A breaking new solar-technology is now in the works. A plane running purely on solar power is being tested in Long Island, New York. The goal here Is to have perpetual flight according to the CEO of Luminati Aerospace in Calverton. This technology is almost guaranteed to revolutionize the aircraft industry. The company is planning to hire around 800 people during the next two to three years.
The company eventually wishes to partner with a bigger company in hopes of better, faster expansion into this new technology. Luminati plans to have a second airplane completed before the end of 2017.
For more information on this project, go to luminati.aero
Researchers at MIT have developed a new experimental solar cell which could possibly improve and enhance solar power efficiency. By placing the cells one on top of another, researchers are able to reduce energy loss which is a common problem with most solar cells.
However, when we talk about heat, it has nothing beneficial to offer solar cells. The solar cells have nano-tubes built into them that conver heat to visible light. This light is then used by the solar panels.
More research is still needed and researchers are still testing these cells. For more information, please visit thehackednews.com
While you won’t find them on the streets or the freeways of today, solar cars have existed for roughly 20 years or so. Although the technology surrounding solar power has advanced dramatically whereas homes and commercial structures are concerned the technology is still somewhat impractical for regular vehicular travel. That’s not to say that solar powered cars aren’t functional but the amount of power that must be generated in order to meet the power needs of today’s cars is difficult to generate on such a small body and in order to utilize many photovoltaic cells as possible, makers of solar cars often build vehicles that are only capable of carrying one or two persons.
Although they aren’t commonplace on today’s streets and highways the solar power cars of tomorrow will feature an increased amount of solar technology. At some point in the not-too-distant future cars will operate entirely on solar energy and will be more than capable of generating power needed to not only run a car’s engine but address internal power needs such as air-conditioning, movie and audio playback, among other things.
Modern solar vehicles, although not extremely powerful, run efficiently when the sun shines brightly though they tend to run into problems on cloudy days and during the night. Recently scientists working with solar technologies and those who build solar vehicles have been experimenting with battery backups similar to the ones used in houses and places of business. These batteries essentially store gathered sunshine and convert it into electricity only when needed. These batteries are composed mainly of nickel-metal hybrids though they sometimes are made from lithium-ion and lithium polymers. Solar powered cars require these special types of batteries because the lead acid batteries found in more traditional cars are far too heavy.
Modern solar powered vehicles are all about efficiency and to reduce the amount of power needed to operate these vehicles the majority of solar powered cars currently only utilize three wheels. Three wheeled solar powered cars typically operate in the range of 80 to 170 volts. In addition to utilizing specialized batteries and just three wheels solar powered cars are designed to collect power when they are not in use. This collection never ceases and helps these breakthrough vehicles gather enough power for their next trip. With efficiency being the goal and power consumption a big concern, don’t expect to find things like iPods, DVD or Blu-Ray players, or any other modern amenities in solar powered cars. Until technology advances to point where power can be gathered and converted at a higher rate these things will be relegated only to more traditional vehicles.
Check out the video below brought to you by Sunswift Although solar powered cars are not practical for everyday use there are several types of vehicles that utilize photovoltaic panels rather well and do their job efficiently. One such example is golf carts. Many modern golf carts utilize solar panels to carry golfers from one hole to the next. While golfers are busy playing the game these golf carts are continuously collecting and converting sunlight to energy for their next trip. Solar panels work well on golf carts because they’re not driving for long distances and the long periods of rest they in between holes gives them time to charge up.
So when exactly will solar power be of practical use for everyday vehicles? That question is a difficult one to answer though we can confidently say that over the next decade or two solar power technologies will change so much and advance so rapidly that it’s hard not to imagine people driving solar powered cars to work, to school, and to the grocery store. How exactly solar power will be utilized in cars of the future is impossible to predict though the technology and its usage will become far more efficient than it is today.
In today’s business world many business owners and managers look to buy cheap and sell high. This is especially true of those who own solar power companies. At SolarGem however the company prides itself on delivering solar products that are made in America and never outsources any of its work. Whether you’re buying solar panels or some other solar components from the company and/or you’re having their talented staff install a new solar power system you can be certain that all work and products are being handled by people within the United States. While there are many owners of solar power companies who believe outsourcing products and services keeps costs low, SolarGem keeps everything in-house while managing to keep things affordable and satisfy its customers.
One need only visit SolarGem’s website at www.solargem.org to see just how dedicated the company is delivering products and services that are made in the USA. In fact by digging a little deeper into their website one will easily see how this approach to business has helped build and maintain their decades long success. Serving both Orange and Riverside counties, SolarGem not only provides products and services that are made in the USA but aims to build a solid rapport with each and every client they work with. The company is not content than just selling products and services but rather strives to treat customers as family.
