Tag Archives: photovoltaics

Solar Empire

Solar Empire Powered By Solar Energy

A guest article written by: Living Quarters, India

A solar empire is something that eventually this planet could aspire to be  if the world will harness solar energy. People worldwide are coming to realize that fossil fuels must be replaced by cleaner energy to maintain a healthy living environment and also help the planet evolve.

This is why there are more and more industrialised nations which are considering the importance of adapting their built environment and introducing solar energy and other renewable energy sources as a way of saving money and also saving the environment. Refer: solar power by country

Solar Panels Bring Savings

Solar panels are very much accessible nowadays and people can purchase photovoltaics for domestic rooftop solar electricity installations.They generally have a lifespan of up to thirty years, which makes them very cost-effective in the long run.

Although reducing energy consumption is preferable, by introducing solar panels they reduce their dependence on the grid and should they produce a surplus of energy they can even sell the surplus to the local electricity companies. Householders who invest in solar panels may be able to get their money back after five years, which is a relatively short period of time. With savings like that, the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) projects that this world could be  a Solar Empire within 10 year.

Sustainable Cities

 

Solar Panel Roof MIST image

Sustainable City's MIST Rooftop

The use of solar is increasing all over the world. The first sustainable solar operational city in the world has emerged in Abu Dhabi. Sustainable city Masdar was designed to house fifty thousand people in an area of just seven square kilometers. When it is finished it will become the world’s first carbon neutral city. There are currently many other successful projects around the world aiming at this status and the good news is that the change has begun.

More and more cities in America and around the world are starting to use solar  panels as a way of generating energy. On a global scale this greatly affects the environment in a positive way, by reducing the greenhouse effect. The use of solar energy reduces fossil fuel pollutants in the atmosphere and overall, offers a new and more efficient way of powering up entire city structures.

Solar Empire – The Vision and Health Benefits

Solar Empire Sustainable City

Model by Aedas Int'l

The vision of  solar empire  sustained only by renewable sources and particularly using the sun’s free energy is indeed a utopian one at first hearing. Once the world’s governments begin to understand the benefits carbon-free cities could become the mainstream.

The idea of a world which relies only on renewable energy sources is indeed a beautiful one. The all too frequent image of pollution hazes in the atmosphere will become a memory. The air of the solar empire will be clean and clear.

Pollution free cities

Cities which will follow this path will literally look greener. There will be a significant reduction in respiratory diseases. All of these benefits and more are the positive result of using solar panels, which are cheap, easy to install and require little maintenance.

 Solar Empire Comprising Solar Powered Nations

When nations base their energy supply  on renewable energy sources they will save of hundreds of billions of dollars. Such wealth savings could  be redirected towards other sectors of the economy.  Let’s look forward more solar powered nations creating a virtual solar empire.

 

AuSES Conference Best Papers: Photovoltaics Best Papers

We have prepared list of solar-e.com’s own selection of ranked candidates for the Photovoltaics best papers presented at the ‘Solar 2010’ Conference: Policies and Strategies (including the Economics of solar energy, diversity of derived forms of solar energy, electricity grids and data collection)

The analysis and understanding the of more obscure fields of solar energy related technology and policy developments is obviously another critical step forward to applying more solar energy in our economy. this section will hopefully expand as more papers are delivered in the future.

AuSES Committee – Best Papers at AuSES Solar 2010 as judged by the AuSES panel

Student Prizes – Wal Read Memorial Prizes
Post Graduates Prizes
BILBAO, Jose “PV-Thermal Water Systems as a Retrofit for Near Zero Energy Homes”
Winner $1500 AUD
BAMBROOK, Shelley “Experimental PVT Air System for Dwellings”
Highly Commended $1000 AUD
LHENDUP, Tshewang “Simulation of a Ground-coupled Heat Pump Combined with Solar Collectors”
Commended $250 AUD
ELLISTON, Ben “Grid parity: A potential misleading concept?”
Commended $250 AUD

Undergraduates Prizes
BRAZIER, Thomas “Dependence of installed cost of a 1.5 kW rooftop PV system on module efficiency”
Joint Winner $1,000 AUD
BOEREMA, Nicholas “Economics of constraints on wind farms – SA”
Joint Winner $1,000 AUD
O’BRIEN, Paul “Exergetic analysis of a steam-flashing thermal storage system”
Joint Winner $1,000 AU

