A California maker of photovoltaic cells has developed a process that makes the solar energy catchers wafer thin, while also trimming the production costs significantly. XsunX, Inc. has announced the development of a fully-functional CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium di Selenide) thin-film solar device. I caught up with XsunX Chief Operating Officer Joe Grimes, who told me that they have pioneered …
In Touch With Solar
During the Copenhagen Climate Conference, President Obama announced findings from the Environmental Protection Agency that the six major groups of greenhouse gas emissions are “an endangerment” to public health and welfare. This could lead to stricter emission regulations for vehicles, manufacturing and power plant emissions. This also shines an even brighter light on low CO2 emitting technologies such as solar …
Nevada Water Company Proposes 100-mw Solar Farm
A water company in Nevada is proposing to build a solar farm that could be one of the biggest in the country. The Reno Gazette-Journal reports that Vidler Water Co. wants to to build a 100-megawatt solar farm at its Fish Springs Ranch about 40 miles from Reno. Construction could start next year: In Europe, a 1.8 million-megawatt farm is …
Solar Industry Shines Despite Minimal Support
There are three major hurdles facing the solar industry today: lack of long-term uninterrupted government support, lack of government and private investment capital and difficulty with project permitting. People interested in the solar industry can learn how to clear these hurdles by attending the Solar Power Generation USA conference, being held in Las Vegas, Nevada January 20-21, 2010. “The solar …
DF Cast: Recycling Materials to Grab the Sun’s Power
Solar energy holds great promise for this nation: it’s practically always there, it doesn’t produce greenhouse gases, and it’s free. But production of the materials used to capture the power of the sun is not always a green proposition … and they’re certainly not free! That’s where BioSolar comes in. The Los Angeles area-based company has found a way to …
Pennsylvania Solar Plant to Treat and Transport Water
Electronics giant Sanyo and renewable energy company Coenergy are teaming up to build one of the East Coast’s first and largest solar energy plants that will treat and transport water for Aqua Pennsylvania, a public water and wastewater utility, serving more than 3 million residents in Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, New York, Indiana, Florida, Virginia, Maine, …
Solar, Wind Latest Additions to Green Education
There’s an old saying that goes, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” While it might be true that college does cost, there are some cheaper options out there. And more of those options are including solar and wind degrees from the less expensive community college route. This article from CNN Money says that more of the more-affordable two-year …
Obama Pushes Hybrids, Wind & Solar at MIT
President Barack Obama was touting renewable energy during his visit this week to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Wall Street Journal reports that during a speech before 750 MIT faculty, local business leaders and politicians reminded those in attendance that green energy choices will lead the country to true economic prosperity: Mr. Obama also touted the $80 billion in …
Solar, Wind Top Survey Choices for Green Energy
Americans want green energy choices, with the largest motivating factor for those choices being saving some greenbacks. And the top choices for that green-saving energy are solar and wind. The latest Nielsen Company Energy Trends report shows that 80 percent of the 32,000 respondents polled cited cutting costs as their main motivation for conserving energy: Overall, the study shows that …
Project Looks to Link Wind, Solar Projects to Rest of US
One of the big knocks against solar and wind energy is the lack of infrastructure to connect the power generated in remote areas of the American West with the large population centers back east. But a project in New Mexico could change that. GreenBeat reports that state’s governor has unveiled a plan to build a massive electric transmission station in …