Archive for the ‘solar power’ category: Page 25
Mar 30, 2023
Colloids get creative to pave the way for next generation photonics
Posted by Dan Breeden in categories: computing, particle physics, solar power, sustainability
Scientists have devised a way of fabricating a complex structure, previously found only in nature, to open up new ways for manipulating and controlling light.
The structure, which naturally occurs in the wing scales of some species of butterfly, can function as a photonic crystal, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Birmingham. It can be used to control light in the visible range of the spectrum, for applications for lasers, sensors, and also devices for harvesting solar energy.
Their computational study, published in Advanced Materials, demonstrates that the complex gyroid structure can be self-assembled from designer colloidal particles in the range of hundreds of nanometers.
Mar 29, 2023
Would building a Dyson sphere be worth it? We ran the numbers
Posted by Jose Ruben Rodriguez Fuentes in categories: alien life, bitcoin, nuclear energy, solar power, sustainability
In 1960, visionary physicist Freeman Dyson proposed that an advanced alien civilization would someday quit fooling around with kindergarten-level stuff like wind turbines and nuclear reactors and finally go big, completely enclosing their home star to capture as much solar energy as they possibly could. They would then go on to use that enormous amount of energy to mine bitcoin, make funny videos on social media, delve into the deepest mysteries of the Universe, and enjoy the bounties of their energy-rich civilization.
But what if the alien civilization was… us? What if we decided to build a Dyson sphere around our sun? Could we do it? How much energy would it cost us to rearrange our solar system, and how long would it take to get our investment back? Before we put too much thought into whether humanity is capable of this amazing feat, even theoretically, we should decide if it’s worth the effort. Can we actually achieve a net gain in energy by building a Dyson sphere?
Mar 25, 2023
Team develops large-scale stretchable and transparent electrodes
Posted by Dan Breeden in categories: nanotechnology, solar power, sustainability, wearables
A Korean research team has developed a large-scale stretchable and transparent electrode for use as a stretchable display. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that a research team, led by Dr. Sang-Soo Lee and Dr. Jeong Gon Son at KIST’s Photo-Electronic Hybrids Research Center, has developed a technology to fabricate a large-area (larger than an A4 sized paper) wavy silver nanowire network electrode that is structurally stretchable with a high degree of conductivity and transparency.
Transparent electrodes, through which electricity flows, are essential for solar cell-and touchscreen-based display devices. An indium tin oxide (ITO)-based transparent electrode is currently commercialized for use. The ITO-based transparent electrode is made of a thin layer of metallic oxides that have very low stretchability and is very fragile. Thus, the ITO electrode is not well suited for flexible and wearable devices, which are expected to quickly become mainstream products in the electronic device market. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new transparent electrode with stretchability as one of its main features.
A silver nanowire is tens of nanometers in diameter, and the nano material itself is long and thin like a stick. The small size of the nanowire allows it to be bent when an external force is applied. Since it is made of silver, a silver nanowire has excellent electrical conductivity and can be used in a random network of straight nanowires to fabricate a highly transparent and flexible electrode. However, despite the fact that silver nanowire is bendable and flexible, it cannot be used as a stretchable material.
Mar 21, 2023
Built Robotics Unveils Autonomous Pile Driving Robot, Expediting Solar Rollout
Posted by Gemechu Taye in categories: economics, robotics/AI, solar power, sustainability
Built Robotics has introduced an autonomous pile driving robot that will help build utility-scale solar farms in a faster, safer, more cost-effective way, and make solar viable in even the most remote locations. Called the RPD 35, or Robotic Pile Driver 35, the robot can survey the site, determine the distribution of piles, drive piles, and inspect them at a rate of up to 300 piles per day with a two-person crew. Traditional methods today typically can complete around 100 piles per day using manual labor.
The RPD 35 was unveiled today at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, the largest construction trade show in North America and held every three years.
The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act “Building a Clean Energy Economy” section includes a goal to install 950 million solar panels by 2030. With solar farms requiring tens of thousands of 12-to 16-foot-long piles installed eight feet deep with less than an inch tolerance, piles are a critical component of meeting that target.
Mar 19, 2023
World’s first solar panel ‘carpet’ on railway tracks may generate electricity
Posted by Gemechu Taye in categories: solar power, sustainability
The Swiss startup’s pilot project will focus on the Western public rail system and cost around $437,240.
European startup Sun-Ways has devised a mechanical device to deploy removable solar panels along railway tracks.
Continue reading “World’s first solar panel ‘carpet’ on railway tracks may generate electricity” »
Mar 17, 2023
China nears completion of its highest hydroelectric project at 16,404 feet
Posted by Gemechu Taye in categories: biotech/medical, solar power
The Maerdang plant will have a total installed capacity of around 2.2 million kW.
In an effort to ramp up its renewable energy production, China is on course to begin operations of its highest-altitude hydropower.
A clean energy initiative to optimize resources
Continue reading “China nears completion of its highest hydroelectric project at 16,404 feet” »
Mar 8, 2023
Scientists Observe “Quasiparticles” in Classical Systems for the First Time
Posted by Paul Battista in categories: computing, particle physics, quantum physics, solar power, sustainability
Since the advent of quantum mechanics, the field of physics has been divided into two distinct areas: classical physics and quantum physics. Classical physics deals with the movements of everyday objects in the macroscopic world, while quantum physics explains the strange behaviors of tiny elementary particles in the microscopic world.
Many solids and liquids are made up of particles that interact with each other at close distances, leading to the creation of “quasiparticles.” Quasiparticles are stable excitations that act as weakly interacting particles. The concept of quasiparticles was introduced in 1941 by Soviet physicist Lev Landau and has since become a crucial tool in the study of quantum matter. Some well-known examples of quasiparticles include Bogoliubov quasiparticles in superconductivity, excitons in semiconductors.
Continue reading “Scientists Observe ‘Quasiparticles’ in Classical Systems for the First Time” »
Mar 3, 2023
Everyday Life in a Type II Civilization | Unveiled
Posted by Jose Ruben Rodriguez Fuentes in categories: solar power, space travel, sustainability
What if YOU were a type II person? Join us, and find out!
Subscribe ► https://wmojo.com/unveiled-subscribe.
Continue reading “Everyday Life in a Type II Civilization | Unveiled” »
Feb 27, 2023
Corralling ions improves viability of next generation solar cells
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: solar power, sustainability
Researchers have discovered that channeling ions into defined pathways in perovskite materials improves the stability and operational performance of perovskite solar cells. The finding paves the way for a new generation of lighter, more flexible, and more efficient solar cell technologies suitable for practical use.
Perovskite materials, which are defined by their crystalline structure, are better at absorbing light than silicon is. That means that perovskite solar cells can be thinner and lighter than silicon solar cells without sacrificing the cell’s ability to convert light into electricity.
“That opens the door to a host of new technologies, such as flexible, lightweight solar cells, or layered solar cells (known as tandems) that can be far more efficient than the solar harvesting technology used today in so-called solar farms,” says Aram Amassian, corresponding author of a paper on the discovery. “There’s interest in integrating perovskite materials into silicon solar cell technologies, which would improve their efficiency from 25% to 40% while also making use of existing infrastructure.” Amassian is a professor of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University.