Photovoltaics: Solar-e.com Director Garry Baverstock’s personal selection of the Best Papers

At the conference the papers were presented under a number of category headings such as Built Environment, Wind Power, Photovoltaics, Environmental Benefits, Solar Thermal and Solar Energy Economics. Following is our selection of the worthwhile papers and a ranking based on relevance to world situation on Climate Change, the impact on the increased use of solar energy and the quality of the research as presented in the paper.
The Photovoltaics best papers, in our opinion, have been listed below. This is our opinion, but we are interested in what the solar experts think and any comments are welcome. If we have overlooked a paper or you disagree with our assessment please feel free to offer your opinion. If bona fide it will be published.

A comment by solar-e.com is included after each selection.


1. Investigation of single layers of silicon quantum dots in SiO2 matrix for energy selective contacts in hot carriers solar cells

P.Aliberti, B.P. Veettil, Ruoyu Li, S.K. Shrestha, B. Zhang, A. Hsieh M.A. Green, G.J. Conibeer
Comment: High Quality scientific PV research

2. High Efficiency Flexible Mono-Crystalline Silcon Modules

EA Thomsen, V Everett, A Blakers, M Brauers, E Davies, J Muric-Nesic, C Samundsett, T Ratcliffe, H Zhao, I Skryabin
Comment: This is significant research in the race between polycrystalline and mono-crystalline cells.  Of course the winner will all about area available for collection and the cost of installed PV /sq m.

3. Large Increases in Bulk Lifetime of Commercial Grade CZ Silicon Wafers Through Hydrogenation

Brett Hallam, Ned Western, Stuart Wenham
Comment: High quality research with large potential benefits to PV industry

4.Improved Implied Voc for Commercial Grade Wafers by Rear Surface Passivation in Conjunction with Rear Laser Doping Technique

X. Bai1, A. Sugianto1, S. R. Wenham1 and B. J. Hallam
Comment: High Quality PV research.  Improvement of the efficiency of PV is the main area that will increase the viable use of PV in the built environment and the various agricultural applications

5.Tandem Photoelectrochemical Cell for Direct Water Splitting

Haixiang Zhang 1, Shujuan Huang1, Gavin Conibeer 1
Comment: This PV production of hydrogen could be a potential industry in the secod half of the 21st century or even earlier

6.Third Generation Photovoltaics

Gavin Conibeer
Comment: Good visions for future improvements of PV.

DO YOU WISH TO BUY ANY OF THESE PAPERS?

A message from AuSES
People who were not delegates at Solar 2010 (or AuSES members) who would like to access this resource they can apply for access for an annual fee of $140 (ex GST). Please go to AuSES website.

Solar-e.com invites you to leave comments on our ranking of Solar Energy Economics Best Papers at the end of this article.

Experts who disagree with our rating and choices we invite you to make comment and if enough substance is shown we will reserve the right to change the ranking at anytime or keep the ranking the same.

Solar-e.com related links:

http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/green-economics
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/24/ethical-investment
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/employment-opportunities
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/wave-power
http://www.solartec.iinet.net.au/solare/innovation/strategiesindevelopingproducts.htm

AuSES Conference Best Papers: Solar Energy Economics Best Papers

We have prepared list of solar-e.com’s own selection of ranked candidates for the Solar Energy Economics best papers presented at the ‘Solar 2010’ Conference: Policies and Strategies (including the Economics of solar energy, diversity of derived forms of solar energy, electricity grids and data collection)

The analysis and understanding the of more obscure fields of solar energy related technology and policy developments is obviously another critical step forward to applying more solar energy in our economy. this section will hopefully expand as more papers are delivered in the future.

