the decreasing price of solar technology. It’s very important that consumers shop around and check the way systems are promoted against the actual facts behind any particular type of component before making a purchase decision. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – after all, it’s a substantial investment and a decision you’ll be living with for a very long time! 

 

Confused about grid connect solar power? Contact one of our friendly experts for free, no-obligation advice tailored to your specific needs on 1300 727 151 or via email