National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL

NREL and Solarmer Energy to extend lifetime of plastic solar cells

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Solarmer Energy, Inc., recently signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to collaborate on improving the lifetime of plastic solar cells, a promising new solar conversion technology.

Contract to develop solar cells for space applications

Spire Corporation, an American global solar company providing capital equipment and turnkey production lines to manufacture photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Spire Semiconductor LLC, has been awarded a contract from the Missile Defence Agency (MDA) to develop high efficiency, multi-junction solar cells for space applications.

Spire matches world record for solar cell efficiency

Spire Corporation, an American global solar company providing capital equipment and turnkey production lines to manufacture photovoltaic (PV) modules and cells, has announced its wholly owned subsidiary, Spire Semiconductor, LLC, has matched the current efficiency record for a concentrator solar cell.

Partnership to develop thin film solar technology

3M has teamed up with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop technology for the creation of low-cost thin-film photovoltaic modules.The $7.33 million partnership will also include concentrating solar power and biofuel technology development.

Laminar batteries are better

Laminar batteries are increasingly adopted in electronics because they have better cooling, damage tolerance and performance in respect of charge and discharge speed when optimally designed for this shape. Companies such as Cymbet and Infinite Power Solutions already supply small laminar lithium batteries for such applications as backup power for electronics and some even continue to operate if a nail is driven through them.

3M partners with NREL to develop thin film solar energy technology

3M has teamed up with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop technology for the creation of low-cost thin-film photovoltaic modules. The $7.33 million partnership will also include concentrating solar power and biofuel technology development.

Farmers use energy harvesting

Many farms around the world are now looking for ways to use renewable energy to power their farming practices.

Thin film photovoltaics focus: Photovoltaics Europe 2010 Germany

With a multitude of topics covered in the different conference tracks, the photovoltaics sessions attracted significant amount of interest. The main reason is the growth of photovoltaics technologies and thin film platforms in specific, but also the interest of a large number of solar cell developers in discovering new applications, other than rooftop and solar farm installations which have, by now, become highly competitive.

UCF confirms Planar Energy's battery efficiency

Researchers at the University of Central Florida's (UCF) Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center has verified findings by Planar Energy that the company said could lead to cost and performance improvements in large format batteries required for practical electric vehicles.

NREL and 3M sign agreement on renewable energy research

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has announced a series of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements with 3M, the Minneapolis based technology company.

Innovalight's patent for solar cells manufactured with silicon ink

Innovalight awarded key patent by U.S. patent & trademark office for solar cells manufactured with silicon ink Includes selective emitters made from silicon ink and crystalline silicon wafers

Micro-transfer printing technology selected for $3 million award

Semprius is one of 4 to be awarded funding for their novel technology to develop high performance concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules using their patented micro-transfer printing technology.

Affordable electronic window shutters

Thirty percent of the energy used by buildings in the United States is spent making up for heat loss or gain through windows. That constitutes about $40 billion in electricity costs each year. Windows that change color in response to changes in the weather help save on electricity costs by absorbing sunlight in the winter and reflecting it in the summer but they have been expensive and not widely used. Electrochromic windows sandwich materials that change color when a small electrical field is applied across them. This change is triggered by changes in light or temperature measured by sensors.

Solarmer achieves 7.9% NREL certified plastic solar cell efficiency

Solarmer Energy, Inc. employees are in high spirits after receiving news of their latest NREL certified plastic solar panel efficiency of 7.9%. Several accomplishments of this magnitude have made 2009 a great year for Solarmer including achievements in manufacturing, plastic solar cell and module efficiency, and awards. This achievement also holds very special meaning to the founders of the company, dating back to before the company started.

Energy Harvesting & Storage and RTLS & WSN conference summary (2)

The second day of the hugely successful IDTechEx conferences in Denver started with a focus on photovoltaics, which has the biggest market share in energy harvesting technology today.

End User Requirements Aired at Inaugural Energy Harvesting Event

Next week more than 300 attendees will converge in Denver at two co-located events: Energy Harvesting & Storage and Wireless Sensor Networks & RTLS. These events bring together the whole ecosystem from adopters of the technology to those making wireless sensors, ultra low power electronics, energy harvesting and energy storage devices.

Ascent Solar's 14% cell efficiency milestone in commercial production

Ascent Solar achieves 14% cell efficiency milestone in commercial production.

Organic Photovoltaics Industry to convene in Boston October 15-16

Organic Photovoltaics Industry to convene in Boston October 15-16.

Sunovia researchers shatter world record

Sunovia researchers shatter world record open circuit Voltage (Voc) for cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film solar cells by over 45%, dramatically raising the theoretical potential efficiency of CdTe thin film solar cells.