Renewable Energy

December 2017

UBC professor Curtis Berlinguette.

Halogens can Increase Solar Cell Performance by 25%

University of British Columbia

New research from the University of British Columbia and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that using halogens--a class of elements that include fluoride, bromine, chlorine and iodine--in a dye-sensitized solar cell can increase conversion efficiency by 25 per cent. The discovery could set th

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/20/2017

Expanding Solar Energy Without Encroaching on Potential Farmland and Conservation Areas

American Chemical Society

As the world tries to combat climate change, sustainable forms of energy are on the rise. Solar energy is of particular interest, but arrays of photovoltaic panels take up a lot of space and can compete for prime food-producing land. Now researchers, reporting in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology, have found

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/19/2017

A floatovoltaic installation at Far Niente Winery in Oakville, Calif., comprises nearly 1,000 solar panels floating on pontoons on the vineyard irrigation pond.

UC Researchers Identify Nontraditional Sites for Future Solar Farms

University of California - Riverside

RIVERSIDE, Calif . -- There's a tradeoff when sprawling solar farms pop up on agricultural land: farmland disappears, perhaps forever, in return for growth in the promising renewable energy sector. But what if large solar installations could be built away from agricultural land, eliminating the competition bet

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/19/2017

Croton nuts are the source of an oil that can power generators, water pumps and other internal combustion engines and, with processing, can be used in place of diesel fuel in cars and trucks.

Farmers in Kenya Willing, Able to Ramp up Croton nut Output for Biofuel

Penn State

Small-holder farmers in Kenya have the capacity and desire to play a major role in the scale-up of biofuel production from agroforestry, according to a Penn State forest economist, who led a study in the East African country. Croton trees -- which seem to grow everywhere in Kenya -- and the oilseeds they prod

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/19/2017

Columbia Engineers Develop Floating Solar Fuels Rig For Seawater Electrolysis

Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science

New York, NY -- Dec.15, 2017 -- In a single hour, more energy from the sun hits the Earth than all the energy used by humankind in an entire year. Imagine if the sun's energy could be harnessed to power energy needs on Earth, and done in a way that is economical, scalable, and environmentally responsible. Researchers hav

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/15/2017

Hydrogen Production: Protein Environment Makes Catalyst Efficient

Ruhr-University Bochum

The interaction of protein shell and active centre in hydrogen-producing enzymes is crucial for the efficiency of biocatalysts. A team from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion in Mülheim an der Ruhr specifically analysed the role of hydrogen bonds in certain en

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/14/2017

This shows how the difference in performance between the two solar cells vary over time.

Climate Conditions Affect Solar Cell Performance More Than Expected

Cell Press

Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers can now predict how much energy solar cells will produce at any location worldwide. Surprisingly, they identified that two types of solar cells (silicon and cadmium telluride) can vary in energy output by 5% or more in tropical regions, where most of the emerging so

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/13/2017

Electrically Smart Roads Bring Saving, Safety, Speed, Over $20 Billion Sales

The new IDTechEx report, "Electrically Smart Roads 2018-2028" is an independent, new technical and market appraisal of electrically smart roads and their allied infrastructure such as electrical road furniture and parking areas. It embraces such things as solar roads driving integral lighting today a

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/12/2017

PROVERTHA M12 Gender Changer Connector enables simple, reliable connection of homogenous M12 cables - now available at Aerco

PROVERTHA’s M12 Gender Changer connector which enables cables with the same type of connector to be mated, is now available from Aerco, the distributor and stockist of electrical and electronic components servicing hi-rel markets. Gender changers make it possible to connect cables with the sam

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/12/2017

Dedicated calibration instrument reduces cost and complexity of calibrating power meters and analysers

The Yokogawa LS3300 is a new dedicated, stand-alone and cost-effective calibrator that is designed to reduce the cost and complexity of calibrating power meters and analysers with accuracies up to 0.15%. Unlike existing multi-function calibrators, the LS3300 provides a lower cost and easy-to-use solution with speci

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/08/2017

Mouser Electronics Named Distributor of the Year at 2017 Elektra Awards

Mouser Electronics has been named Distributor of the Year at the 2017 Elektra Awards. Organized by Electronics Weekly, the Elektra Awards showcase the best innovations, people and companies as judged by an independent panel of leading experts and are widely regarded as among the very top accolades in the electroni

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/08/2017

Toshiba sets new standard with advanced high-efficiency Audio Power Amplifier

Toshiba Electronics Europe has developed a 4-channel, high-efficiency class-AB linear power amplifier IC that delivers high-quality sound reproduction for car audio applications while significantly reducing power consumption. Offering efficiency comparable to class-D digital amplifiers, the TCB701FNG IC us

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/08/2017

Surrey Scientists Create Cheap And Safe Electro-Catalysts For Fuel Cells

University of Surrey

Scientists from the University of Surrey have produced non-metal electro-catalysts for fuel cells that could pave the way for production of low-cost, environmentally friendly energy generation. In a study published in the Journal of Power Sources, the team from Surrey worked with colleagues from Queen Mary

. . . Learn More

Date:

12/08/2017