Solar cells you can see through
A team of researchers at UCLA have developed a new transparent solar cell that has the ability to generate electricity while still allowing a view of the outside.
This new kind of polymer solar cell (PSC) produces an electrical current by absorbing infrared light and not visible light, which makes the cells nearly 70% transparent to the human eye.
Visibly Transparent Polymer Solar Cells Produced by Solution Processing courtesy of UCLA
“Our new PSCs are made from plastic-like materials and are lightweight and flexible,” said study leader Yang Yang, a UCLA professor of materials science and engineering. “More importantly, they can be produced in high volume at low cost.”
The transparent conductor, another breakthrough, is made of silver nanowire and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, which replaces the opaque metal electrodes used in the past. This composite electrode also allows the solar cells to be fabricated economically by solution processing. With this combination, 4% power-conversion efficiency for solution-processed and visibly transparent polymer solar cells has been achieved.
“We are excited by this new invention on transparent solar cells, which applied our recent advances in transparent conducting windows (also published in ACS Nano) to fabricate these devices,” said Paul S.Weiss, CNSI director and Fred Kavli Chair in NanoSystems Sciences.
Source
UCLA Newsroom, UCLA researchers create highly transparent solar cells for windows that generate electricity
Pedaling to generate electricity and a shorter Prison Sentence
There is a new program that allows inmates at a prison in Minas Gerais, Brazil to reduce their sentences by generating electric power to help illuminate the town at night.
Courtesy of Santa Rita Do Sapucai Prison
Inmates charge a battery that is used to power street lamps along the town’s riverside promenade by pedaling stationary bikes. Three eight-hour pedaling shifts will reduce their sentence by one day.
This is an interesting concept; I wonder how it would work in American Prisons. Instead of using the generated electricity to power street lamps they could use it to power the prisons and reduce electricity costs.
Find the whole story here
Sources:
NBC News, Inmates at Brazil prison pedal for electricity – and their freedom
Where did electric vocabulary get its start?
Have you ever wondered where all the electric vocabulary terms we use today come from?
TED-ED, James Sheils and Biljana Labovic have created a very informative YouTube video titled Electric Vocabulary to help explain the history of our modern-day electric vocabulary.
The origin of many words in the electric vocabulary may surprise you. For example, Benjamin frankly coined the term “battery” in 1748 to describe the joining of multiple charged glass plates, similar to a battery of ship cannons. This video explains that, and more, and we think it is well worth watching.
Watch the Electric Vocabulary YouTube video here
Get creative with your answers to the $50 Energy Efficiency Contest
“How would you use $50 to make your home or office more energy efficient?”
If you are having trouble answering this question we have some low cost and even no cost energy efficient updates that can be made to your home or office for less than $50.
| What you can do | Average Cost |
| Lower your thermostat in the winter | Free |
| Wash your cloths in cold water | Free |
| Raise your thermostat in the Summer | Free |
| Toss that second Refrigerator (your Utility may offer rebates and most will even haul it away for free) | Free |
| Lower your water heater temperature | Free |
| Close your blinds during the summer | Free |
| Clean your air conditioner filter | Free |
| Use a ceiling fan instead of A/C | Free |
| Installing a faucet aerator | $5 |
| Change your furnace filter | $10 |
| Upgrade to CFL light bulbs | $15 |
| Dry clothes on a drying rack or clothesline | $20 |
| Insulate your water heater | $25 |
| Upgrade to a low-flow shower head | $25 |
| Install a programmable thermostat | $50 |
These are just a few of the ways you can make your home or office more energy efficient, take our advice and get creative with your answers when you enter the $50 Energy Efficiency Contest. You could win a $50 Home Depot or Lowe’s Gift Card to make your energy efficient dreams a reality.
If you are looking for even more energy savings enroll with Realgy Energy Services to lower your Natural Gas and Electricity Bills.
GOOD LUCK!
Sources
Energy Impact Illinois, Energy-Saving Actions & Incentives
U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy – Your Home
Does your home have what it takes to be awarded the Silver Certificate for energy savings?
The homes of Georgene Jaback and Bob Woods of Joliet, and Janet Jaback of Elmwood Park did.
(Office of Will County Executive Larry Walsh, Handout / July 5, 2012)
The Joliet couple improved their 50-year-old home with air sealing in the attic, basement and perimeter walls and insulation on the attic floor and in the conditioned basement. Their upgrades will reduce their air leakage rate by 35 percent, according to a press release issued by Will County.
Check out the article Joliet homeowners receive silver certification for energy savings to find out how they did it.
And if you are looking for even more energy savings check out Realgy Energy Services Natural Gas and Electricity rates, and lower your energy bills in a few minutes.
In Response to “Natural Gas a Raging Bull in Its Battle With Coal”
Written by Michael Vrtis President of Realgy Energy Services in response to the CNBC article “Natural Gas a Raging Bull in Its Battle With Coal”
The thinking has always been that the US will lead in coal use as we have the largest supply in the world. In our history, coal has contributed no less than 50% of our total electrical energy needs.
Today with the technology of “fracking” the US has discovered an abundance of recoverable natural gas. So much so that US natural gas prices are nearly $2.00 less than the average world price for natural gas (this is a huge economic advantage when you consider our cost for natural gas is about $3.00).
So abundant natural gas drives the cost lower, and so with the lower cost and long term supply natural gas takes market shares from its closest rival; coal. The benefits of this economic decision have environmental benefits.
All sounds great right?
Diversity in our generation supply (a mix of natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, solar, wave, etc) makes our electric supply gird stronger and more competitive. Consider if we had discovered this natural gas field and had not developed the technology to generate electricity from it more efficiently.
Nothing last forever; while 100 year supply sounds great. Its only one lifetime! This is where US Energy Policy has to step forward. The US should continue to invest in new technology that will not let us deplete the natural gas richness of this country and leave our children more dependent on electric energy without developing a replacement.
Check out the CNBC article: “Natural Gas a Raging Bull in Its Battle With Coal”