AuSES Committee – Best Papers at AuSES Solar 2010 as judged by the AuSES panel

Student Prizes – Wal Read Memorial Prizes
Post Graduates Prizes
BILBAO, Jose “PV-Thermal Water Systems as a Retrofit for Near Zero Energy Homes”
Winner $1500 AUD
BAMBROOK, Shelley “Experimental PVT Air System for Dwellings”
Highly Commended $1000 AUD
LHENDUP, Tshewang “Simulation of a Ground-coupled Heat Pump Combined with Solar Collectors”
Commended $250 AUD
ELLISTON, Ben “Grid parity: A potential misleading concept?”
Commended $250 AUD

Undergraduates Prizes
BRAZIER, Thomas “Dependence of installed cost of a 1.5 kW rooftop PV system on module efficiency”
Joint Winner $1,000 AUD
BOEREMA, Nicholas “Economics of constraints on wind farms – SA”
Joint Winner $1,000 AUD
O’BRIEN, Paul “Exergetic analysis of a steam-flashing thermal storage system”
Joint Winner $1,000 AU

Solar Energy Economics: Solar-e.com Director Garry Baverstock’s personal selection of the Best Papers

At the conference the papers were presented under a number of category headings such as Built Environment, Wind Power, Photovoltaics, Environmental Benefits, Solar Thermal and Solar Energy Economics. Following is our selection of the worthwhile papers and a ranking based on relevance to world situation on Climate Change, the impact on the increased use of solar energy and the quality of the research as presented in the paper.
The Solar Energy Economics best papers, in our opinion, have been listed below. This is our opinion, but we are interested in what the solar experts think and any comments are welcome. If we have overlooked a paper or you disagree with our assessment please feel free to offer your opinion. If bona fide it will be published.

Image Businessmen shaking hands

SOLAR ENERGY ECONOMICS

A comment by solar-e.com is included after each listing.

1. Renewable Energy Education at UNSW

Richard Corkish1,2, Stephen Bremner1, Anna Bruce1, Hanzheng Duo1, Evatt Hawkes1, Merlinde Kay1, Alison Lennon1,2, Alistair Sproul1, Ted Spooner3, Santosh Shrestha1,2, Geoff Stapleton1, Ashraf Uddin1,2, Muriel Watt1, Darcy Wentworth1
Comment: This an exceptional run-down on what the UNSW does in the field.

2.Improving investment outcomes in the development and commercialization of ‘clean’ energy technologies within Australia

Allan Aaron1, Iain MacGill1
Comment: This is the key for faster change and adoption of solar energy technology and systems

3.Comparing the Economics of Nuclear and Renewable Sources of Electricity

Mark Diesendorf1
Comment: This really makes one think hard and long to go nuclear in Australia, on economic grounds

4.A Supply-Demand Model for a Zero-Carbon Australia
Trevor Jack1, Robyn Bateup2, Vernie Everett3
Comment: Looking at a visionary big picture view is the essence of this paper

5.Using policy design to manage the impact of stakeholder pressure during the policy development process
Robert Passey and Iain MacGill
Comment: Interesting perspectives for governance

6.Status of Rural Electrification in the ‘Heart of Borneo’: Role of Micro Hydro Projects

S.Murni1, J.Whale1, J.K.Davis1, T.Urmee1, D.Harries2
Comment: This is a visionary approach for Australia and relevant to the developing world

7.Valuable insight into the strategic thinking by governments – Urban growth, albedo and global warming

G.B. Smith1, A.R. Gentle1 and I. Edmonds2
Comment: A unique blend of big–picture thinking and solid scientific principles.

8.Lessons learnt from implementing intelligent metering and energy monitoring devices in a new housing development

D.M. Whaley, W.Y. Saman, E. Halawa, L.T. Mudge
Comment: Having evidence based-learning will lead to better results in the built environment

DO YOU WISH TO BUY ANY OF THESE PAPERS?

A message from AuSES
People who were not delegates at Solar 2010 (or AuSES members) who would like to access this resource they can apply for access for an annual fee of $140 (ex GST). Please go to AuSES website.

Solar-e.com invites you to leave comments on our ranking of Solar Energy Economics Best Papers at the end of this article.

Experts who disagree with our rating and choices we invite you to make comment and if enough substance is shown we will reserve the right to change the ranking at anytime or keep the ranking the same.

Solar-e.com related links:

http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/green-economics
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/24/ethical-investment
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/employment-opportunities
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/wave-power
http://www.solartec.iinet.net.au/solare/innovation/strategiesindevelopingproducts.htm