SolgarGem owner Joe Johnson had this to say when asked about his company’s approach to solar power. “Only the highest quality solar panels and systems are capable of meeting the needs and high demands of modern households and businesses. SolarGem has just one goal and that goal being the sale and installation of quality solar products that people can trust and have confidence in.”
Solar energy is a renewable and more recently an affordable type of power that helps homeowners and businesses cut the costs associated with power consumption. It is also an extremely environmentally friendly type of power that generates electricity for homes and commercial structures without leaving any pollution behind.
ABOUT SOLARGEM
SolarGem is an Orange County based solar power company dedicated to providing residents all over Southern California with unbeatable American-made solar products alongside unmatched customer service and care. By refusing to outsource any of their work or purchase products from other countries, SolarGem ensures both quality and customer satisfaction.
Solar Power Advancements And EffectivenessThe technologies utilized in solar power systems have changed tremendously since the 1950’s. In fact so efficient are modern solar power systems that they are nearly 4 to 5 times more powerful than their predecessors of yesteryear. What this essentially means is that home and business owners can have solar power implemented at either their residence or place of business and save more money than ever before on energy consumption. Moreover the solar power systems found in years and decades past didn’t always generate 100% of a businesses or residences power needs though these days even the most modest solar power systems are capable of achieving his feet.
The popularity of solar power is soaring thanks to the aforementioned advances in solar technology and in part because of the rapid technological enhancements have helped drive costs down. With so much focus placed on the ability to be energy independent and keeping consumption costs low, it’s very common for individuals to overlook several other facts about solar technologies. Unbeknownst to many home and business owners the state of California as well as the United States federal government offer financial incentives to those who elect to have solar power systems installed. In some cases up to 40% of the initial cost of the system and installation is covered by these incentives. Home and business owners also frequently overlook the significant increase in property value is solar power systems carry with them. Any home or place of business that utilizes solar power rises in value dramatically very quickly.
Again, with so much focus placed on solar power saving individuals money and allowing them to be environmentally conscious it’s easy to forget exactly what solar power does for homes and/or places of business. Even the most inexpensive solar power systems these days can address the high demand for power that are found in modern offices and homes. Whether it’s heating, air conditioning, lighting, computing, or refrigeration solar power systems can handle the heavy workloads of modern appliances and technological devices.
While remaining excited about saving money on energy consumption and remembering what solar power can do for home or place of business it’s time to talk installation. Installation of solar power systems, including panels, is generally handled by professionals as the job requires not only a knowledge of how solar power works but precise measurements and knowledge of special equipment. Fortunately home and business owners will often find that their preferred solar vendor also offers affordable installation services. Generally speaking once installation is scheduled the job is completed within a matter of hours, at least whereas homes are concerned. Installing solar power into commercial structures however may require more time should a building be particularly large or have unusually high energy requirements.
Solar power technologies are always advancing and evolving. Recently a major breakthrough in solar power has seen scientists utilize the sun to create not just usable energy but solar energy materials as well. If the work of these researchers turns out to work with direct sunlight it will mean that the suns energy can only be collected and converted into electricity but that consumers and even those provide solar services will be able to directly produce solar energy materials.
So what exactly does this mean for those who are interested in solar power? In the immediate future not much. In the not-too-distant future however big changes to solar power will leave their mark on the industry. For one, if this breakthrough turns out to be as applicable as scientists hope the costs associated with solar power will reduce dramatically. This means that it will be cheaper to install and to utilize. It’s not difficult to envision a scenario where the tax credits and rebates associated with solar power will become even greater.
Not only will the cost of solar power be reduced but solar power will become much more efficient than it is even today. The rate at which sunlight is collected and converted into usable energy will increase exponentially making today’s standard rates look paltry by comparison. In addition to reducing costs and making solar power is more efficient this discovery will allow more environmentally benign materials to be utilized in things like solar panels and other parts of systems.
This breakthrough in solar power technology is a recent one and there is plenty of testing left to be done to determine whether or not it can be applied to commercial solar power products. These findings were recently published in RSC Advances which is a journal of the Royal Society Of Chemistry. Professor Chih-Hung Chan of Oregon State University was quoted as saying “this approach should work and is very environmentally conscious”. The work itself is based on the use of continuous flow micro-reactors that produced nano particle inks which in turn generate solar cells by printing. In this process simulated sunlight was focused on micro reactors that were rapidly heated. Researchers had precise control of temperatures to aid the quality of the finished product. Although this breakthrough was a result of utilizing artificial light the same researchers believe that the same effect can be achieved using direct sunlight at just a fraction of the cost.
While solar technology is always changing and evolving there are moments where it does so by leaps and bounds. This is one such moment and should further research demonstrate this breakthrough to be applicable to consumer solar power we can all expect big changes and more affordable solar power down the line.