Turn Steel Into Solar Panels With Photovoltaic Spray Paint
No, it's not a joke or a crazy awesome futuristic concept . It's real. Tata Steel Europe (formerly Corus) and Swansea University in Wales, UK are collaborating to develop a spray-on technology that would transform steel sheets into solar panels.
Geothermal Installation by the Numbers in Pennsylvania
A lot of friends and neighbors ask why we switched to geothermal; here is the answer to that question by the numbers. All numbers used are verified averages, they are not estimates. In August of 2009 we installed a 5 ton geothermal heating and cooling system to replace our propane furnace and central air conditioner. The chart to the left shows the system cost. Don't let the initial cost scare you away - the signficantly lower cost of operation will make up for it. $3,000 - $4,000 per year to Heat with Propane
Oregon State University, College of Engineering
In 2007/2008, OSU, in collaboration with Columbia Power Technologies (CPT) and the U.S. Navy, evaluated 18 different direct-drive technologies, and down-selected to five promising designs. OSU and CPT built each of those prototypes at the 200W peak level and tested them on OSU's new wave energy linear test bed. OSU and CPT also comprehensively simulated each of the designs, and scaled the simulations up to 100kW, including full 100kW designs with costs, maintenance, operations etc., to give estimates for total costs of energy for each. This has been a tremendous collaboration enabling the zeroing in on optimum designs, and based on this work, in September 2008, OSU and CPT completed a series of very successful bay and ocean testing (see pictures). CPT is now driving these efforts to commercialization, and OSU will continue to partner with them in a supporting/research role.
Rules of Thumb: Ingenious Hand-Held Digital Tape Measure & Dornob
The history of measurement has come full circle, from body-based units to abstracted quantifiers … and now back again to the basics. From lengths and widths to volumes, this set of finger-mounted devices is designed to let the user measure anything, store that data, calculate results and more. Wooden sticks gave way to wood-and-metal rulers and measuring tapes, which in turn were replaced over time by higher-technology digital tools for fine-tuned measurements. Still, how often do you find yourself needing precision down to the very last millimeter or hundredth of an inch in daily life, as a designer or otherwise? Unlike other precursors, this set of miniature measurers works at essentially any scale – put them both on one hand for small distances, two hands for medium ones or trade them between two different people for longer requirements.
Solar Panel Using Human Hair
Did you know that melanin, the pigment in hair, is light sensitive and can be used as a conductor? Well, that’s what an 18 year old in Nepal recently discovered, and is now using human hair to replace silicon in solar panels. Since the price of hair is considerably cheaper than silicon, this enterprising youth may have just found a breakthrough technology to help bring down the cost of solar and give thousands of people in developing nations access to affordable renewable energy.
DIY Skylights From Used Water Bottles Replace 50-Watt Bulbs
Image via YouTube video An ingenious invention by an engineer in Brazil has made an enormous difference in his town. Simply placing a bottle of water in a hole in the ceiling can light up a room with the same brightness as a 50-watt light bulb! Residents have better lighting and are using less electricity. Check out how it works in the video.
Our 13 Best Recipes For Pomegranates
Pomegranates have been savored in the Middle East for centuries , and today they're finally getting their due in the West. It's no wonder the secret's out: the ruby-colored fruits have a distinctly tart flavor that pops in both sweet and savory dishes. (Plus, they're good for you, brimming with healthy antioxidants , vitamins, potassium, folic acid and even iron.) De-seeding a pomegranate takes some time and skill, but the effort is worth it. Once you've got your pomegranate seeds (or arils, as they're technically known) -- or just buy the seeds in packets -- you can make any of the recipes from around the web in the slideshow below.
Photovoltaic Research Center
This graphic shows color-coded simulation results from advanced computational models used to characterize the properties of materials used in organic photovoltaic solar cells in efforts to better understand the physics involved and to improve the technology. The new Network for Photovoltaic Technology research center led by Purdue University and funded by the Semiconductor Research Corporation, aims to develop such computational capabilities for broad range of PV technologies for higher efficiency and reduced manufacture cost. (B. Ray, P. Nair, E. García, and M.
Technology Entrepreneurship
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2014 Summary: Every entrepreneur faces endless challenges along the way. These problems never have one right answer, and often they have never been solved before. The only way for an entrepreneur to succeed is to view each challenge as an opportunity for a creative solution.
'Solar Energy Funnels' Harvest More From Sunlight
Researchers at MIT recently announced plans to create a “solar energy funnel” that could harvest energy from a much broader spectrum of sunlight than silicon photovoltaics are currently able to achieve. Ju Li, an MIT professor, and Xiaoteng Qian, a postdoc student, published a paper this week in Nature Photonics describing the funnel, which is made from a vanishingly thin material called Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2). Li and Qian’s solar energy funnel is much more sophisticated than your household funnel.
Hot solar cells are the cool way to water and power - tech - 14 April 2011
PUMPING water through micro-channels on the surface of a solar panel not only makes it more efficient but can also make seawater drinkable. Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) cells use lenses to focus large areas of solar energy onto a relatively small section of photovoltaic material, so it is not surprising that they can reach temperatures of 120 °C. These high temperatures make the cells less efficient, reducing the amount of electricity they can produce. That is why keeping them cool is so important, says Bruno Michel, head of advanced thermal packaging at IBM's Zurich Research Laboratory in Switzerland. So with this in mind IBM has developed the "ultra-high concentrated PV", a hybrid solar panel that incorporates technology originally developed to help cool computer chips.
