Solar modules require tempered solar glass to protect interior components against the elements. In thin film applications, glass function as a substrate for the deposit of the charging material, such as silicone. Coated glass form...  more

Solar ventilation preheat refers to a solar wall or transpired solar collector, which heats air before it enters a structure. It provides a very efficient method of lowering a building energy costs with a clean renewable source of...  more

A solar-based Utopia would see solar panels on the roof of every building, and solar material integrated into the façade of each building. Every conceivable space that receives direct sunlight would be layered in solar material. U...  more

According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), 67.5% of the worldwide electricity consumption comes from fossil fuels — coal (41%), natural gas (21%), and oil (5.5%). Nuclear energy provides 13.5% and hydro 15.9%....  more

The emerging field of optofluidics is offering new techniques for directing light and concentrating with it microscopic precision where it can be most efficiently used. This has the potential for greatly increasing the efficienc...  more

One major challenge for utility-scale solar developments, across the global community, concerns access to high-voltage transmission lines. Transmission lines move power from the generation plant to the area of power demand. The la...  more

The prospect of harnessing solar energy to meet the energy demands of the 21st century offers a clean and reliable solution to one of the biggest issues facing the human population. Going forward, how we source our energy and ho...  more

Renewable energy offers the prospect of meeting the current power demands of society in an environmentally friendly way, harnessing abundant and clean energy resources in favor of finite and polluting energy sources. Of the numero...  more

In late August 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released the initial data from an ongoing study tracking how clouds can affect large-scale PV power plants in the 30 MW size ra...  more

Solar power systems capture the sun's radiation in two ways: Photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP). PV converts sunlight into electricity. CSP, also called solar thermal, focuses the sun's energy on pipes...  more