NextEra Energy Sees a Solar Future in Photovoltaics

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Excerpt: As a leading U.S. renewable power producer, NextEra Energy, formerly FPL Group, favors photovoltaic solar power over thermal solar.  "I think we're going to find increasingly that the market is a PV market," Moray Dewhurst, vice chairman and chief of staff at FPL, said at the Reuters Energy Summit …

Applied Materials and CECEP to Collaborate on Solar PV in China

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Excerpt: Applied Materials, Inc. and China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group (CECEP), a leading new energy company in China, announced they have agreed to explore projects for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology.CECEP plans to build a 5 MW utility-scale PV power plant in Inner …

Faster Connection of Junction Boxes to Solar Panels

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Excerpt: The SolarSpec™ Junction Box and Cable Assemblies are designed for installation on the back of mono- and polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. These products provide the interface between the conductor ribbons on the panel and the dc I/O cables.  Molex SolarSpec products are  for appli …

NREL Study Shows Power Grid Can Accomodate Substantial Increase In Wind & Solar

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Excerpt: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released an initial study assessing the operational impacts and economics of increased contributions from wind and solar energy producers on the power grid. The Western Wind and Solar Integration Study examines the benefits and challenges …

Yosemite Nat. Park Receives $4.4 million Solar Project

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Excerpt: Beginning in June, Yosemite National Park will install a large-scale solar panel project at El Portal that will accommodate a 539-kilowatt photovoltaic generation system with $4.4 million received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.Once built, this will be the largest grid-conne …

Purple Bacteria’s Cellular Arrangement Could Be Adopted for Use In Solar Panels

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Excerpt:Purple bacteria were among the first life forms on Earth. They are single celled microscopic organisms that play a vital role in sustaining the tree of life. This tiny organism lives in aquatic environments like the bottom of lakes and the colorful corals under the sea, using sunlight as the …

PV Inverter Delivers Up To 97% Energy Output

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Excerpt: This photovoltaic grid connected inverter incorporates two input positions with two MPPTs with an operating range of 90 to 580 VDC for maximum power harvesting and delivers up to 97% energy output. The PVI-6000-OUTD-US inverter is installed in a IP65 rated enclosure to endure tough weather condi …

IBM Creates “Cooling Liquid” Which Significantly Reduces Costs For CPV

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Excerpt: IBM announced a research breakthrough in PV technology that could significantly reduce the cost of harnessing the Sun's power for electricity.By mimicking the antics of a child using a magnifying glass to burn a leaf or a camper to start a fire, IBM scientists are using a large lens to con …

International Energy Agency Says Solar Could Represent 20-25% of Global Energy By 2050

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Excerpt: The International Energy Agency (IEA) released two Roadmaps on Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Photovoltaic (PV) electricity production during the Mediterranean Solar Plan Conference taking place in Valencia, Spain. In introducing the Roadmaps, IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka underscored that …

Multiphysics Modeling Analyzes Materials to Revolutionize Solar Energy

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Excerpt: Solar collector designs based on polymers replace metal with plastics and offer potential of far lower costs. To analyze these designs, researchers must model factors like heat transfer, structural deformation, and stress.About half of fossil fuels are used in heating, so there is a huge potenti …