Solar energy news and discussion

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Hydrogel Uses Sunlight to Extract Water From Air
by Nat Levy
September 15, 2023

Introduction:

(Futurity) A new molecularly engineered hydrogel that can create clean water using just the energy from sunlight.

The researchers were able to pull water out of the atmosphere and make it drinkable using solar energy, in conditions as low as 104 degrees, aligning with summer weather in Texas and other parts of the world.

That means people in places with excess heat and minimal access to clean water could someday simply place a device outside, and it would make water for them, with no additional effort necessary.

“With our new hydrogel, we’re not just pulling water out of thin air. We’re doing it extremely fast and without consuming too much energy,” says Guihua Yu, a materials science and engineering professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering and Texas Materials Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.

“What’s really fascinating about our hydrogel is how it releases water. Think about a hot Texas summer—we could just use our temperatures’ natural ups and downs, no need to crank up any heaters.”

Read more here: https://www.futurity.org/hydrogel-wate ... 297495

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Solar Cell-based Hybrid Energy Harvesters Towards Sustainability by Xiao TX, Tu S, Liang SZ, Guo RJ, Tian T et al.

Abstract:

(Opto Electronic Science) Energy harvesting plays a crucial role in modern society. In the past years, solar energy, owing to its renewable, green, and infinite attributes, has attracted increasing attention across a broad range of applications from small-scale wearable electronics to large-scale energy powering. However, the utility of solar cells in providing a stable power supply for various electrical appliances in practical applications is restricted by weather conditions. To address this issue, researchers have made many efforts to integrate solar cells with other types of energy harvesters, thus developing hybrid energy harvesters (HEHs), which can harvest energy from the ambient environment via different working mechanisms. In this review, four categories of energy harvesters including solar cells, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs), and thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are introduced. In addition, we systematically summarize the recent progress in solar cell-based hybrid energy harvesters (SCHEHs) with a focus on their structure designs and the corresponding applications. Three hybridization designs through unique combinations of TENG, PENG, and TEG with solar cells are elaborated in detail. Finally, the main challenges and perspectives for the future development of SCHEHs are discussed.

Read more here (It should be noted that this study includes both relatively easy to understand graphics as well as some technical discussion involving complicated mathematical formulas, etc.): https://www.oejournal.org//article/doi ... 3.230011

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Ingenious Snow-Proof Solar Panels Can Work in All Weather: ‘Game-Changing Tech’

Sep 16, 2023

Snow accumulation atop solar panels causes energy losses of between 5% and 15% every Winter in northern climates around the world, with some heavy snowfall even leading to mechanical loads that damage PV modules.

Keeping solar panels snow-free has been a costly and inefficient proposition—until now.

Materials and engineering scientists at the University of Toledo have developed an ingenious solution that is winning awards and satisfying the demand of 150 solar plant operators in their latest pilot tests.

The product is a novel strip that is applied to only the lower edge of the panel, which causes the melting of the snow without interfering with the absorption of sunlight.

In a video demonstrating Snow-Free Solar, the Ohio innovators say the easy-to-apply strip “does not cause any partial shading or hot spots on the panel and does not invalidate module warranty.” It can, in fact, improve the life expectancy of the panels.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ingenio ... ging-tech/

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Triple junction perovskite-perovskite-silicon solar cell with open-circuit voltage of over 2.8 V

September 19, 2023

Scientists at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have demonstrated a triple-junction solar cell with a perovskite-perovskite-silicon subcell configuration.

They said the cell achieved an open-circuit voltage of over 2.8 V, which compares to conventional cells with values ranging between 0.7 V and o.8 V. “This is a record value for this type of solar cell and demonstrates how photovoltaics combining perovskite and silicon offers huge untapped potential,” said the research's lead author, Juliane Borchert.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/09/19/ ... ver-2-8-v/



Image: Fraunhofer ISE

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Self-assembled monolayer paves the way for adapting perovskite solar cells for renewable energy
https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-sel ... solar.html
by City University of Hong Kong

A step forward in the evolution of perovskite solar cells recorded by researchers at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) will have significant implications for renewable energy development.

The CityU innovation paves the way for commercializing perovskite solar cells, bringing us closer to an energy-efficient future powered by sustainable sources. The research, titled "Stabilized hole-selective layer for high-performance inverted p-i-n perovskite solar cells," is published in the journal Science.

"The implications of this research are far-reaching, and its potential applications could revolutionize the solar energy industry," said Professor Zhu Zonglong of the Department of Chemistry at CityU, who collaborated with Professor Li Zhong'an at Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

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Research team counters solar energy misinformation

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-tea ... ation.html

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Breakthrough synthesis method improves solar cell stability

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-bre ... -cell.html

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Scientists Develop New Method to Create Stable, Efficient Next-gen Solar Cells
October 24, 2023


Introduction:

(Eurekalert) UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Next-generation solar materials are cheaper and more sustainable to produce than traditional silicon solar cells, but hurdles remain in making the devices durable enough to withstand real-world conditions. A new technique developed by a team of international scientists could simplify the development of efficient and stable perovskite solar cells, named for their unique crystalline structure that excels at absorbing visible light.

The scientists, including Penn State faculty Nelson Dzade, reported in the journal Nature Energy their new method for creating more durable perovskite solar cells that still achieve a high efficiency of 21.59% conversion of sunlight to electricity.

Perovskites are promising solar technology because the cells can be manufactured at room temperature using less energy than traditional silicon materials, making them more affordable and more sustainable to produce, according to the Dzade, assistant professor of energy and mineral engineering in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering and co-author of the study. But the leading candidates used to make these devices, hybrid organic-inorganic metal halides, contain organic components that are susceptible to moisture, oxygen and heat, and exposure to real-world conditions can lead to rapid performance degradation, the scientists said.

One solution involves turning instead to all-inorganic perovskite materials like cesium lead iodide, which has good electrical properties and a superior tolerance to environmental factors.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1005698

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Solar likely to outpace hydropower’s annual generation in 2024: EIA

Published Nov. 9, 2023

Solar is expected to generate 14% more electricity than hydroelectric facilities next year, thanks to the growth of new utility-scale and small-scale solar facilities, the Energy Information Administration said in a Tuesday report.

If solar energy performs as forecasted in 2024, it will be the first time in the U.S. that solar has annually generated more electricity than hydropower, EIA said in its monthly Short Term Energy Outlook. Solar first outpaced hydropower on a monthly basis in September 2022, generating 19 billion kWh compared to hydropower’s 17 billion kWh.

Solar outpaced hydropower again over the summer “due to exponential growth in installed solar capacity,” EIA said.

“From 2009 to 2022, installed solar capacity increased at an average rate of 44% per year, and installed hydroelectric capacity increased by less than 1% each year,” the agency said.

EIA’s report estimates that renewable energy’s share of U.S. generation, including hydro, will rise from 22% to 24% in 2024, while natural gas and coal are expected to each drop one point to 41% and 15%, respectively.

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/solar- ... ia/699130/

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China Signs Solar Power Deal with Myanmar Junta

https://www.irrawaddy.com/specials/myan ... junta.html